Closing the gap? Kaylee Grace Brink, ‘Australian media’s treatment of closing the gap: the influence of history narratives’, Settler Colonial Studies, 2025 | settler colonial studies blog

Closing the gap? Kaylee Grace Brink, ‘Australian media’s treatment of closing the gap: the influence of history narratives’, Settler Colonial Studies, 2025

13Jan25

Abstract: Australia’s Closing the Gap policy has undergone many iterations since its initial introduction in late 2007. These changes and redirections have resulted in various levels of media attention over the past decade and half. To analyse media discourse around Closing the Gap (CtG), this study used codebook thematic analysis informed by ideas of historical recognition versus negation. The newspaper articles span from 2008 to 2020 and include reporting from major Australian newspapers. This study found that the Australian media presents some recognition of the impact of historical policies and events with multiple caveats. The most important caution is the pervasive occurrence of neoliberal discourse, especially relating to the pathologisation of perceived deficits. In contrast, a noticeable amount of CtG reporting highlighted the need for CtG to better support Indigenous-led and designed programmes and Indigenous sovereignty.

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