67. A 2018 review of the Closing the Gap Strategy suggested that Australia had
reached ‘a fork in the road’ for how it tackles the entrenched inequalities
and disparities in health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples.43
68. The Australian Government, through COAG, committed to refresh the
Closing the Gap agenda and commenced this process in 2017,44 involving
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples about what needs to be done
to promote a thriving and prosperous life for Indigenous Australians,
beyond existing targets.45
Recommendation 14: Australian Governments commit to targets to
overcome disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander children and adopt special measures to address the disparities in
the enjoyment of rights, with the effective engagement of their
communities.
(c)
Race discrimination
69. The first nation-wide census of Australia’s multicultural youth conducted in
2017 involved nearly 2000 young people aged 15–25 from refugee and
migrant backgrounds.46
70. The census revealed that 49% of refugee and migrant young people had
experienced some form of discrimination or unfair treatment in the 12
months prior to the census. Sixty-four per cent had witnessed someone
else being unfairly treated or discriminated against. Sixty-six per cent of
those who had experienced discrimination indicated that this was because
of their race, while 25% attributed this discrimination to religion.47
71. African-Australian communities, particularly Sudanese-Australian
communities in Melbourne, have experienced heightened public attention
in response to concerns about youth crime. Political and media debates
about crime have contributed to racial fear and anxiety towards AfricanAustralians.48 This has exacerbated the high levels of discrimination and
racial profiling experienced by people from African backgrounds.49
72. In its submission to the NCC, MYAN pointed out the importance of positive
leadership in the national conversation and for Governments to refrain
from referring to ‘broad characteristics and particular cultural groups …
which reinforces inaccurate stereotypes, harming young people, their
families and communities’.50
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