The number of First Nations people incarcerated is still rising and it's one of four closing the gap targets going backwards. The productivity commission says it shows governments need to work closer with Indigenous-led organisations to find solutions.
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00:00After spending five years in and out of jail, Felicity Chafer-Smith painted a new life for
00:08herself.
00:09The Nuttinjuri woman was taught about art while incarcerated.
00:12She's now a teacher in that same program, run by First Nations-led organisation, The
00:17Torch.
00:18Being able to create art and share what I'm going through, express that, it's so empowering.
00:24Re-offending rates for those involved in the program are significantly lower than the national
00:28average of about 76% for First Nations people.
00:32You can't just continue to do the same old and continue business as usual if we're expecting
00:37significant change.
00:39The latest Closing the Gap figures show only five of the 19 targets are on track.
00:45Four are worsening, including the rates of suicide, children in out-of-home care and
00:50adult incarceration, reigniting calls for governments to work closer with Aboriginal-controlled
00:56organisations.
00:58We have engaged substantially and I've engaged directly with communities.
01:04I continue to do so.
01:07The outcome's to be a key focus this weekend, as politicians gather for the annual Garma
01:11Festival.
01:13The newly sworn-in Minister for Indigenous Australians describing the data as deeply
01:18troubling, calling for a bipartisan approach.
01:21To see Indigenous affairs not treated as a political football.
01:25We've been quite specific in some of the things we want to see, but of course we approach
01:28this topic with goodwill.
01:30Close to a year after the failed voice to parliament referendum, the government is adamant
01:34it's still committed to closing the gap, but insists intergenerational inequality can't
01:40be resolved overnight.