Our Plan for Practical Action for Indigenous Australians

Labor has failed to achieve meaningful results in addressing Indigenous disadvantage.

The Albanese Labor Government’s sole focus was the Voice to Parliament Referendum. Since Australians voted no, Labor has not provided leadership or focus on the serious issues impacting many Indigenous communities across regional and remote Australia.

Some measures in the Closing the Gap framework are going backwards, leaving the most vulnerable people in Indigenous communities at great risk.

For Labor, symbolism and tokenism are the priority, rather than practical action to address the varied instances of inequality, poverty and neglect as well as improving outcomes.

Under Labor, the focus has been on the wrong priorities and Australia is heading in the wrong direction.

The Coalition believes Australia must be a great place for all of us to live, and it is completely unacceptable for any Australian to endure diminished opportunity or standards of living because of their heritage.

We believe the challenges facing Indigenous Australians are varied and complex and that treating all Indigenous Australians as having the same problems is discriminatory and wrong.

The Coalition has a proud history of governing in the best interests of, and for, Indigenous Australians. The first Indigenous Senator, Member of the House of Representatives and Cabinet Minister were all members of the Liberal Party.

We believe in treating people as individuals, not groups, and in enabling and fostering individual opportunity and reward for effort. We will invest in pathways that provide bright futures for those who are marginalised.

A Dutton Government will:

• Focus on practical action for Indigenous Australians.
• Target and address the significant disadvantage and neglect within regional and remote Indigenous communities.
• Focus government efforts on delivering improvements in our most marginalised Indigenous communities.
• Audit all government programs and expenditure in Indigenous affairs to identify failed and/or unnecessary funding that can be reprioritised towards frontline solutions.
• Launch a Royal Commission into Sexual Abuse in Indigenous communities to address these horrific crimes and ensure all Australian children are safe and their childhood protected.
• Boost law and order in Indigenous communities to provide greater protection for those at greatest risk.
• Support remote boarding schools so that Indigenous children have the same opportunities as other Australian children.
• Reform Land Councils to increase economic and social development by, and for, Traditional Owners.
• Reintroduce the Cashless Debit Card for working-aged welfare recipients in consultation with communities, to make sure children get the support they deserve from their parents.
• Reform the Closing the Gap Framework so it delivers practical improvements for Indigenous Australians, especially in remote and regional communities.
• Provide more housing as a fundamental need of those in Indigenous communities and beyond, while simultaneously creating pathways to enhanced employment opportunities.
• Empower Indigenous communities to use their land for economic development.
• Provide practical outcomes-based solutions to improve health outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

Our Plan

1. Audit all government expenditure in Indigenous affairs

A Dutton Coalition Government will commission a new Indigenous Expenditure Report.

Historically, the Productivity Commission has published an Indigenous Expenditure Report. These reports account for the total amount spent on Indigenous Australians, directly and indirectly at the Commonwealth, State and Territory level.

However, the last report was published in 2017, covering the 2015-16 financial year. Nearly 10 years old, this report detailed how, on a per-person basis, government expenditure was roughly twice as high for Indigenous as for non-Indigenous Australians.

Despite billions of dollars in investment since then, only four of the 19 Closing the Gap targets are on track to be met. Enough is enough. We can’t keep announcing billions of dollars of new Indigenous programs without properly assessing what has been implemented to date and informing us about how we can do better.

It is also a glaring public policy failure that such a fundamental data point for Commonwealth expenditure is so out of date. The new Indigenous Expenditure Report will identify duplication and misuse, as well as assess the effectiveness of programs in ending Indigenous disadvantage. So much money has been spent and so many approaches have been tried, taking stock to end the same mistakes and prioritise the successful programs is a commonsense step.

Furthermore, there have been significant structural changes in the Indigenous Australians portfolio in the past ten years, especially the formation of the National Indigenous Australians Agency and the Coalition of the Peaks. Assessing the impact of these changes to identify how we can achieve better and more targeted outcomes is critically important.

An audit of outcomes is essential to inform the government of where the greatest disadvantage exists among Indigenous Australians so policy can be more accurately calibrated. The audit will enable a Dutton Coalition Government to ensure existing programs, are properly delivered.

An elected Dutton Coalition Government’s audit of Indigenous expenditure will be fundamental to reprioritising the portfolio so the focus is on making practical improvements to the lives of Indigenous Australians.

2. A Royal Commission into Sexual Abuse in Indigenous Communities

An elected Dutton Coalition Government will establish a Royal Commission within its first 100 days to address the scourge of sexual abuse in Indigenous communities.

The sexual abuse of Indigenous children in remote communities is a known tragedy that continues to be ignored. It was first examined in the 2007 Board of Inquiry Report, “Little Children Are Sacred”. Despite that report and subsequent action, the situation has not improved for young Indigenous Australians.

Nationally, 40 Indigenous children per 1,000 were subject to maltreatment, compared to 5.6 non-Indigenous children per 1,000. The rate of sexual abuse notifications for Indigenous children is 2.8 children per 1,000, compared to 0.5 per 1,000 non-Indigenous children. In 2022-23, sexual abuse was the primary type of abuse for 958 Indigenous children. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s analysis confirmed that sexual abuse was more common among Indigenous children than non-Indigenous children.

This is only the reported data; it is widely accepted that much abuse and sexual abuse in communities goes unreported. If this was occurring elsewhere in Australia, a Royal Commission would already have occurred.

A Dutton Coalition Government will address these horrific crimes and do everything possible to ensure all Australian children are safe and their childhood protected.

3. Improve Community Safety in the Northern Territory

An elected Dutton Coalition Government will support the Northern Territory Government to implement practical initiatives to address crime and disorder in the Top End, especially in Alice Springs, as well as to improve life for all Territorians.

Anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs, and the NT generally, has been a national story for the past two years, particularly since the chaos after the lifting of alcohol restrictions that were subsequently reinstated. The consequences of this irresponsibility remain.   

A Dutton Coalition Government will take practical action. The Coalition has agreed in-principle to support the implementation of the Northern Territory Government’s seven-point plan, comprising: 

1. Centrelink payments being made to people on takeaway alcohol-free days. 
2. Reintroducing compulsory work or training programs with fortnightly reporting obligations for Centrelink recipients.  
3. Conducting a performance audit of federally funded programs.  
4. Ensuring royalty distributions occur in communities and not in Alice Springs. 
5. Extending Civil Aviation Safety Authority exemption for Alice Springs Police Drone Pilots to improve drone capability.  
6. Implementing additional income management for parents of youth offenders who receive Centrelink income support.  
7. Referring parents who neglect their children to the Federal Government for additional income management. 

We have committed to increase income management to 80% of a working-age welfare recipient’s payments, where they are the parent of a youth offender or have neglected their child or children. The Coalition has also committed to review the distribution of royalties as part of its audit of expenditure and a Parliamentary Inquiry into Land Councils and Indigenous statutory authorities, with the aim of increasing economic and social development by, and for, Traditional Owners.

The Coalition is focused on working with the Northern Territory Government on practical actions to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians and community safety in the Top End. 

4. Properly Fund Remote Boarding Schools

An elected Dutton Coalition Government will deliver over $100 million for a Remote Boarding Schools package to support Indigenous students’ success in their education.

Remote boarding schools are fundamental to achieving the goal of improved education and life outcomes for Indigenous children.

After cutting support for remote boarding schools at the beginning of its term, the Albanese Labor Government rushed out an inadequate funding package for remote boarding schools following the Voice’s failure. Labor also axed the construction of two Indigenous boarding schools in East Arnhem Land and the Pilbara.

The needs of marginalised Indigenous boarding school students are not a priority for the Albanese Labor Government.

A Dutton Coalition Government will properly fund remote boarding schools to support the education of Indigenous children.

5. Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment

The Coalition will fund the Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment package from 1 July 2025. This is a long-standing agreement between the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory that began under the Howard Government. It will provide continued funding of essential services for remote communities, including policing, women’s safety, education and alcohol harm reduction initiatives.

6. Reform Land Councils to Drive Economic Development

A Dutton Coalition Government will reform the Land Councils in the Northern Territory to drive economic development and improve service delivery across the Top End.

The Northern Territory is home to the majority of marginalised Indigenous Australians and the most significant organisation in their lives is usually one of the four Land Councils. However, the large Land Councils need to be reformed so that Traditional Owners have a better say and control over the utilisation of their own land.  

As a first step, a Dutton Coalition Government will support new, smaller, language-based Land Councils. Traditional Owners know their land best and have the most to gain and lose in how their land is used.

Land Councils are fundamental to Closing the Gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Land Council reform will bring decision-making closer to those who have an interest in the land and reduce interference from outside interests. This will unlock the economic potential for those traditional owners to develop their land for economic opportunity and the benefit of their community.

We will establish a Parliamentary Inquiry to highlight how these organisations need to be modernised and focused on facilitating economic development for their communities. This will complement both the audit of Indigenous expenditure and Land Council reform, to better deliver fundamental improvements, service delivery and enhanced economic opportunity for Indigenous Australians.

7. Reform the Closing the Gap Framework 

A Dutton Coalition Government will reform the Closing the Gap Framework so it focuses on addressing Indigenous disadvantage where it exists across Australia.

The 2024 Productivity Commission review of the National Closing the Gap Framework found the current approach is not working. It criticised the absence of a systematic approach to strategies, and that reform had been slow, uncoordinated and piecemeal. It singled out the lack of basic reliable data, such as which communities have access to clean drinking water and electricity. 

Only four of the 19 Closing the Gap targets are on track. The Framework is hampered by a national approach that does not break down outcomes to a community level across Australia. Informed by our audit and Parliamentary Inquiry, we will drive reform so the Closing the Gap Framework is focused on addressing gaps where they exist and bringing about real change for Indigenous Australians.

8. National Roadmap to Boost Indigenous Skills, Jobs and Wealth Creation

Economic development is central to ending Indigenous disadvantage and an elected Dutton Coalition Government will provide a pathway for Indigenous Australians to achieve their economic goals through the National Roadmap for Indigenous Skills, Jobs and Wealth Creation.

Implemented by the previous Coalition Government following extensive consultation with Indigenous Australians and business leaders, the National Roadmap has been ignored by the Albanese Labor Government while they were distracted by the Voice.

A Dutton Coalition Government will revitalise and fully implement the National Roadmap, which will have a special focus on helping Traditional Owners utilise their land for economic and community development.

The Yolngu-owned Gulkula mine and Gumatj 99-year township lease in Gunyangara are examples of how Traditional Owners can use existing support and structures, such as Township leasing, to drive economic growth and employment on their own land. 

The National Roadmap for Indigenous Skills, Jobs and Wealth Creation is the pathway to make this important change happen across Australia.

9. Outcomes-Based Health Delivery

A Dutton Coalition Government will ensure the priority of the Indigenous Australians’ Health Program is the delivery of successful outcomes that make a difference in the lives of Indigenous Australians.

Labor has removed funding from organisations delivering successful Indigenous health programs and allocated money to organisations with no track record or to those that have failed.

To demonstrate our commitment to better health outcomes, the Coalition will provide $7.6 million for Tresillian to establish a much-needed Family Care Centre in Katherine, $10 million for CareFlight to purchase a King Air B250 fixed wing aircraft to support critical aeromedical retrieval in the Top End and $4.9 million for Angel Flight Australia to purchase aircraft and expand its operations in remote Australia.  

Through a practical, commonsense approach, the Coalition will ensure improved outcomes for Indigenous health across Australia.

10. Backing the Alice Springs Sports, Learning and Leadership Centre

The Coalition will contribute more than $11.3 million from the Indigenous Advancement Strategy budget to the Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Foundation, which will build on the extraordinarily generous philanthropic donation of $57 million to establish the Alice Springs Sports, Learning and Leadership Centre.

The centre will provide Alice Springs with a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We know the transformative power of sport and Central Australia will now have a premier program to help transform the lives of local Indigenous Australians.

The Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Foundation has a proven track record of delivering better outcomes for Indigenous Australians, which is why it has received strong philanthropic backing. An elected Dutton Coalition Government will ensure the Foundation continues its life-changing work.

The Choice

Labor wasted $450 million on a divisive Referendum. Distracted by the Voice, Labor has failed to deliver practical action for Indigenous Australians.

An elected Dutton Coalition Government will have the courage needed to implement the changes required to end Indigenous disadvantage.

The Coalition will identify wasteful expenditure that can be reprioritised towards frontline solutions and drive economic development to make a positive difference in the lives of Indigenous Australians.

We will also provide substantial funding for remote boarding schools so that Indigenous children have the same opportunities as other Australian children.

A Dutton Coalition Government will seek to end the horror of Indigenous sexual abuse through a Royal Commission. It shouldn’t take a change of government to highlight and address these shocking crimes.

It’s also not good enough that Labor is happy with the current Closing the Gap Framework. A Dutton Coalition Government will reform the Framework so it delivers practical improvements to the lives of Indigenous Australians, especially in remote and regional communities.

Labor is distracted by ideology.

A Dutton Coalition Government will deliver real, practical improvements to the lives of Indigenous Australians.