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SNAICC is the national peak body in Australia representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. SNAICC operates from a membership base of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community based child care agencies, long day care child care services, pre schools, Multi-functional Aboriginal Children’s Services, early childhood education services for young people at risk, family support services, foster care agencies, link up and family reunification services, family group homes, community groups and voluntary associations.
In 2005, 455,028 people identified themselves as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin. This is approximately 2.5% of the Australian population. The Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander population is concentrated mainly in New South Wales and Queensland, followed by Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population remains disadvantaged compared to the Non-Indigenous population of Australia. For instance:
• The average expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men is 67.2 and
that of women is 72.9 compared to respectively 77.9 and 82.6 years for the
non-Indigenous population.
• Approximately twice as many low birth weight infants were born to Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander women compared to those born to non-Indigenous women
over 2001 and 2004.
• The infant mortality rate is about two or three times higher compared to the
non-Indigenous population.
• The rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children on care and protection
orders was more than eight times the rate of non-Indigenous children.
• The rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care was
just over nine times the rate of non-Indigenous children.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were 7.5 times as likely to be the
subject of substantiations as non-Indigenous children.
• In 2006, the gross household income for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
population was $460 per week, which amounted to 62% of the rate for
non-Indigenous Australians ($740 per week).
• In the 2006 Census, 55% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population
aged 15 years and over were participating in the work force compared to 65% for
Non-Indigenous people.
• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population represents about 24% of the
total prisoner population.
Further information about demographics can be found in Appendix 2 of the Social Justice Report 2008. This report can be downloaded from: http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/sj_report/sjreport08/index.html. |
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