Published: December 1, 2016
On 17 November, the Productivity Commission (PC) released the 2016 Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage (OID) Report.
The biannual OID is Australia’s key reference point for what is happening in Indigenous communities towards closing the gap. It’s a significant undertaking with the PC collating all available evidence to measure Indigenous wellbeing across 52 key indicators.
The latest OID report shows that there has been only limited progress towards addressing Indigenous disadvantage.
After 13 years and more than $30 billion of investment in Indigenous-focused policies and programs, the Commission found improvements in just three out of seven Closing the Gap targets. Improvements include rates of infant mortality, some education outcomes and household income.
However, it is concerning to see many justice and mental health outcomes stagnating and others worsening. The national imprisonment rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders has increased by a disturbing 77 per cent over the last 15 years. Instances of self-harm leading to hospitalisation amongst Indigenous Australians remain alarmingly high.
After 13 years and more than $30 billion of investment in Indigenous-focused policies and programs, the Commission found improvements in just three out of seven Closing the Gap targets.
A lack of investment in evaluation is a major barrier identified by the PC. This echoes previous findings from a strategic review of Indigenous expenditure back in 2010, released later under the Freedom of Information Act.
According to the PC, less than five per cent of Indigenous programs and policies have been properly evaluated over the last decade, meaning there has been very little opportunity to determine what investments have been worthwhile, undermining the government’s own goal of improving outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
The PC did cite a handful of good benchmark evaluations, including two by Urbis:
Conducted for the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, we assessed the progress of this initiative in improving the capacity and performance of Indigenous primary health care services. Read the report here.
According to the PC, less than five per cent of Indigenous programs and policies have been properly evaluated over the last decade.
These reports reflect Urbis’ strong commitment to a high standard of culturally attuned evaluations, reflecting our Reconciliation Action Plan priorities.
Urbis’ Economic and Social Advisory team is highly experienced in conducting evaluations to the level of rigour expected by the PC. We have deep knowledge of Australian public sector programs, systems and the challenges they often face.
It is important to have both the qualitative and economic story told side-by-side.
Our experience in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities brings a nuance to our work that informs program and policy decisions. Working with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partners around Australia, we combine cultural expertise with evaluation know how to deliver policy and economic impact advice.
Our team understands that in trying to determine whether public investment is working, we must also consider using cost benefit, or cost effectiveness assessments and pricing efficiency to understand the economics of a program.
Urbis Chief Economist, Nicki Hutley, says “It is important to have both the qualitative and economic story told side by side. While there may be tensions between the economics and the program experience at times, both must be carefully considered to optimise outcomes.”
We need more Aboriginal people trained as evaluators and researchers which would lead to greater productivity and economic benefit for Aboriginal communities.
Investing in the evaluation capacity amongst Indigenous professionals will provide an effective long-term evidence base and more substantial and real outcomes for the Indigenous community. “We need more Aboriginal people trained as evaluators and researchers which would lead to greater productivity and economic benefit for Aboriginal communities” Karen says.
Urbis welcomes the PC’s strong advocacy for increased investment in the evaluation of Indigenous programs and policies: Australia’s prospects of closing the gap are greatly diminished if we do not first establish what works, what doesn’t and why.
This article was co-authored by Urbis Director Nicki Hutley and Associate Director Evylyn Brophy, with contributions from Urbis Director Claire Grealy and independent consultant Karen Milward.
