The federal government has acknowledged there has been an "enormous failure" in attempts to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, as it unveils a fresh national plan and hundreds of millions of dollars of funding aimed at improving life outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
On the 15th anniversary of then-prime minister Kevin Rudd's historic apology to the Stolen Generations, the government has released its Closing the Gap Implementation Plan, with $424 million in new money to address indigenous disadvantage across areas such as housing, food, education and water infrastructure.
The national apology in 2008 was an acknowledgement of how successive governments had failed Indigenous Australians, and a commitment to do better.
However, with the 2022 Closing the Gap Report showing limited progress on key targets for improving life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney conceded that promise had not been honoured.
"I think governments have tried but there is enormous failure in meeting all the closing the gap targets," Ms Burney said.
"More needs to be done to close the gap."
Ms Burney said the implementation plan was aimed at delivering real change, with $150 million over four years going towards creating water infrastructure for communities that do not have access to clean drinking water.
"I think it would be a shock to many people that there are many communities — remote Aboriginal communities in Australia — that do not have clean drinking water and cannot have dialysis because the water is not clean enough for the dialysis machines, despite the fact that renal failure is such an issue in our communities," she said.
There is also federal funding of about $112 million for a one-year partnership with the Northern Territory government to accelerate the building of new remote housing, and almost $12 million to make essential food more affordable and accessible in remote communities.
Continued funding of $68.6 million over two years will go towards delivering legal and non-legal support to women and children experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence.
Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said the plan would help "turn the tide" towards improving the lives of Indigenous Australians.
"The substantial investment in clean drinking water, remote housing and food security will be a game changer for so many Indigenous Australians who live out in bush communities," she said.
"This comprehensive support will help build stronger families and communities today and ensure future generations can get the best start to life and achieve their full potential."
Voice 'fundamental' to closing the gap
Alongside the implementation plan, Ms Burney believes a Voice to Parliament is also "fundamental" in tackling Indigenous advantage.
"It's going to mean there will be Aboriginal voices, advising the parliament on what we need to do to do things like close the gap," she said.
"This is going to be a monumental opportunity for all Australians, to have a say in meeting the aspirations of Aboriginal people and closing those gaps."
On Sunday she issued a warning to those who boycotted the apology to the Stolen Generations not to repeat the mistakes of the past, and back the Voice to Parliament.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was among some Coalition MPs who refused to support the national apology, something he has since said was a mistake.
On Monday he apologised for boycotting the apology, and said he had failed to grasp its significance to the Stolen Generations.
Ms Burney said it was a "mistake" for Mr Dutton to miss a breakfast at parliament for members of the Stolen Generations this morning before he made his apology.
"He spoke in the chamber today about the mistake that he made 15 years ago, and that's a good thing that he made that clear," she said.
"But at the end of the day, he didn't go. And he has an opportunity now to support the Voice, and let's hope he takes it."
Mr Dutton has been contacted for comment.
The Liberal party is yet to decide whether it will throw its support behind the Voice in a referendum, arguing the federal government has not released enough detail.
Last week the government was forced to bow to Opposition pressure for pamphlets making cases both for and against the Voice to Parliament, however it is still holding firm on another Coalition request to fund official yes and no campaigns for the Voice equally.
Legislation aimed at updating the legal framework of referendums will be introduced to Parliament this week and Opposition frontbencher Jane Hume said unless the government met its demands on the referendum, the Coalition would not support the legislation.
"The government keeps saying that this is the people's referendum, and that's fine," she told the ABC.
"But an official campaign for yes and no, doesn't necessarily turn it into a politician's referendum.
"It simply puts integrity measures around the system so that we can trust in the outcome. And that that vacuum doesn't get filled with misinformation, which is a concern."
Labor MP Kate Thwaites, who chaired a parliamentary committee inquiry into the referendum framework, acknowledged the need for "clear information".
"What we heard in the inquiry is that getting people clear fact-based information is critical," Ms Thwaites said.
Ms Thwaites said mobile polling stations should be set up for more than a fortnight ahead of the referendum in remote areas, secure telephone voting should be trialled as well as provisions for secure on-the-day enrolment.
