The Australian government adopted the goals of the Close the Gap Campaign in 2008, in a strategy known as Closing the Gap, and in 2009 committed to making an annual progress report to Parliament on progress with the Closing the Gap strategy.

In 2020, the Closing the Gap framework and strategy was significantly overhauled, with a “greater focus on partnership between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”.

The 2020 National Agreement on Closing the Gap 

The 2020 National Agreement on Closing the Gap (National Agreement) is a strategy that aims to improve the life outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The current National Agreement has been developed in partnership between the National Federation Reform Council (NFRC) (representing the Australian Commonwealth Government, state and territory governments, and the Australian Local Government Association) and the Coalition of Peaks. The Coalition of Peaks is a representative body of around fifty Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled peak organisations and members.

The National Agreement marks a shift in the approach to the Closing the Gap Strategy, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people determining what is important to them.

The National Agreement, which outlines 17 socioeconomic targets and four priority reforms, was signed by the NFRC and the Coalition of Peaks in July 2020. The most recent data on the targets is available via the Closing the Gap Information Repository Dashboard.

The four priority reform targets aim to change the way governments at national, state, and community levels work to improve the life outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. They are:

1. Formal partnerships and shared decision making: Building and strengthening structures to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to share decision-making with governments.
2. Building the community-controlled sector: Building formal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sectors to deliver services to support Closing the Gap.
3. Transforming government organisations: Systemic and structural transformation of mainstream government organisations to improve accountability and better respond to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
4. Shared access to data and information at a regional level: Enable shared access to location specific data and information to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations achieve the first three Priority Reforms.