Closing the Gap targets and outcomes

The National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) has 19 national socio-economic targets across areas that have an impact on life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The progress against the targets will be monitored by the Productivity Commission and will help all parties to the National Agreement understand how their efforts are contributing to progress over the next ten years.

Each of the targets and their outcomes are listed below.

Data tables showing the starting points for each Closing the Gap target by jurisdictions are now available on the Productivity Commission Closing the Gap Information Repository Dashboard.

See the Productivity Commission Dashboard

1

Everyone enjoys long and healthy lives

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people enjoy long and healthy lives.

Target

Close the Gap in life expectancy within a generation, by 2031.

Data

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2

Children are born healthy and strong

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are born healthy and strong.

Target

By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies with a healthy birthweight to 91 per cent.

Data

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3

Children are engaged in high quality, culturally appropriate early childhood education in their early years

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are engaged in high quality, culturally appropriate early childhood education in their early years.

Target

By 2025, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children enrolled in Year Before Fulltime Schooling (YBFS) early childhood education to 95 per cent.

Data

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4

Children thrive in their early years

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children thrive in their early years.

Target

By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children assessed as developmentally on track in all five domains of the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) to 55 per cent.

Data

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5

Students achieve their full learning potential

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students achieve their full learning potential.

Target

By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (age 20-24) attaining year 12 or equivalent qualification to 96 per cent.

Data

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6

Students reach their full potential through further education pathways

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students reach their full potential through further education pathways.

Target

By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25-34 years who have completed a tertiary qualification (Certificate III and above) to 70 per cent.

Data

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7

Youth are engaged in employment or education

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth are engaged in employment or education.

Target

By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth (15-24 years) who are in employment, education or training to 67 per cent.

Data

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8

Strong economic participation and development of people and their communities

Outcome

Strong economic participation and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.

Target

By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25-64 who are employed to 62 per cent.

Data

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9

People can secure appropriate, affordable housing that is aligned with their priorities and need

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people secure appropriate, affordable housing that is aligned with their priorities and need.

Target

9a: By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in appropriately sized (not overcrowded) housing to 88 per cent.

9b: By 2031, all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households:

within discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities receive essential services that meet or exceed the relevant jurisdictional standard
in or near to a town receive essential services that meet or exceed the same standard as applies generally within the town (including if the household might be classified for other purposes as a part of a discrete settlement such as a “town camp” or “town based reserve”.)

Data

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10

Adults are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system.

Target

By 2031, reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults held in incarceration by at least 15 per cent.

Data

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11

Young people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system.

Target

By 2031, reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (10-17 years) in detention by at least 30 per cent.

Data

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12

Children are not overrepresented in the child protection system

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are not overrepresented in the child protection system.

Target

By 2031, reduce the rate of over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45 per cent.

Data

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13

Families and households are safe

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and households are safe.

Target

By 2031, the rate of all forms of family violence and abuse against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children is reduced at least by 50%, as progress towards zero.

Data

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14

People enjoy high levels of social and emotional wellbeing

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people enjoy high levels of social and emotional wellbeing.

Target

Significant and sustained reduction in suicide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people towards zero.

Data

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15

People maintain a distinctive cultural, spiritual, physical and economic relationship with their land and waters

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people maintain a distinctive cultural, spiritual, physical and economic relationship with their land and waters.

Target

15a: By 2030, a 15 per cent increase in Australia’s landmass subject to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s legal rights or interests.

15b: By 2030, a 15 per cent increase in areas covered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s legal rights or interests in the sea.

Data

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16

Cultures and languages are strong, supported and flourishing

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and languages are strong, supported and flourishing.

Target

By 2031, there is a sustained increase in number and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages being spoken.

Data

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17

People have access to information and services enabling participation in informed decision-making regarding their own lives

Outcome

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have access to information and services enabling participation in informed decision-making regarding their own lives.

Target

Target 17: By 2026, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have equal levels of digital inclusion

Data

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