The 2026 Close the Gap Campaign Report highlights the power and leadership of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in tackling longstanding health inequities and calls on governments across Australia to move beyond policy promises and take definitive legislative action.
The report, a collaborative effort driven by the voices and strengths of First Peoples, presents clear evidence that community-led initiatives are making a difference and bring positive changes, despite persistent structural and systemic barriers.
However, it also warns that without urgent legal reform and enforceable accountability, progress will remain vulnerable and slow.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities continue to show remarkable leadership. Consistently driving positive change by advocating for their rights, their efforts have been instrumental in shaping policies, advancing social justice, and ensuring the voices of First Peoples are heard and respected” said Karl Briscoe, Close the Gap, Co-Chair. “What the report highlights is, despite facing numerous challenges, these communities demonstrate resilience, innovation, and a commitment to building a better future for generations to come. Now it’s time for governments to back this with action” he continued.
The 2026 report features nine case studies from across Australia, each showcasing how culturally grounded, self-determined solutions deliver better, more sustainable outcomes for First Peoples. These initiatives prove what is possible when communities are empowered to design and control responses that reflect their own priorities, cultural knowledge, and lived experience.
The report makes clear that health for First Peoples is inseparable from family, Country, culture, and identity—a holistic view often overlooked in policy settings. When governments fail to recognise and act on these cultural and social determinants, the result is preventable illness, disengagement from services, and sustained inequality.
Central to the report are ten recommendations aimed at embedding Indigenous rights in Australia’s laws and public policy, strengthening accountability, and ensuring the National Agreement on Closing the Gap delivers real, measurable results.
The report emphasises that the four Priority Reform areas—shared decision-making, strengthening the community-controlled sector, transforming government systems, and improving access to data—are essential levers for change. Without their full implementation, structural barriers and entrenched inequities will persist.
“Without urgent reform, the gains we’re seeing remain fragile. Real progress means embedding rights and accountability in Australia’s laws, not just policy documents,” said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss. “Closing the gap requires more than policy, it demands legislative action to protect rights and drive accountability.”
The report concludes that governments must step up and work in genuine partnership with First Peoples, creating the legislative, policy, and funding conditions necessary to sustain and scale the success already demonstrated in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Policy commitment alone is not enough—rights must be protected in law to ensure justice, equality, healing, and self-determination for all.
To read the report, visit Close the Gap.
