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According to new analysis, preventing smoking, and improving nutrition and access to antenatal care for Indigenous mothers is critical to reducing low birthweight rates among Indigenous babies.

The new National Agreement on Closing the Gap came into effect in July 2020 upon agreement by all Australian Governments and the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations.

At 31 December 2021, 2,568 Indigenous Australians were receiving kidney replacement therapy – of these, 85% were on dialysis, and 15% had functioning kidney transplants.

Between 2013 and 2021, there was an increase in the number of Indigenous Australians employed as registered medical practitioners from 234 to 563, and nurses and midwives from 2,434 to 5,135.

From 2011 to 2021, the proportion of Indigenous Australians aged 20–24 who had completed year 12 or equivalent increased from 52% to 68%.

The rate of Indigenous young people aged 10–17 years under youth justice supervision fell from 186 to 117 per 10,000 population between 2011–12 to 2020–21.

In 2018–19, 85% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15–17 reported that they had never smoked, compared with 72% in 2008.

For Indigenous Australians aged 25–64. the employment rate increased from 51% to 56% between 2016 and 2021.

In 2018–19, 3 in 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who needed to go to a health provider did not go—the same proportion as in 2012–13. Barriers included cost, and health services being unavailable, far away or with long waiting times.