At the time of colonisation, it is estimated that around 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages were spoken in Australia. Since 2004, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) has conducted a nationwide survey every five to six years to capture the state of First Nations languages, called the National Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS). To date, three NILS have been completed. Each survey has had a slightly different objective and methodology, and while they reveal a comprehensive view of Australia’s Indigenous languages, they are not comparable over time. In general, it is likely that First Nations languages in Australia are in decline, or at best, have plateaued. The most recent survey found that:
- Of the 123 languages currently spoken, 14 First Nations languages are classified as ‘strong’.
- 51 languages were classified as ‘endangered’.
- Between 31 and 40 languages are gaining speakers.
Language strength is defined by the number of speakers, and transmission of language. However, even the languages classified as ‘strong’ require purposeful and ongoing maintenance.
All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages need to be maintained and revitalised. The focus of this target is to recognise the importance of language and culture in the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The data on the number of languages spoken according to the NILS, and the number of languages which were classified as ‘strong’ in the NILS over time is presented in Table 16.1 and trajectory charts. Caveats to the data are also noted. Since this is not a numeric target, possible pathways to the agreed target are presented below in terms of total number of languages spoken as well as for the number of strong languages.