Closing the Gap: past the halfway point

PC Commissioner Selwyn Button and host Richard Aedy unpack the progress made towards the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

Episode notes

The objective of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) is to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and governments to work together to overcome the inequality experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and achieve life outcomes equal to all Australians. Read more: https://www.closingthegap.gov.au/national-agreement

The PC maintains and updates an online dashboard containing data and supporting materials on progress towards the targets and supporting indicators under the Agreement: https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/

The PC also publishes an annual report that tracks trends and contextual data on progress towards the targets under the Agreement: https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/annual-data-report/2026/

Every three years, the Productivity Commission is required to independently review how parties to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap are progressing towards their commitments. The PC is in the process of conducting the second comprehensive review of the Agreement: https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries-and-research/closing-the-gap-review-2026/

Prior to this was the Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led review of the Agreement: https://www.coalitionofpeaks.org.au/independent-review-of-closing-the-gap