Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are warned that photos in this publication may contain images of deceased persons which may cause sadness or distress. We pay tribute and honour their memory by sharing their stories.
BRIDGING THE GREAT DIVIDE Many of our old people of Cape York began the fight for rights and responsibilities to exist in proper balance to promote Indigenous initiative, leadership, and responsibility. Following their lead, we have pursued a reform agenda—The Cape York Agenda—and demanded that Cape York people make their own decisions and act on their own behalf.
Our vision is for Indigenous individuals and families to be recognised as First Australians, empowered to make meaningful choices, and enabled to share their culture with other Australians
A great divide separates the life circumstances of the First Australians and the broader community. That divide remains our great national shame.
ONE AGENDA, ONE ORGANISATION In 2013, Cape York Partnership was formed to bring together five organisations working to overcome disadvantage on Cape York and to give birth to new organisations that would expand on these efforts.
Together, the component parts of Cape York Partnership are a potent response to the enduring fact that Australia’s social and welfare policy approach to Indigenous affairs is failing Indigenous Australians. This failing has resulted in almost no improvement in bridging the divide (the gap) between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. We are lagging behind other nations:
Indigenous YOUTH ARE 24X MORE LIKELY TO BE DETAINED IN JUVY Education Gap
ADULT IMPRISONMENT RATES HAVE INCREASED 48% poverty Gap
(% adults)
life expectancy Gap
(% households)
1.0%
(years)
0.5%
7.6%
0.3 12.0%
18.5% 23.0%
27.6%
SELF-HARM HOSPITALISATIONS HAVE INCREASED 57%
13.2% 15.9%
5.5 7.0 7.3
18.0%
Note: Gap defined as difference in metric between Indigenous vs non Indigenous population
10.0
We translate policy into action by operating our own solutions in Cape York
RECOGNITION
Constitutional reform
Education Income
EMPOWERMENT Home Ownership Health
CULTURE
Culture
With a central services team supporting operators in serving the people of Cape York
An initiative of Cape York Partnership