The National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) was developed in genuine partnership between Australian Governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations (represented by the Coalition of Peaks).
The National Agreement sets out new Closing the Gap Priority Reforms and ambitious targets that are changing the way governments work to improve life outcomes experienced by Indigenous Australians.
The Government is committed to working in partnership with Indigenous Australians, recognising that the only way to close the gap is when Indigenous Australians own, commit to and drive the outcomes sought, alongside all governments.
The National Agreement provides for shared accountability and the ability to demonstrate progress more than before.
For the first time, the Commonwealth, states and territories, local government and the Coalition of Peaks are jointly accountable for the outcomes and targets under the National Agreement.
The Joint Council on Closing the Gap has an ongoing role in monitoring progress by all Parties in delivering on the commitments in the National Agreement.
The National Agreement commits all Parties to action. Its success depends on all Parties committing the right resources and efforts to deliver on these actions in practice.
All Parties to the National Agreement have developed individual Implementation Plans and report annually on their progress on the actions in their plans.
Implementation Plans set out how policies and programs are aligned to the National Agreement and what actions will be taken to achieve the Priority Reforms and socio-economic outcomes. They also include information on funding and timeframes for actions.