Catherine Liddle, CEO of SNAICC – National Voice for our Children, said the latest Closing the Gap results ‘point to a lack of government follow-through, not a lack of solutions’.

The update makes it clear that these results are not the failings of our children, families or communities.  They are the failings of governments who continue to fall short on their obligations under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap,” Liddle said.

Early childhood education and care is a foundational building block for lifelong outcomes but we’re seeing a decline in children being developmentally on track which tells us that access alone isn’t enough.

The update shows that when governments work in true partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, we see real change. Progress in areas like land rights and employment shows what’s possible when communities are empowered and governments step up.

These improvements haven’t happened by chance but have been driven through governments working directly with our communities and backing Aboriginal-led solutions.”