Children the heart of the Closing the Gap, Thriving Kids, and more  – SNAICC in the News

This week has been an important one for SNAICC’s advocacy, with our work highlighted across national print, television, and radio. The focus across the media has been on the latest Closing the Gap report and the launch of the Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices national plan to end family, domestic, and sexual violence. 

Here is a look at where SNAICC has been in the news this week 23 to 27 February.  

Early Childhood at the centre of Closing the Gap

Following the release of the Federal Government’s newest Closing the Gap report, The West Australian featured comments from SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle. Responding to the data showing mixed results across key targets, Catherine noted that the government’s early childhood focus  

“reinforced what we know to be true — closing the gap starts with our children”. 

Placing children at the heart of the Closing the Gap strategy is essential. But must be accompanied by ensuring educational outcomes ultimately depend on broader foundational supports such as secure housing, employment, and food security for our communities.  

In our media release, Catherine reiterated that:

“Governments, including the Commonwealth, will not achieve Closing the Gap outcomes in the early years unless ACCO services are equipped to manage increasingly complex operational, funding and regulatory environments.”

Read SNAICC’s media release here:  

A Historic Step for Family Safety: Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices 

SNAICC welcomed the launch of the Federal Government’s 10-year national plan to end family, domestic, and sexual violence, Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices. This was covered prominently by The West Australian and the Koori Mail. 

Speaking to the Koori Mail, Catherine emphasised that child removal is often a consequence of unaddressed harm. She advocated for earlier, community-led intervention, stating:

“A child protection system that responds after violence has occurred is not enough. Safety starts earlier, with family support, healing and culturally-grounded programs that keep children connected to family and community”.

The West Australian also noted SNAICC’s support for the plan’s emphasis on prevention, which could reduce the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children entering out-of-home care.  

As Catherine stated,

“when families are supported to be safe and strong, children are safer too”. 

Read SNAICC’s statement here:  

SNAICC on the TV

Catherine joined the couch on ABC News Breakfast Headlines segment where she discussed Thriving Kids, the cost-of-living pressures associated with early childhood education and care, the challenges with the market-driven model, and shared some poetry. 

On the National Indigenous Radio Service the recently appointed National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People spoke about her new role and the work of SNAICC in advocating for the implementation, and her goal to focus on fixing over-representation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home-care.  

The Commissioner made reference to SNAICC’s research in Family Matters highlighting that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are 9.6 times over-represented in out-of-home-care, but she also emphasised what SNAICC has reiterated countless times: 

“As much as we need tell people these statistics, we to remember they’re our Children that are sacred — they’re our future — and we need to look after them. These systems that perpetuate violence against our kids need to change” 

She pointed out that she sees the role of the National Commissioner as community-led: 

“It’s takes all of us to hone in on these systems that don’t work for us and really advocate and support our children to become the best they can be.”

SNAICC has long called for the reforms that invests in our communities and ACCO’s and called for the reforms that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and their families.  

SNAICC’s Family Matters 2025 report found that just 16 cents in every dollar goes to prevention, highlighting that one of the barriers to reform is how spending is prioritised.

SNAICC’s Family Matters 2025 report was mentioned in a tragic story in the National Indigenous Times where a mother’s visit to a hospital resulted in the removal of her daughters, who were taken to hospital because of innocent injuries.