Productivity Commission releases Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation Report

The National Agreement on Closing the Gap (National Agreement) was developed between the federal, state and territory governments, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations. The National Agreement presents new Closing the Gap Priority Reforms and targets to enhance life outcomes experienced by Indigenous Australians.

The 2024 Annual Data Compilation Report (ADCR) was released in late July. It monitors the momentum made towards achieving the targets and indicators in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

The report contains the latest data for nine targets since the previous year. While there have been improvements in areas like healthy birthweights and sea country subject to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights, there has also been an increase in the number of young people in detention.

The latest data demonstrates that the life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men is 71.9 years and 75.6 years for women. However, the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous people is not on track to close by the target year of 2031.

The target number of babies born at a healthy birthweight is on track to be met by 2031. However, the data also shows that the number of suicides among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has risen since the baseline year. Contemporaneous data shows that suicide was the primary cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged between 15 to 39 in 2022.

The report also captured the progress made in a number of key areas including families and kin, employment, housing, Country and justice.

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care is rising, as opposed to declining, and the target is not on track to be met by 2031.

There has been progress in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged between 25 to 64 who are employed, and the target is on track to be met by 2031.

The percentage of land mass subject to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s legal rights or interests is rising and is on track to be met by 2030. Additionally, the percentage of sea area covered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s rights or interests is rising and is on track to be met, or potentially surpassed, by 2030.

However, the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults being incarcerated has increased and the target of a 15 per cent reduction by 2031is not on track to be met. Furthermore, the report highlighted that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are overrepresented in the criminal justice system and no improvement has been made in this area.

“We know that having ready access to culturally safe and responsive services (and systems) can make all the difference to socio-economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” said Commissioner Selwyn Button from the Productivity Commission.

“In our recent three-yearly review, we saw ‘pockets of good practice’ where outcomes were not only achieved but exceeded. The consistent theme to improved outcomes was governments enacting the Priority Reforms: a strengthened Aboriginal Community Controlled sector, shared decision making, shared data and the government changing its operation,” she said.

“The aspirations of the Agreement are not only achievable, but equity of outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is within reach if governments breathe life into the Priority Reforms,” said fellow Commissioner Natalie Siegel-Brown.