What is ‘Closing the Gap’?

‘Close the Gap’ is a social campaign that began in 2007 to encourage schools, business and communities around Australia to stand with First Nation Australians.

It’s a national movement aimed at reducing health inequalities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.

The Australian Government responded to the campaign by creating a strategy with a series of measurable targets to improve the health and life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.¹

The ‘Closing the Gap’ strategy includes a commitment to:

• take action on health inequalities
• ensure the full participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in developing and actioning the strategy.¹

Seven ‘targets’ focussing on health and education were initially created to achieve First Nations health equality by 2030.¹

But, the strategy was refreshed in 2020 after results showed only two out of seven targets were on track.¹

The updated strategy now contains seventeen targets in total. Some of the new targets include other factors that impact health, like the criminal justice system and land rights.¹

Four priority areas were also added to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community participation and ownership in the strategy, they include:

• strengthening partnerships and shared decision-making
• building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled sector
• transforming government organisations to better support First Nations people
• supporting First Nation communities to access information that guides their health and wellbeing decisions.¹

Is the gap closing?

The latest report found governments were making some progress.²

The targets found to be on track were:

• improved healthy birthweights
• increased preschool enrolments
• expansion of legally recognised First Nations land and waters
• boosted employment.²

But, progress on most other socio-economic goals remains slow.

Disappointingly, several other targets have worsened, including reducing the rates of suicide, imprisonment, and children in out-of-home care.²

Suicide rates among First Nations people are currently two and half times higher than non-Indigenous Australians.³

While First Nations people only represent 3% of the population, they make up 36% of people in prisons.^4,5

Concerningly, the number of First Nations people in prison increased by 15% between 2023 and 2024.⁴

What are the impacts of alcohol and other drugs?

Harmful alcohol and other drug use contributes to the health gap between First Nations people and non-Indigenous people.

Over time, risky drinking, smoking and some illicit drug use among First Nations people is decreasing.⁶ But, there are some important differences.

For example, First Nations people are about twice as likely than non-Indigenous people to:

• drink heavily at least once a month
• smoke daily
• recently use methamphetamine and amphetamine
• recently use pain-relievers and opioids for non-medical reasons.⁶

First Nations people experience more health problems from alcohol and other drug use than other Australians.^6,7 The health harms from alcohol and other drug use are mostly from chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and blood-borne viruses.⁸

In 2018, alcohol and illicit drug use caused twice as much harm for First Nations people than the total population. Of the five leading risk factors, tobacco use was the biggest followed by alcohol use, with illicit drug use ranked fourth.^9,10

For First Nations men, alcohol use disorders are the second leading contributor to the health gap.¹⁰

Many complex social and cultural factors affect AOD use and harms in First Nations communities. These include intergenerational trauma, poverty, availability of substances and polydrug use (using two or more substances at the same time).¹¹

A lack of available and culturally safe services means that it can also be harder for people to seek appropriate support when they need it.¹²

What’s missing from the Closing the Gap strategy?

Closing the health gap, including harms caused by alcohol and other drug use, may not ever succeed without tackling racism – a crucial component missing from the strategy.¹³

Racism is a risk factor for poor health and wellbeing. It can occur between people, within systems, and as internalised racism.

Racism is responsible for more than a third of the health gap between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous Victorians.¹³ Impacts of racism have also been linked to harmful AOD use.⁷

Approaches that address racism are essential for improving First Nations health.¹⁴ Programs that have worked well often ensure:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people can make decisions about the issues that affect them
• laws and policies that discriminate against First Nations people are addressed
• ongoing government support is provided
• culturally safe services that respect local needs are provided
• racism is addressed through education and system change.¹⁴

National Close the Gap Day takes place each year on the third Thursday in March. This year’s theme is ‘Agency, Leadership, Reform: Enduring the survival, dignity and wellbeing of First Nations peoples.’ To read more or get involved, visit the campaign website.

More information and resources

• Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AOD resources
• Close the Gap Campaign website
• Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet Closing the Gap Timeline
• ANTAR.