Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, stating he is “not contemplating failure” despite lagging progress against key targets. The announcement comes as Albanese prepares to deliver his annual Closing the Gap speech to parliament on Thursday, accompanied by a new $299 million investment aimed at boosting employment opportunities in remote communities.
The Prime Minister’s firm stance follows the release of data showing only four out of 19 targets are currently on track to be met by the 2031 deadline. Six targets are showing improvement, and the government anticipates achieving the 95 percent pre-school enrolment target with updated data later this year. Although, targets related to suicide rates, children in out-of-home care, adult incarceration, and early childhood development are all worsening, according to data released last year.
Albanese will highlight varying levels of success across states and territories, citing progress in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and the Northern Territory in reducing rates of children in out-of-home care, even as the national trend remains negative. Western Australia, Victoria, and South Australia are as well demonstrating “significant progress” in reducing youth detention rates, though nationally, there has been no change since 2016-17.
The new funding commitments include $144.1 million for upgrades and repairs to community-controlled health clinics, $27.4 million to subsidize essential grocery items in remote stores, and $32.7 million for improved food storage to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events. Further investment of $44.4 million will support Birthing on Country maternal care programs, and $48.3 million will be allocated to short-term hostel accommodation.
A $13.9 million boost will also be provided to the 13YARN mental health support service, extending its operating hours and introducing a text message service, responding to long-standing calls for increased accessibility. This funding accompanies the recently launched national plan to end violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children, backed by $220 million in federal funding over four years.
Scott Wilson, deputy lead convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, emphasized the importance of empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organizations to lead solutions. “We’ve seen it happen and we know it works,” Wilson stated. “Our people and organisations have the knowledge and trust of their communities, and that is exactly what’s needed to drive real, lasting change.”
The Prime Minister’s address will also acknowledge the “shock and fear” experienced by First Nations communities following the alleged terrorist attack on an Invasion Day rally in Perth on January 26th. “We see you. We stand with you,” Albanese will say, condemning the alleged attack as motivated by racism and white supremacy. He will reiterate the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to gather and express their views without fear of violence.
The $25 billion funding deal struck with states and territories last month will include an additional $450 million for Indigenous health, with $250 million from the Commonwealth and $200 million from the states.
Opposition spokeswoman for Indigenous Australians, Kerrynne Liddle, criticized the government’s progress, stating that Closing the Gap targets “continue to worsen” and that data on family violence remains unavailable for assessment.
The 2020 Closing the Gap agreement, forged in partnership with the Coalition of Peaks, prioritizes funding for community-controlled organizations (ACCOs). However, a 2024 Productivity Commission review found that government engagement with Indigenous communities has often been “tokenistic,” with many governments maintaining a “business-as-usual” approach. A separate review by the Jumbunna Institute last year found that ACCOs are “doing the heavy lifting although at the same time being under-resourced in comparison with government.”