Anniversary of the Closing the Gap Review
14 February 2025
The Productivity Commission has just marked the 12-month anniversary of the Review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Delivered on 7 February 2024, the Closing the Gap review is one of the most widely read publications in the Productivity Commission’s history. A year on from its release, the report remains an important resource for public sector employees and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and peoples around the country.
The year ahead marks an important chapter in Closing the Gap accountability. From now until July, the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations are undertaking an independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led review of the National Agreement. This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from Indigenous people about their lived experiences of the National Agreement and its rollout.
Our 2024 review found commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap were largely unfulfilled by governments and made four recommendations with 16 supporting actions to initiate the much-needed transformation.
Governments at all levels have agreed to implement the recommendations and supporting actions contained in the Closing the Gap review. Acting on these recommendations will require a fundamentally new way of developing and implementing policies and programs that affect the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
"After the first review our focus is now on supporting governments across all jurisdictions to understand how best to implement the recommendations in their own contexts,” said Commissioner Selwyn Button.
"Governments will need to use the data and evidence that we have collected through the initial review, along with local community-based data and information to develop tailored approaches to improving outcomes.”