Albanese Marks 17th Anniversary of National Apology, Pledges $840 Million to Indigenous Communities

The investment will be rolled out over the next six years in partnership with the Northern Territory government and local Aboriginal organisations.

This picture shows the Opera House illuminated in the colours of the Aboriginal flag in Sydney on Australia Day on Jan. 26, 2023. Robert Wallace/AFP via Getty Images

Seventeen years after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered the National Apology to the Stolen Generations, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a $842.6 million investment aimed at supporting remote Aboriginal communities.

The funding will support policing, women’s safety, education, and alcohol harm reduction.

“We want First Nations people to have ownership of their futures and a stake in the economy,” Albanese told Parliament on Feb. 10.

The investment will be rolled out over the next six years in partnership with the Northern Territory government and local Aboriginal organisations.

It also increases funding for Aboriginal interpreter services and introduces new funds for community development, mediation, and peace-keeping.

More support will be provided for Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCOs), with a focus on transitioning services from government to community control.

Local groups in up to eight locations will be created to design and deliver services.

Additionally, funding will establish 12 Aboriginal community-controlled children and family centres to address family safety and child development. This investment will provide 570 positions, including more than 278 for Aboriginal people.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to media at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Jan. 13, 2025. AAP Image/Dominic Giannini

Progress on Closing the Gap: A Mixed Picture

The announcement comes as the latest Closing the Gap report reveals mixed results in efforts to close the socio-economic divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Although improvements have been made on 11 of the 19 targets, only five are on track to be met.

The Closing the Gap policy, launched in 2008, expanded in 2020 to include 19 targets across 17 socio-economic areas, and targets issues like school attendance.

Education, Connectivity, and Family

In his long speech, Albanese said 10,000 Indigenous students had enrolled in fee-free TAFE courses. Nearly 25,000 children have benefited from the Connected Beginnings program, which supports early childhood education and school readiness.

The prime minister said Wi-Fi had also been installed in 22 remote communities, with plans for 23 more.

“Internet is life-changing. It makes telehealth consultations possible. It gives young people better access to a better education,” Albanese said.

Albanese also announced increased funding for family violence legal services and suicide prevention programs.

“We cannot turn our backs on the catastrophic rate at which First Nations women suffer family violence,” Albanese stated.

Opposition Leader Calls for Practical Solutions

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton also marked the anniversary in Parliament, calling for more practical solutions.

Dutton acknowledged that while symbolic gestures like the National Apology are important, tangible change must follow.

“People want to see real changes on the ground for those Indigenous communities where safety, housing, health, education, and employment are critical issues. These are the areas where the gap must be closed,” he said.

Dutton pointed to successful initiatives in specific communities, such as the Gove region in East Arnhem Land, where Indigenous leadership has empowered local communities through economic development.

“We need to learn from both the successes and the failures to ensure that we are making real progress.”