Next steps to Close the Gap

The second Closing the Gap Implementation Plan was released by the Australian government earlier this year, investing $424 million in additional funding to address Indigenous disadvantage through practical measures. It was released alongside the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (Coalition of Peaks) Annual Implementation Plan.

The Australian government has admitted that the gap is not closing fast enough and is going backwards on some measures.

“We saw the outcomes in the 2022 Closing the Gap annual report and know that we need to be doing more as a government,” said Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Linda Burney MP.

“Our measures are going to be more specific and more targeted, making real impacts that complement work underway in states and territories, and back in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations to lead work in their communities.”

The updated Implementation Plan includes practical new measures such as $150 million towards water infrastructure to result in clean and safe drinking water for Indigenous communities.

“I think it would be a shock to many people that there are many communities

– remote Aboriginal communities in Australia – that do not have clean drinking water and cannot have dialysis because the water is not clean enough for the dialysis machines, despite the fact that renal failure is such an issue in our communities,” Ms Burney said.

Just under $112 million will be contributed to a new one-year partnership with the Northern Territory government to accelerate the building of new remote housing, targeted at addressing the worst overcrowding. And $11.8 million will go over two years towards the National Strategy for Food Security in remote First Nations communities to make essential food more affordable and accessible in remote communities.

Continued funding of more than $68 million will deliver legal and nonlegal support to women and children experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence over two years.

Over five years, nearly $22 million will go towards supporting families impacted by family violence and at risk of engaging in the child protection system through the delivery of placebased, trauma-aware and culturally responsive healing programs aimed at early intervention and recovery and keeping families together.

$38.4 million will go over four years towards boosting on-Country education for remote First Nations students, including more access to junior rangers and more choice of culturally appropriate distance learning for families. $21.6 million will also be put towards supporting rural and remote students for an additional year of quality boarding.

The measures will be designed in line with the National Agreement’s four Priority Reforms and delivered through formal partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities.