National Agreement on Closing the Gap

The objective of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap is to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and governments to work together to overcome the inequality experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and achieve life outcomes equal to all Australians.

Agreed Targets

There are two types of targets in the Agreement, for which the Government Parties have the same level of commitment and accountability:

• Priority Reform targets focus on measuring the change governments are making in the way they work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Socio-economic targets focus on measuring the outcomes experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Parties agree that full implementation of the Priority Reforms will support an accelerated achievement of the socio-economic targets.

New or varied targets may be added to the Agreement after it’s commencement, as in accordance with Section 11A of the Agreement – Amendments to the Agreement

Priority Reform Targets

The National Agreement on Closing the Gap has been built around Four Priority Reforms that have been directly informed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

These reforms change the way governments work to accelerate improvements in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.

Each priority reform includes a target and an outcome, with indicators developed to support the reporting against each priority reform.

1. Formal partnerships and shared decision-making.
   • Outcome: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are empowered to share decision-making authority with governments to accelerate policy and place-based progress on Closing the Gap through formal partnership arrangements
   • Target: There will be formal partnership arrangements to support Closing the Gap in place between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and governments in place in each state and territory enshrining agreed joint decision-making roles and responsibilities and where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have chosen their own representatives.
2. Building the Community-controlled Sector
   • Outcome: Building the community-controlled sector: There is a strong and sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector delivering high quality services to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the country.
   • Target: Increase the amount of government funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs and services going through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations
3. Transforming Government Organisations
   • Outcome: Improving mainstream institutions: Governments, their organisations and their institutions are accountable for Closing the Gap and are culturally safe and responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including through the services they fund.
   • Target: Decrease in the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have experiences of racism.
4. Shared Access to Data and Information at a Regional Level
   • Outcome: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have access to, and the capability to use, locally-relevant data and information to set and monitor the implementation of efforts to close the gap, their priorities and drive their own development.
   • Target: Increase the number of regional data projects to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to make decisions about Closing the Gap and their development.