The Closing the Gap framework is a strategy by the Commonwealth and state and territory governments of Australia that aims to reduce disparity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians on key health, education and economic opportunity targets.
[2] He also proposed to establish a commission to "close the gap" between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in "life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity", all in a way that respects their rights to self-determination.
This document serves two purposes: firstly, as a formal agreement between the Australian government of the day and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and, secondly, as an embodiment of a human right, a blueprint for achieving health equality.
After beginning the process of a Closing the Gap "refresh" two year earlier (after four of the targets were due to expire in 2018), this would be the final report of the framework established in 2008.
These were created by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in December 2018, and listed the following areas: families, children and youth; health; education; economic development; housing; justice (including youth justice); land and water ("where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ land, water and cultural rights are realised"); and cross-system priorities, which "addresses racism, discrimination and social inclusion, healing and trauma, and the promotion of culture and language for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples".
Ken Wyatt believes that both law reform and attitudes, such as unconscious bias, are needed, if relationships between police and Indigenous people are to improve.
[18] Western Australia had had some specific issues needing addressing, including systemic discrimination[19] and the matter of jail sentences for unpaid fines.
[Note 1][20] All Australian governments committed to the 16 new targets on 30 July 2020, and signed the National Agreement on Closing the Gap with the Coalition of Peaks, represented by convenor Pat Turner AM.
In addition, the new framework for the Closing the Gap strategy, which has bipartisan support, includes far greater Indigenous involvement in leading its implementation and measuring its progress, new accountability mechanisms, and a commitment to address structural racism in government organisations.
[9] Megan Davis, Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous UNSW, criticised aspects of the agreement, in particular the notion that the involvement of the Coalition of Peaks provides a "voice" and thus represents self-determination.
She says "Unlike the Uluru dialogues that invited communities to imagine and design their futures using the platform of constitutional change, the Coalition of Peaks closing-the-gap process is about refreshing a flawed policy".
[24] In August 2021 Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a new implementation plan worth A$1 billion towards meeting the targets in health, education, justice, and employment by 2031.
[31] The Prime Minister's foreword says that the final results of the evidence of the previous twelve years are not had been hoped for, but that there were stories and successes worth celebrating, and some progress on almost every measure, including the key areas of health and education.
[33] However, targets on healthy birth weight, attendance at early childhood education, and reducing the number of teenagers in the youth justice system are on track.
[25][33] Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a significantly lower life expectancy and higher burden of disease than non-Indigenous Australians.
[35] Major contributing factors to Indigenous Australians' lower life expectancy and poorer health outcomes originate from the effects of colonisation, and institutional and interpersonal racism from organisations and practitioners.
In general, the gaps have improved (such as in NAPLAN results) or not devolved (school attendance rate remaining stable for several years) have not met targets.