SNAICC in the News – Only four Closing the Gap targets on track

The week of 10 March 2025 covers the latest Closing the Gap data from the Productivity Commission showing only four Closing the Gap targets are on track.

The latest Closing the Gap data reveals that only four of the 19 Closing the Gap targets are on track, with critical areas such as suicide prevention, incarceration rates and child removal worsening. Catherine Liddle, CEO of SNAICC, spoke about the need for Australian governments to honour their commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, saying that while the agreement provides a clear roadmap, stagnation and regression are occurring instead of meaningful progress. She pointed to the alarming 15 per cent rise in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander incarceration, which she attributed to ineffective tough-on-crime policies and stressed that governments must prioritise Aboriginal-led solutions to break the cycle of disadvantage. Catherine also spoke on the failure of governments to move beyond ‘business-as-usual’ approaches which is hindering real progress and warned that without genuine commitment and collaboration, the gap will persist. In response, other leaders Selwyn Button and Pat Turner echoed the call for urgent action, advocating for more meaningful partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to drive lasting change.

In an appearance on ABC News Breakfast, Catherine commended Dante Rodrigues and Jahdai Vigona, two Tiwi cousins who started the One Per Cent program in their local community that supports young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men who are struggling with mental health issues and substance abuse. Catherine also spoke on ex-Cyclone Alfred and the communities on Bundjalung Country, which worked ahead of the cyclone, relocating at-risk residents and supporting the local community. While Alfred did not cause floods as severe as those that were experienced in 2022, the ex-Cyclone did result in widespread power outages, infrastructure damage and displacement.

For complete coverage, find the news stories linked below.

Topic: Only four Closing the Gap targets on track

With only four Closing the Gap targets on track, the Productivity Commission has urged Australian governments to take their commitments to closing the gap seriously, warning that a lack of meaningful action is preventing progress on key reforms.

The latest Closing the Gap data show that—while some areas have improved—critical targets such as suicide prevention, incarceration and child removal have worsened. Overall, only four of the 19 targets are on track to be met nationally by the deadline: early childhood education, employment, land rights and sea rights. This is a drop from five last year with the target to increase the rate of babies born at a healthy weight no longer looking likely to be met.

Catherine Liddle, CEO of SNAICC, said that it’s time for Australian governments to honour their commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. She praised the National Agreement as a powerful roadmap that outlines priority reforms and clear actions for governments to ensure effective progress and real change. However, Catherine pointed out that instead of meaningful commitment what is happening is stagnation or regression in outcomes with statistics either worsening or standing still. She spoke about the troubling 15 per cent rise in the imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over just one year, attributing this increase to the tough-on-crime rhetoric, which she called a misnomer, saying that evidence consistently shows incarceration doesn’t reduce crime. To close the gap, Catherine said what is needed is for governments to fulfil their commitments and prioritise Aboriginal-led solutions to drive policy reform and service delivery. Without urgent change, she warned, the cycle of disadvantage will persist. She pointed to the government’s failure to move beyond ‘business-as-usual’ approaches which is hindering real progress under the National Agreement.

Productivity Commissioner and Gungarri man Selwyn Button described the continued ‘business-as-usual’ approach by governments as the ‘definition of insanity.’ He stressed the urgent need for governments to fully implement their commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and pointed out that the worsening outcomes in certain target areas highlight the critical need for governments to take their commitments seriously and take concrete actions to fully implement the priority reforms. In reviewing progress, the Productivity Commission found that governments had not taken sufficient meaningful action. The review assessed eight of the 19 targets and 15 supporting indicators, revealing that only four Closing the Gap targets are on track, six are improving but not on track, four have worsened and another four could not be assessed.

Coalition of Peaks lead convenor Pat Turner AM stressed the urgent need for action in incarceration, child protection and suicide prevention, urging governments to accelerate efforts on the four priority reforms. Turner spoke on the frequent delays, half-measures and failure to empower communities with real decision-making power. She warned that without an interconnected approach, policies risk sounding good in theory but failing in practice, saying that collaboration and genuine commitment to real partnerships are not just ideals—they are essential to closing the gap. She said that the data shows positive change is achievable when governments work in true partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and that these genuine partnerships lead to meaningful outcomes.

Rekeesha Fry, Director of the First Nations Projects Group, called on the federal government to prioritise economic empowerment, proposing the creation of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander economic office and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander investment and trade hub to encourage self-sufficiency. She spoke on the need to rebalance and re-prioritise both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and economic policies, advocating for them to work in parallel. Fry also suggested that an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander economic peak body could help Traditional Owners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses transition from passive stakeholders to active shareholders in major projects. Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, acknowledged the recent Closing the Gap data but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving outcomes, recognising that there is ‘more to do.’ McCarthy reiterated that the National Agreement remains the key framework for delivering improved outcomes in partnership with states, territories, local governments, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations, with the Albanese Government focused on enhancing the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through economic empowerment, job creation, alleviating cost-of-living and food security pressures in remote communities, and improving living conditions and wellbeing.

The fifth Annual Data Compilation Report is scheduled for release on 2 July.

For complete coverage, find our Media Release and news stories linked below.

Topic: One Per Cent Program

Tiwi cousins Dante Rodrigues and Jahdai Vigona are taking a hands-on approach to supporting young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men through their One Per Cent program.

Frustrated by seeing their peers struggle with mental health, substance use and crime due to systemic failures, Dante and Jahdai started small—meeting in a Darwin park with little more than boxing gloves and pads. What began as a casual gathering quickly grew into a structured program, providing young men with a space for connection, mentorship and healing.

Speaking on ABC News Breakfast, Catherine Liddle spoke about the program’s impact, recognising how Dante and Jahdai saw a serious gap in their community—young men struggling, high suicide rates and limited opportunities for positive engagement. Rather than waiting for outside solutions, they took action, setting up in a shed with basic equipment and a commitment to support their peers. In doing so, they uncovered a widespread need for guidance, a safe space to talk and a pathway away from destructive choices. Catherine commended the initiative as a game-changer not just in providing support but in actively steering young people away from alcohol abuse and crime.

The program has expanded to Groote Eylandt and the Tiwi Islands with ambitions to reach more communities. With suicide rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people significantly higher than the national average, Rodrigues has spoken on the importance of community-led initiatives, saying that lived experience and cultural understanding are key to creating meaningful change. He recently delivered the youth keynote at the Indigenous Suicide Prevention Forum in Sydney, where he spoke on the urgent need for culturally safe mental health support.

For complete coverage, find the news story linked below.

Topic: Bundjalung mob and ex-Cyclone Alfred

In the aftermath of ex-Cyclone Alfred, communities across Bundjalung Country are beginning the challenging task of assessing the damage but are also sharing stories of survival and resilience.

On ABC News Breakfast, Catherine Liddle spoke about the spirit of local communities, particularly the Bundjalung mob, who acted quickly ahead of the cyclone to protect the local community. Having already faced devastating floods in 2022, the community made sure that at-risk residents were relocated to safe housing and supported one another in the lead-up to Cyclone Alfred. Through NITV, stories are emerging that highlight the strength and determination of those affected, as well as the urgent need for continued support in regional and remote areas.

While Alfred did not bring floods on the scale of 2011 or 2022, the storm caused widespread power outages, infrastructure damage and displacement. Emergency crews remain on the ground, working to restore essential services and assist those in need. As recovery efforts begin, the focus is now shifting to long-term solutions to better protect communities in the future.

For complete coverage, find the news story linked below.