National Close the Gap Campaign
Aboriginal Leadership Key in Closing Gap: Report
This year’s themes of agency, leadership, and reform underscore the pivotal role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and communities continue to play in embedding the four Priority Reform Areas outlined in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
The Close the Gap Campaign has released its annual report, emphasising both the ongoing challenges and the tangible solutions needed to close the health and wellbeing gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The report showcases how the closing the gap priority reform areas are being implemented to create lasting change.
A central focus of this year’s report is the success of First Nations leaders who are actively shaping solutions and paving the way to close the gap. These leaders and their organisations have shown steadfast commitment to advancing the rights and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities-ensuring the survival, dignity and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians.
“We are proud to share this report, which not only highlights the achievements made in the pursuit of equity and justice but also reinforces the importance of continuing to elevate Indigenous voices,” said Karl Briscoe, Co-Chair of Close the Gap. “This campaign, our work, is about amplifying and championing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led solutions and showing how our leadership is the key to achieving genuine, sustainable reform.”.
Briscoe’s sentiments were echoed by fellow Close the Gap Co-Chair, Commissioner Katie Kiss, who also stressed the significance of holding governments accountable for their commitments.
“Our recommendations in this report are clear,” Kiss stated. “We urge all levels of government to fulfill their obligations under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. This landmark policy initiative is the most comprehensive to date, aimed at delivering improved outcomes across critical health and wellbeing indicators for First Nations peoples. All state and territory governments have signed onto the National Agreement, and they must be held accountable for its implementation.”
The Close the Gap Campaign report underscores the importance of building an enabling environment at the departmental and agency level, where the targets set by the National Agreement can be effectively achieved at the local level. According to Commissioner Kiss, without the proper framework, progress will remain stagnated.
“Through their collective efforts, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have made meaningful strides. However, there is still much more to be done to ensure that the health and wellbeing of First Nations peoples are truly prioritised.” she added.
As the Close the Gap Campaign continues its mission, the report serves as both a celebration of the progress made and a call to action for the ongoing work required to achieve true equality and justice.
To read the report, visit Close the Gap.
Key Facts:
Report includes: 9 Case studies & 1 Special Contribution.
The 2025 report provides tangible solutions to Close the Gap, offering a roadmap for implementing and supporting community agency.
It amplifies the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, sharing their expertise and creating change, through innovation, dedication, and the ability to build partnerships.
1. It is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agency and leadership, that is best placed to advise, build and embed critical reform across sectors to improve the health and wellbeing of our peoples and communities.
2. To significantly advance progress across the socio-economic targets in the National Agreement, governments must adopt rights-based policy approaches, provide long-term funding, and engage in shared decision-making with Indigenous communities.
3. Governments must establish genuine, collaborative partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at all levels of decision-making; including co-designing policies, programs, and services that reflect the needs, aspirations, and rights of Indigenous communities.
4. Embedding the Priority Reform areas is crucial to reforming the structures, policies, and practices that marginalise and disenfranchise Indigenous peoples.
About us:
The Close the Gap (CTG) Campaign is an independent, Indigenous-led campaign that calls on political leaders from all levels of government to take action on health and life expectancy equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.
The Campaign was officially launched in 2007 to address the unacceptable gap in life expectancy and other health indicators between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians; and helped influence the establishment of the Joint Council on Closing the Gap, and the formation of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap in July 2020.
The Campaign is comprised of 53 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous health, NGO and human rights organisations. It is separate to Closing the Gap, which is an Australian Government strategy.
More than 200,000 Australians have signed a pledge supporting the Campaign.