Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation Report July 2025

Annual data report

Released 30 July 2025

This is the fifth Annual Data Compilation Report to inform reporting on progress under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. It was released on 30 July 2025.

Annual Data Compilation Report July 2025 cover

New data and insights on Closing the Gap progress

The latest Annual Data Compilation Report (ADCR), which tracks Australia’s performance towards the targets and indicators in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, shows mixed progress, with four of 19 targets on track to be met.

The ADCR incorporates the latest data from the Closing the Gap Dashboard (the dashboard), which has also been updated. The dashboard now also includes historical and ongoing context for socio-economic outcome eight (economic participation).

The 2025 ADCR presents a new year of data for 10 socio-economic targets and 26 supporting indicators, plus 16 supporting indicators reported for the first time. The ADCR also includes a piece by Dr Scott Avery showing how the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can be told with the respectful use of data.

Of the nine socio-economic targets with an updated assessment of progress in the ADCR, the assessment has changed for only one: healthy birthweight (Target 2). 89.2% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies born were of a healthy birthweight and this target is assessed as showing improvement but not on track to be met.

This year’s ADCR takes a closer look at the outcomes and experiences of different population groups, including young people, people with disability and people living in remote areas.

The progress picture for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is mixed. For instance, while the target for preschool enrolment rates is on track to be met, a lower proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have been assessed as developmentally on track based on the Australian Early Development Census.

‘The detailed information in this report shows that outcomes can’t easily be reduced to a number. The outcomes are all connected, each reflecting aspects of a broader system and the experiences of the people who have shared their stories,’ said Commissioner Selwyn Button.

‘What the outcomes in the Agreement reflect most of all is the limited progress of governments in collectively acting on the Priority Reforms: sharing decision making and data with communities; strengthening the Aboriginal Community Controlled sector and changing the way governments operate.’

‘The recently released independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led review of the Agreement and the PC’s 2024 Review both show that the transformational change that governments committed to is falling well short of what has been promised.’

The ADCR also highlights areas where a lack of data is continuing to hinder progress reporting. Governments are continuing to develop ways to measure progress towards the Priority Reforms. But the lack of disaggregated data at a local and regional level is making it harder to develop localised strategies and plans to improve outcomes.

Key data

An assessment of progress is available for 15 targets. The PC has been able to assess progress for nine targets since the last ADCR:

Outcomes are continuing to worsen in four targets: adult imprisonment (Target 10); children in out-of-home care (Target 12); suicide (Target 14); and children developmentally on track (in all five domains of the Australian Early Development Census) (Target 4).
Outcomes are improving but targets are not on track to be met in six targets: life expectancy (Target 1); healthy birthweights (Target 2); year 12 or equivalent qualifications (Target 5); tertiary qualifications (Target 6); youth engagement (Target 7); and appropriately sized housing (Target 9A).
Outcomes are improving and targets are on track to be met in four targets: preschool program enrolments (Target 3); employment (Target 8); and land mass and sea country subject to legal rights and interests (Targets 15A and 15B).
Outcomes for one target are assessed as having no change from the baseline year: youth justice (Target 11).

The PC is still unable to assess progress against four targets: access to essential services (Target 9B); family violence (Target 13); number and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages being spoken (Target 16); and digital inclusion (Target 17).

State and territory outcomes

There is no agreed process to determine the relevant contributions required from each state and territory towards the national targets. However, the dashboard and the ADCR highlight areas where jurisdictions have shown improvement, a worsening, or no change against each target. Following this update, each jurisdiction’s progress towards the targets is as follows:

NSW – improvement for most targets. Worsening against targets 4 (children developmentally on track) and 10 (adult imprisonment)
Vic – improvement for most targets. Worsening against target 12 (children in out-of-home care)
Qld – improvement for most targets. Worsening against targets 10 (adult imprisonment), 11 (youth detention) and 12 (children in out-of-home care)
WA – improvement for most targets. Worsening against targets 2 (healthy birthweight), 4 (children developmentally on track) and 10 (adult imprisonment)
SA – improvement for most targets. Worsening against targets 7 (youth engagement), 10 (adult imprisonment) and 12 (children in out-of-home care)
Tas – improvement for most targets. Worsening against targets 4 (children developmentally on track), 9A (appropriately sized housing), 10 (adult imprisonment) and 12 (children in out-of-home care)
ACT – improvement for most targets. Worsening against targets 4 (children developmentally on track), 9A (appropriately sized housing) and 11 (youth detention)
NT – improvement toward some targets. Worsening against targets 1 (female life expectancy), 2 (healthy birthweight), 3 (preschool enrolment), 4 (children developmentally on track), 7 (youth engagement), 8 (employed), 10 (adult imprisonment), and 11 (youth detention).

The Annual Data Compilation Report is available on the Productivity Commission website at pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/annual-data-report

Media requests

Media team – 02 6240 3330 / media@pc.gov.au

Background

Sarah Leary, Assistant Commissioner – 03 9653 2106 / ctg.data@pc.gov.au