CLOSING THE GAP
Closing the Gap
We see housing as the foundation
The National Agreement on Closing the Gap is a landmark commitment between Australian governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to work together in genuine partnership – putting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices at the centre of policies and programs that affect our lives.. The Closing the Gap Campaign was launched in 2007, and committed to by all levels of Australian government in 2020.
The Four Priority Reforms
GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR CHANGE
At its core are four Priority Reforms that shift how decisions are made:
Formal partnerships and shared decision-making
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are empowered to share decision-making authority with governments to accelerate policy and place-based progress on Closing the Gap through formal partnership arrangements.
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Government parties must adhere to the strong partnership elements listed in the national agreement
Decision-making must be shared between governments and our people, and the voices of our people should hold as much weight as the governments
Where our people are sharing decision-making., they should be appointed by our people, in a transparent way. No more government handpicking advisors
Self-determination should be supported, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lived-experience should be understood
Formal agreements should be in place and adequate funding to support our people being partners with governments should be provided
Strengthening the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector
There is a strong and sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communitycontrolled sector delivering high-quality services to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the country.
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Government parties acknowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled organisations are better for our people, achieve better results, employ more of our people, and are often preferred over mainstream services (clause 43).
Government parties have committed to sustained capacity building and investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled organisations with a dedicated and identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce with wage parity.
They have also committed to dedicated, reliable, and consistent funding models for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations that deliver common services.
Improving access to data and information
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have access to, and the capability to use, locally-relevant data and information to set and monitor the implementation of efforts to close the gap, their priorities and drive their own development.
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Governments have committed to share available, disaggregated regional data with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities on Closing the Gap
They have also committed to establishing partnerships between our people and their agencies to improve data collection, access, management, and use.
Governments will work to make data more transparent by telling Aboriginal and Torres Strait people what data they have and how it can be accessed and build the capacity of our organisations and communities to collect and use data.
Governments will collect, handle, and appropriate all relevant levels of disaggregation, in an accessible and timely way, to empower our communities to access, use, and interpret data for local decision-making
Transforming mainstream institutions
Governments, their organisations and their institutions are accountable for Closing the Gap and are culturally safe and responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including through the services they fund.
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Governments have committed to systemic and structural transformation of mainstream government organisations
Governments must transform their mainstream institutions and agencies by:
Identifying and eliminating racism
Embedding and practising meaningful cultural safety
Delivering services in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities, and people
Increasing accountability through transparent funding allocations
Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
Improving engagement with our people
The National Agreement sets out a shared vision for a future where our people enjoy the same life outcomes as all Australians.
One of the most critical areas for change is housing.
Target 9
Safe, Secure Housing for Our People
Target 9 of the Closing the Gap Agreement is focused on improving housing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It includes two key parts:
- Target 9A: By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in appropriately sized (not overcrowded) housing to 88%
- Target 9B: By 2031, increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in housing of an acceptable standard to 88%
These are more than housing targets—they’re commitments to basic human rights. They acknowledge what our communities have long known: that safe, secure, and culturally appropriate housing is the foundation for strong families, good health, education, employment, and community safety.
Why It Matters
Too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are still living in housing that is overcrowded, unsafe, or in poor condition. These environments make it harder for children to thrive, for families to stay healthy, and for communities to break cycles of disadvantage.
The health impacts are severe and ongoing. Preventable illnesses—like Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD)—continue to take hold in communities where overcrowding and poor housing persist. RHD begins with repeated skin and throat infections that spread easily in crowded homes. Over time, it causes permanent heart damage and leads to early death. This should not be happening in any country—let alone Australia.
But housing is not just about shelter—it transcends bricks and mortar. It’s an investment in the future. A stable, culturally safe home sets the foundation for children to learn, for families to stay connected, and for communities to build strength and stability across generations.
When housing fails, it does more than impact wellbeing—it shortens lives.
When housing is done right, it transforms futures.
NATSIHA’s Role
National Peak Body
The NATSIHA is the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing. We were established to represent, strengthen and sustain the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled housing sector.
NATSIHA is focused on creating the conditions for our sector to thrive—by shaping policy, influencing national reform, and ensuring governments work in partnership with us to meet the housing needs of our communities.
We are not waiting for change—we are building it, community by community.
Advocating for serious, sustained investment
into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Housing Organisations
Supporting the growth and capability
of our sector to lead housing delivery at scale
Bringing community voices into national decision-making spaces
including through our role in the Housing Policy Partnership
Driving accountability
to ensure governments follow through on their commitments under Target 9 and the Priority Reforms
Where We Go From Here
Housing must be treated as more than a roof over someone’s head. It is a health intervention, an education enabler, a safety measure, and an economic platform. It is also a basic human right.
NATSIHA is working to ensure that the Closing the Gap Agreement delivers real homes—not just headlines. We’re doing this with and for our communities, backed by the evidence and driven by the urgency that these targets demand.
Because until every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person has access to safe, secure, and culturally appropriate housing, the gap will remain open.
