New Closing the Gap data confirms what works: partnership andcommunity control

The latest Productivity Commission annual Closing the Gap data report confirms that  when Aboriginal community-controlled organisations are treated as partners and  properly resourced, they deliver real results. 

The findings echo those of the Independent Review of the National Agreement on Closing  the Gap, released last month, which found that governments are falling short in their  obligations and need to urgently shift how they work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

“Governments need to stop, take stock, and change their approach,” said Pat Turner AM,  Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, which represents Aboriginal community controlled organisations. 

“We now have two independent reports telling us the same thing: where our  organisations lead and are properly supported, we see progress. But when governments  fail to meet their commitments, the gap doesn’t just remain, it widens.” 

The 2025 report shows several areas of progress: 

• 94.2% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were enrolled in preschool  in 2024 – up from just 61.3% in 2016 

• Employment rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15–64  rose to 55.7%, up from 51% in 2016 

• Land and sea rights continue to grow, with more than 4.3 million square  kilometres now subject to recognised Indigenous rights and interests 

“These results show what’s possible when governments partner with us in the right way,”  said Ms Turner. 

“That means working in true partnership, properly resourcing our community-controlled  organisations, transforming government systems, and sharing data we need to make  decisions.”

The report also notes improvements in Year 12 attainment, tertiary education, and  housing access, but stresses that many targets remain off track, particularly for children  and young people in remote areas. 

“It’s not enough to hope the gap will close, governments must hold themselves to  account for the commitments they’ve made under the National Agreement,” said Ms  Turner. 

"That requires smart investment, longer-term flexible funding, and full implementation of  the four Priority Reforms – shifting power, not just policy. Without real power shift, we’ll  keep seeing the same patterns repeat, and our people will continue to pay the price.” 

A fair share – not special treatment 

“What’s important for Australians to understand is that Aboriginal community-controlled  organisations are not fringe services,” Ms Turner said. 

"They are trusted, place-based service providers — just like any other government funded organisations — but designed by and for our people. They succeed because they  are grounded in culture, local knowledge and accountability to our communities. 

“We’re not asking for special treatment. We’re asking for a fair share. When we get that,  we deliver.”