Closing the Gap
Closing the Gap is a commitment by all Australian governments to work towards a better future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, where gaps are closed in areas such as health, housing, education and employment. It aims to help Indigenous children get a good start in life and provide Indigenous people with the same choices and opportunities as other Australians living in comparable locations.
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has agreed a national Closing the Gap strategy, incorporating targets, priority action areas (or ‘building blocks’), national partnership agreements, extra funding and more rigorous government accountability. The National Indigenous Reform Agreement provides a framework for this strategy.
Each year the Prime Minister reports on progress in Closing the Gap.
Closing the Gap involves many initiatives around Australia, among them:
Governments are seeking to partner with the private and non-government sectors in Closing the Gap. They are also working with Indigenous people to build respectful and collaborative relationships. Only Indigenous people can lead change in their communities.
Closing the Gap is about more than overcoming Indigenous disadvantage. There are still gaps in understanding between Indigenous and other Australians. Non-Indigenous Australians have a great deal to gain from closer engagement with Indigenous people, their unique and diverse cultures, and their long history in this continent.