DR ODETTE PEARSON Aboriginal Health Equity Population Health Platform Lead, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, and Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide
PROFESSOR ALEX BROWN Aboriginal Health Equity Theme Leader, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, and Professor of Medicine—Aboriginal Health, University of Adelaide
The Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap (2019–2029)
and Indigenous data assets A new Agreement
inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
In December 2018 the long-overdue Partnership
people in its development. The new Agreement
Agreement on Closing the Gap 2019–2029 was
outlines how the Coalition of Peaks and COAG
signed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
will partner to implement the refreshed Closing
people, represented by their community-controlled
the Gap Framework.
peak organisations (Coalition of Peaks), and the
The Agreement is underpinned by the principles
Council of Australian Governments (COAG). This
of evidence-based decision-making and transparent
Agreement has the potential to respect the voice
data-sharing. Most importantly, it acknowledges
and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
the importance of national and local community
Islander people in determining their own future.
priority-setting and recognises the right to self-
The new Agreement demonstrates a genuine shift in public policy from the first Closing the Gap Framework 2008–2018 that had very limited 6
The Health Advocate • FEBRUARY 2020
determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
