Last week, Malcolm Turnbull presented the eighth annual prime minister's report on the government's Close the Gap campaign, and made a statement to Parliament.
As is customary, the Close the Gap Campaign steering committee also released its 2016 progress and priorities report, and its co-chairs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda, and Dr Jackie Huggins, also made speeches and public comments.
The reports acknowledge that Close the Gap policy and programs have not succeeded, so far; the words 'target not met' recur throughout. The primary target, closing the life expectancy gap in one generation, 'is not on track', nor are many others.
There was an expectation that, ten years after the National Indigenous Health Equality campaign was initiated, the reports would include positive results. They do identify modest gains, notably a marked reduction in infant mortality and an increase in the number of Indigenous children completing year 12.
Overall however, the gaps remain wide.
Closing the Gap has bipartisan support, though each prime minister brings a different tone. Turnbull emphasised economic empowerment, talking up Indigenous people's successes, and the fostering of innovation and entrepreneurship.
He also stated the importance of constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as pertinent to closing the gap.
The steering committee report expresses frustration with the pace of change, and advocates urgent action and greater Indigenous control at the local level. Its recommendations include two items that warrant comment.
The first is a reiteration of a proposal made in 2013, calling for reduced incarceration of Indigenous people to be made a Close the Gap target.
The second is for an inquiry into institutional racism in the health sector.
While Turnbull did not mention the 2013 proposal specifically, he expressed concern about high rates of imprisonment and recidivism in the Indigenous population. He advocated rehabilitation, particularly via opportunities for work, and 'the power of employment ... as a circuit breaker in that dreadful cycle'.
While many Indigenous people who are imprisoned have committed serious, often violent, offences, I can see no reason why lowering the incarceration rate could not begin immediately, starting with the many who are in jails and prisons for petty offences, notably non-payment of fines.
Recently, in WA, a woman died in custody after being locked up for non-payment of fines; she was ill with an infection resulting from violence inflicted by her partner, but entrenched racist attitudes among police and health personnel led to her pleas for help