Data Consistency and Methodology for Closing the Gap Target 3 Reporting

Question

Senator O'SULLIVAN: In the Prime Minister's February speech on the anniversary of the apology to Australia's Indigenous people, the Prime Minister stated: ... later this year we expect confirmation that the target of 95 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children being enrolled in preschool will have been achieved. Will the 2026 Closing the Gap report be based on the same dataset, if you're basing it on 2016? Ms Winslow: As I mentioned earlier, the Productivity Commission will report on the current target and the potential achievement of that current target in July. We expect that to be published. That would be reflected in next year's Closing the Gap annual report. However, what will also be included in that annual report will be the details of the new, refreshed target 3, which will include retaining an element around enrolment, but, as I mentioned, we expect it to also look at data that captures measures of attendance and other indicators as well. I can't talk to the specifics of that target, because it's not yet been endorsed by all governments, but we expect that to be a more rigorous assessment, and the details would be included in the Closing the Gap reporting next year. Senator O'SULLIVAN: I'm certainly wishing for and hoping that that target is met and that the Prime Minister's words are true. I'm desperate that we get this right, absolutely, but, given that you're comparing two different datasets-you're comparing the preschool education Australia dataset to the census dataset from 2016- and given the population has increased significantly, that target may well actually be quite significantly under. Is the department or minister concerned about that? Ms Winslow: With respect to the refresh process that I mentioned, that will certainly have a more rigorous assessment of both enrolment and attendance. That's to align with all of the work that's happened over the last couple of years between the states and the Commonwealth through the Preschool Reform Agreement to improve the quality of preschool data and the way it's captured. I think it will go to some of the issues that you mentioned, because they are certainly known issues. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Have you done any reanalysis of the current achievement against the more recent census data rather than the previous census from four years earlier? Ms Winslow: I would have to take that one on notice to confirm whether that analysis has been undertaken. ..... Senator O'SULLIVAN: There's a calculation problem here, right? The government's reporting every year on Closing the Gap targets. It's a national commitment, but we've got the wrong denominator. We're comparing against the 2016 census data rather than the latest census data. That will clearly give an inaccurate representation of the achievements. I'm wanting to know what the government is going to do. I'm wondering why it hasn't addressed the ANAO's report, why there hasn't been a correction made and why there hasn't been a recalculation of the reporting against for the last several years. And I'm wanting to know what you're going to do about it. I'm hearing that there's going to be a refresh of these targets. I'm interested in knowing know whether or not the new targets are going to be based on a consistent data set rather than old data. Senator Walsh: The officials have answered your questions about that and talked about the ways in which the data is being looked at on target 3. We also want to focus on attendance as well. I guess the point that I'm making is that delivery matters to First Nations children. Senator O'SULLIVAN: But how do you know if delivery is achieving the outcome if you're not actually measuring using accurate and reliable datasets? Senator Walsh: Well, Mr Reed talked before, for example, about the importance of the three-day guarantee and the five-day guarantee for First Nations children. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Yes, but how do you measure it? This is a Closing the Gap target. The comparator is wrong. It's 2016 rather than 2021-22. We know the population grew. There were quite a considerable number of media articles about how more and more Australians are identifying as Indigenous. Therefore, how do we know that we're actually achieving? I hope we are, but it seems to me we're measuring against the wrong thing. Senator Walsh: The officials have answered your questions about the data. Senator O'SULLIVAN: You're not addressing it, Minister, and you're responsible for it. I'm not hearing from you any acknowledgement that this is wrong and that you're going to do something about it. Senator Walsh: We are interested in enrolments being high. We are interested in attendance being high. There is work going on about how the data can best reflect both enrolments and attendance, as I understand it from the evidence of the officials. We are also putting the delivery in place, working closely with First Nations groups and investing in Aboriginal community controlled early learning. I'm seeing firsthand the benefits of that. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Can I get an answer, then: is it possible for you to recalculate that target against the latest census for us? Mr Cook: The Productivity Commission plays this role rather than the department. This is the reason we're taking it on notice. I will read from the ANAO report: The PC recognises the ongoing need to address data limitations (such as for Target 3)- I think that is the exact point you're raising- and to enhance the completeness of the Information Repository- which is the Closing the Gap Information Repository, which is kept by the Productivity Commission. It goes on: The PC is committed to work in partnership with governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to develop the Information Repository so that it meets their needs. The point that you've raised is very valid. We'll have to talk to the Productivity Commission, because it's actually the PC rather than us that collects the data, generates the data and actually produces the reports, and we're very happy to do that. So we'll take that on notice and see what they can give us on the questions that you're asking. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Thank you.

Answer

Please see the attached PDF.

Documents

• Question with answer (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
• SQ26-000712.pdf (opens in a new tab)