Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
A Better Future for Indigenous Australians
The 2007-08 Budget provides additional funding of $748.3 million over five years (including $61.8 million in 2006‑07) for a package of 26 measures which address the priority areas of Indigenous disadvantage identified by the Ministerial Taskforce on Indigenous Affairs in consultation with the National Indigenous Council. These measures build on significant past efforts and provide major new investments in Indigenous housing, economic development, health and education.
In particular, this year’s package recognises the pressing need to address the housing situation of Indigenous Australians in remote areas, helping to build the foundation for improvements in health, education and employment outcomes.
The scale of this budget’s investment acknowledges the significant levels of disadvantage faced by Indigenous people. The package has been developed with a recognition that an integrated and whole-of-government approach is required to address Indigenous disadvantage effectively. The measures have been designed to complement, rather than replace, mainstream services for Indigenous Australians.
The measures double the Government’s investment announced in the 2006-07 Budget, which provided an Indigenous package of $372.9 million. The Government’s overall expenditure on Indigenous-specific services is expected to be a record $3.5 billion in 2007-08.



