The Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation Report, released today, provides new information for nine socio-economic targets within the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The assessment of these targets paints a mixed picture, and emphasises the need for more resources to finally Close the Gap in life outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

As Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, we have been saying for a long time that we need to have a much greater say in how programs and services are delivered to our people, in our own places, and on our own country. The Australia State of the Environment Report 2021, released last week, reiterates the importance of this.

This National Reconciliation Week, Australians are challenged to be brave and make change. Members of the Coalition of Peaks have been doing change-making work in and for their communities for more than 50 years.

More than 70 representatives of the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (Coalition of Peaks, Peaks) met in Naarm on 4-5 May 2022.

Members of the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (Coalition of Peaks) will meet in Melbourne this week to take stock of progress being made on the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.   

The Coalition of Peaks representatives attended the sixth meeting of the Joint Council on Closing the Gap today, the meeting focused on the parties Implementation Plans. These plans outline the tangible actions that are to be taken to advance the four Priority Reforms and achieve the socio-economic outcomes committed to under the National Agreement.

The Coalition of Peaks, the collective voice of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector, are today proud to announce the public release of their first Implementation Plan under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. All Parties to the Agreement are responsible for publishing implementation plans that are responsive to the differing needs, priorities and circumstances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities and organisations across Australia.

The Coalition of Peaks today welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of more than $1billion over five years of new funding measures to close the gap in life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. The announcement comes as the Prime Minister tabled in Parliament the first Commonwealth Implementation Plan outlining how the Australian government will meet its commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

Significant Budget measures announced by the Commonwealth Government provide a foundation for investing in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. As expected, detailed funding relating to Closing the Gap was not announced in the Budget last night, so the full scope of funding commitments remains to be seen.

The Joint Council on Closing the Gap met today and agreed that joined-up work between all governments in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives is critical to reducing the rate at which Indigenous people are incarcerated.

Each year in February, the Prime Minister delivers a statement in Parliament accounting to the nation for the status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country and outlines what more is needed to “close the gap”. It is a time when our country looks in the mirror and confronts our different status – a status that shows wide gaps in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians.

Today the Joint Council on Closing the Gap convened for the first time since the historic National Agreement on Closing the Gap came into effect on 27 July 2020.

A joint funding pool is being established by Australian governments to strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector to deliver vital services to communities and help deliver on the commitments of Priority Reform Two under the new National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

The National Cabinet, the Australian Local Government Association and the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations have agreed the historic National Agreement on Closing the Gap, taking the country in a new direction to substantially improve life outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Joint Council met this afternoon by teleconference to discuss the final details of the draft National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The Joint Council acknowledged the work between Australian governments, the Australian Local Government Association and the Coalition of Peaks to negotiate the historic agreement.

The Coalition of Peaks today released a ground-breaking report on the 2019 community engagements with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about their views on what should be included in the new National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The report is called, ‘A report on engagements with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to inform a new National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

Today the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peaks have launched their website and social media. Aimed at engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the new National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

The release of the 2020 Closing the Gap report today confirms the need for a fundamentally new approach, according to the Coalition of Peaks. The report reveals that progress against the majority of Closing the Gap targets is still not on track.

A core tenant of Australia’s modern national identity is belief in a fair go. Yet the promise of a fair go is not a reality for everyone in this country. The difference in the life outcomes of First Nations people compared to the rest of Australia is stark.

The Coalition of Peaks shared what was heard during a comprehensive program of community engagements which they led, including overwhelming support received for its three proposed Priority Reforms and the creation of a fourth.