Stronger relationships and government accountability key to closing the gap. Prime Minister delivers the Commonwealth Closing the Gap 2024 Annual Report and 2025 Implementation Plan

Today, the Prime Minister tabled the Commonwealth National Agreement on Closing the Gap Annual Report and Implementation Plan, alongside the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Peaks (The Peaks) 2024 Annual Report and 2025 Implementation Plan.

The Peaks welcomed the opportunity to continue working with the Commonwealth government to advance shared goals of equity, justice, and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Marking five years since the National Agreement on Closing the Gap was signed, Pat Turner AM, Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, emphasised the need for systemic change:

 “For the implementation to be successful, systems, policies, and governance must evolve. Government must evolve. It is our responsibility, in partnership with governments, to strengthen the policies that are working and change the ones that are failing – those that continue to exclude the basic needs of our people.”

While acknowledging the challenges, Ms Turner noted early signs of progress:

“While we know that the full impact of the changes we are making will take time to materialise, the National Agreement has already begun to show results. The most recent data from the Productivity Commission's dashboard highlights progress. For the first time, 5 out of 19 targets are on track. We have seen improvements in critical areas such as the proportion of First Nations babies born at a healthy weight and the increase in the land and sea country under Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander control. These are significant achievements that deserve recognition.”

The Peaks also highlighted significant milestones achieved over the past year, including the federal government’s $840 million investment in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory through the NT Remote Aboriginal Investment Fund. Announced last week, this investment is an example of the strength of partnerships between the federal and NT governments, and the Aboriginal Peak Organisation in the Northern Territory (APO NT).

Looking ahead, the Peaks will lead an Aboriginal-led Review of National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which will be grounded in the lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This Review aims to uphold accountability and uphold accountability and drive continuous improvement.

Turner concluded, “Closing the Gap is not just policy; it is the intentional pursuit to make life better for our people and for the generations that come after us. We will hold governments and ourselves accountable until we achieve real, lasting change.”