National Close the Gap Day – Government Criticized for Stagnation and Declining Progress on Meaningful Reform

On the third Thursday in March every year, Australia marks the National Close the Gap Day when communities across Australia come together to highlight the issue of  health equality and life expectancy for First Nations people as a fundamental right. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people still live, on average, 10-11 years less than non-Indigenous Austraians. Closing the life expectancy gap is a national issue in which every individual and organisation in Australia can and must play a role.

In the wake of the historic National Apology to Australia’s Indigenous peoples in February 2008, the Close the Gap Statement of Intent was signed in March of that year as a bipartisan commitment to achieve equality in health status and life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians by 2030, followed by the National Agreement on Closing the Gap in 2020 which focused on partnership between governments and First Nations peoples and identified 19 national socio-economic targets in areas that have impact on life outcomes for First Nations peoples, such as life expectancy, healthy birth weight, education, employment,  housing, rates of incarceration, detention, out-of-home care, family violence and suicide.

Close the Gap Campaign, a coalition of over 50 major peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous health bodies, NGOs and human rights organisations, released its 2025 Close the Gap Report today, addressing this year’s National Close the Gap Day themes of agency, leadership and reform. The report emphasises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and the tangible solutions needed to close the health and wellbeing gap, as well as the ongoing challenges.

The report notes that progress has been inconsistent, disjointed, and slow, and very little meaningful reform has been implemented. Divisive state and territory policies that are in direct contradiction to the National Agreement further complicate the already stagnating and declining progress across critical socioeconomic targets. 

The report calls on Commonwealth, state, and territory governments to fulfil their commitments, increase accountability and transparency, and commit adequate resources. It sends a clear message to governments that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, leaders, organisations and allies will continue to hold them to account for their progress towards meeting their commitments under the National Agreement. Inability to implement the National Agreement directly translates to an inability to improve outcomes for  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

The focus of this year’s National Close the Gap Day, “Agency, Leadership, Reform”, emphasises that better outcomes for survival, dignity and wellbeing of First Nationspeople are achieved when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people drive the design and delivery of policies that affect them.  

As a human rights organisation that speaks out against injustice for refugees and people seeking asylum, the ASRC stands for an inclusive, compassionate and just Australia, and stands in solidarity with and actively partners with First Nations communities, following their lead as an ally to support self-determination, voice, truth and treaty. 

Read more about the Close the Gap Campaign and join the demand for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality here.