History of Closing the Gap

2025

• In March 2025, the Close the Gap Campaign report 2025 was released by the Lowitja Institute. The report describes the ongoing challenges and tangible solutions needed to close the health and wellbeing gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The report makes recommendations across a range of areas. including calling on the Australian Government to implement the recommendations of the Review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap: study report and the four priority areas in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
• In February 2025, the Closing the Gap: Commonwealth 2024 annual report and Commonwealth 2025 implementation plan were released as one report. The Annual Report assessed the delivery of the Commonwealth Closing the Gap implementation plan 2024 while the 2025 Implementation Plan outlined the Commonwealth’s strategic priorities for Closing the Gap over the next year.

2024

Close the Gap campaign report 2024 – voyage to Voice, Treaty, Truth and beyond (The Lowitja Institute)

• In July 2024, the fourth Closing the Gap annual data compilation report was released by the Australian Government Productivity Commission. The report provided a point-in-time snapshot of progress under the National Agreement for Closing the Gap.
• In March 2024, the Close the Gap: voyage to Voice, Treaty, Truth and beyond report was released by the Lowitja Institute. The report delivers a set of recommendations providing a pathway towards achieving the National Agreement’s goals. Key among these is a call to implement the four Priority Reforms in all jurisdictions, which would include addressing recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s 2024 Closing the Gap review. The 2024 report reminds all Australians of the strengths and successes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and pays tribute to their strong leadership and legacy.
• In February 2024, the Closing the Gap: Commonwealth 2023 annual report and Commonwealth 2024 implementation plan were released as one report. The Annual Report assessed the delivery of the Commonwealth Closing the Gap implementation plan 2023, while the 2024 Implementation Plan outlined the Commonwealth’s strategic priorities for Closing the Gap over the next year. 
• In February 2024, the Review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap: study report was released by the Australian Government Productivity Commission. This report was the Productivity Commission’s first review of progress on the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The key message of the report was that fundamental changes were required to deliver on the Agreement.

2023

Close the Gap campaign report 2023 – strong culture, strong youth: our legacy, our future (National Close the Gap Alliance Group)

• In July 2023, the Review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap: draft report was released by the Australian Productivity Commission. This report sets out the Commission’s findings and recommendations on the ongoing implementation of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. It highlights areas of improvement and emphasises where additional effort is required to close the gap.
• In July 2023, the third Closing the Gap annual data compilation report was released by the Australian Government Productivity Commission. The report provided a point-in-time snapshot of progress under the National Agreement for Closing the Gap.
• In February 2023, the Coalition of Peaks Closing the Gap implementation plan 2023 and the Commonwealth Closing the Gap implementation plan 2023 were released. These plans provide details of how the Coalition of Peaks and the Commonwealth Government, respectively, will meet their responsibilities under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

2022

Commonwealth Closing the Gap annual report 2022
Close the Gap Campaign Report 2022 – Transforming power voices for generational change (Close the Gap Campaign Steering Committee)

• In July 2022, the second Closing the Gap annual data compilation report was released by the Australian Government Productivity Commission. The report provided a point-in-time snapshot of progress under the National Agreement for Closing the Gap.

2021

Leadership and legacy through crises: keeping our Mob safe (Close the Gap Campaign Steering Committee)

• In August 2021, the Coalition of Peaks implementation plan and the Commonwealth implementation plan were released. These plans detailed how the Coalition of Peaks and the Commonwealth Government, respectively, would meet their responsibilities under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
• In July 2021, the first Annual data compilation report to inform reporting on progress under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap was released. The report provided baseline data for all of the socioeconomic targets, and more recent data for seven targets where such data were available.

2020

• In July 2020, the National Agreement on Closing the Gap was signed by the National Federation Reform Council (NFRC) and the Coalition of Peaks. The National Agreement marked a shift in the approach to the Closing the Gap Strategy, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people determining what is important to them.
• In June 2020, A report on engagements with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to inform a new national agreement on Closing the Gap was released. It provided detailed feedback on what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities across Australia had expressed they thought should be included in a new National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
• In May 2020, the NFRC was formed (comprising the Prime Minister, state and territory Premiers, Chief Ministers, Treasurers and President of the Australian Local Government Association) and the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) ceased.

2019

• In March 2019, the Partnership agreement on Closing the Gap 2019-2029 was signed. The Partnership agreement expresses the arrangements for the formal partnership between COAG and the Coalition of Peaks on Closing the Gap.

2018

• In December 2018, COAG released the COAG statement on the Closing the Gap Refresh, a draft of the strengths-based framework that recognises the importance of genuine partnership between the governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and outlined refreshed targets.
• In February 2018, the Special gathering statement was released. The Special Gathering brought together prominent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to provide advice on future Closing the Gap policy priorities.

2017

• In June 2017, COAG agreed that the refreshed Closing the Gap strategy would adopt a strengths-based approach and ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were central to the development and implementation of the strategy.

2016

• In December 2016, in acknowledgement of four of the seven targets expiring in 2018 and the relatively slow progress that was being made, COAG agreed to refresh the Closing the Gap strategy.
• In June 2016, a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations released The Redfern statement: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations unite calling on the Federal Government to retain and establish national representation to facilitate meaningful engagement, and improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander outcomes in health and justice.

2015

2014

• In May 2014, a target to close the gap in school attendance was added.

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

• In November 2008, COAG agreed to the National Indigenous reform agreement (NIRA).
• On 18-20 March 2008, the National Indigenous Health Equality Summit was held in Canberra. At this Summit, the Close the Gap Indigenous health equality targets were presented to delegates. The Statement of intent was signed on 20 March 2008.

2007

• On 20 December 2007, COAG committed to ‘closing the gap’ in life expectancy between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians. Importantly, COAG agreed to be accountable for reaching this goal within a specific timeframe. The strategy initiated at this time by COAG became known as Closing the Gap.
• In April 2007, the Close the Gap campaign was launched.

2006

• In March 2006, the National Indigenous Health Equality Campaign was developed in response to the Social justice report 2005 by a coalition of Australia’s peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous health organisations, non-governmental organisations, and human rights organisations.

2005

• In November 2005, Professor Tom Calma, in his role as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, released the Social justice report 2005. This important report called for the governments of Australia to commit to achieving equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the areas of health and life expectancy within 25 years.