CLOSING THE GAP

and is therefore, on track. In all other jurisdictions
the gap in employment rates significantly increased
during this time, apart from Victoria where the
increase was not statistically significant.
Gender
The longer-term data tells an important story by
gender. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
have made substantial progress in employment over
the longer term. The employment rate for working
aged women in 2014-15 (43.3 per cent) is higher than
the mid 1990’s (28.9 per cent) (Figure 15). Also while
Indigenous female employment rates are considerably
lower than Indigenous male employment rates, the
gap has narrowed considerably since 1994. 34
34 Indigenous male employment had been impacted by the
decline in the number of CDEP participants. The Indigenous
male non-CDEP employment rate rose from 34.9 per cent in
1994 to 55.3 per cent in 2008 before falling to 50.1 per cent
in 2012-13. The equivalent figures for Indigenous women
are 23.7 per cent, 41.6 per cent and 41.2 per cent.
Figure 14: Indigenous working age (15-64) employment rates, by state/territory,
2008 and 2014-15 (per cent)
80
70
60
50
40
30
47.3
45.4
55.1
53.1 54.6
52.7
59.5
55.4
49.6
56.3
51.7
46.5 46.6 46.1
39.5
59.6 59.3
54.4
50.8
36.7
33.4
72.1 72.1
62.9
Per cent
20
10
0
NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT ACT
2008 total employment
2008 non-CDEP employment
2014-15
Source: ABS National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey 2008 & 2014-15
Figure 15: Indigenous working age (15-64) employment rates, by sex, 1994 to 2014-15 (per cent)
70
60
50
40
30
47.0
28.9
55.9
41.0
62.7
45.6
52.8 53.9
42.2 43.3
20
Per cent
10
0
1994 2002 2008 2012-13 2014-15
Male
Female
Source: ABS National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey 1994, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey 2002, 2008
& 2014-15, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (Core Component) 2012-13
CLOSING THE GAP: PRIME MINISTER'S REPORT 2017
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