WA government under fire for withholding crucial Closing the Gap data from native title holders

Native title representatives have sharply criticised the Western Australian government, accusing it of withholding critical data promised under the Closing the Gap framework, preventing communities from effectively tracking their progress in crucial areas such as health, education, housing, and justice.

Yamatji-Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), representing traditional owners across WA’s Midwest and Pilbara regions, requested specific data from the state government back in July last year. This followed a key on-country stakeholder meeting aimed at establishing localised benchmarks for community wellbeing.

Yet, according to YMAC and its stakeholders, the government has consistently failed to provide detailed responses.

“We’ve had small responses from different ministers … but mostly nothing”, explained Ashley Councillor, chief executive of Pilbara Aboriginal Health Alliance. He continued:

“It’s hurtful because it shows the lack of respect that they have for the integrity for how we’ve come [to form] the Call to Action. We’d love an all of government response to our solutions, especially from the premier saying, ‘These are the departments who can collaborate with you.'”

The WA government’s commitment to increased transparency and data-sharing was clearly established under a key Closing the Gap agreement pillar, aiming specifically to empower communities with detailed information. Despite these commitments, the state’s responses to date have been described as severely lacking.

A statement from YMAC highlighted receiving two letters last December from WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti, which notably lacked the requested detailed reporting.

“This decision once again left communities across both regions in the dark … [created] the feeling their concerns are being ignored,” said the YMAC statement.

“Sustained effort” pledged by WA government, but transparency still lacking

WA’s state government last year introduced the Privacy and Responsible Information Sharing Bill. This legislation intended to streamline data access for Indigenous organisations, empowering them to improve local governance and planning.

In response to criticisms about their data sharing, the state government issued a broad statement reiterating their commitment:

“Closing the Gap will require a sustained effort over time and we are committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal Western Australians to grow their communities — both economically and socially.”

However, the government notably avoided directly addressing why detailed information has not yet been shared with local Aboriginal organisations.

Roebourne community left waiting on child safety data

Elders in the Pilbara town of Roebourne continue to await a crucial state report from the West Pilbara Plan, intended to address longstanding child safety and wellbeing issues. The report, though verbally summarised to select community representatives, has not been publicly released—limiting grassroots-led actions against entrenched disadvantage.

WA Senator Dorinda Cox expressed her frustration about the lack of transparency:

“What [the West Pilbara Plan] should have done is secured child safety for the next future generations of children in Roebourne,” Senator Cox emphasised. “What it did unfortunately was count beans, it just counted statistics it didn’t allow [Roebourne] to have any data sovereignty.”

Local community member Sam Walker, a Ngarluma woman, was similarly critical of the state government’s handling of data transparency:

“The only way we’re going to go forward and close the gap is having the input from local decision makers. How can you sit in an office in Canberra and think you know what’s best for a regional community? The government have a lot to answer for here as well, they need to be held accountable.”

Senator Cox urges federal intervention on data transparency

Now chairing the federal committee into Measuring Outcomes for First Nations Communities, Senator Cox is calling on the federal government to step in and release hidden data stored within departmental archives.

She suggested that valuable community-specific data could be unearthed directly by the federal Treasury:

“The treasurer every year provides a profile … that measures the community’s wellbeing across Australia,” Senator Cox stated. “And I think that’s a critical point where we can encourage … the treasurer to provide some of that data so that it no longer is buried in someone’s ministerial portfolio.”