First Nations arts and language organisations across the country will receive significant funding to support vital cultural practices thanks to the Albanese Labor Government. 

83 First Nations-owned art centres, fairs, regional hubs and industry service organisations will receive a share of more than $38 million in funding over four years through the Government’s Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS) program.

The Albanese Labor Government has today updated the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 (ATSI Act) to support greater investment in First Nations businesses and communities.

This reform will give Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) the ability to borrow and raise funds to pursue investment opportunities that drive First Nations economic empowerment.

It will allow IBA to pursue co-investment and partnership opportunities with government and private entities and will deliver benefits that make a real difference to First Nations people.

Subjects: Closing the Gap.

I acknowledge that we come together on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people on this incredibly significant day.

And I acknowledge too the visitors who’ve come to the gallery, in particular the Coalition of Peaks, who are either here in person or watching from around the country.

Today, we table the Closing the Gap Annual Report and Implementation Plan.

And I want to be crystal clear.

The Albanese Labor Government is ambitious for Indigenous Australians. 

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR WOMEN: Thanks very much for coming. It’s great to be here and absolutely fantastic to be here with all of my colleagues across federal Labor to reinforce and promote the big, historic announcement yesterday into women’s health. A whole range of measures that Ged Kearney and her team have been working on for two years now, to make sure that when women raise issues with us, we listen and we respond. And in these areas in women’s health, there was unanimous agreement that not enough had been done.

ROSS SOLLY, HOST: Significant announcement yesterday from the federal government, $573 million to be pumped into women’s health. And you know it’s a good policy because the Liberal party quickly came out and supported it and said yep, we’ll match that. Katy Gallagher is the Minister, she’s also a Labor Senator for the ACT and joins me on the program. Good morning to you, Minister.

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR FINANCE: Good morning, Ross.

The Albanese Labor Government is building Australia’s future, delivering on commitments to First Nations people to help close the gap in partnership with peak bodies, states, territories and local government.

Today, the Government releases the Commonwealth’s 2024 Closing the Gap Annual Report and 2025 Implementation Plan.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: This week, Parliament has important choices ahead of it. Do we continue to build Australia's future? Or do we take the path advocated by the Opposition, that path of going backwards? Back to the good old days of Robodebt, the good old days of secret ministries and the good old days of promises made from the Coalition but never kept.

KATE THWAITES, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, AGEING AND WOMEN: The announcement the Albanese Labor Government has made about the investment we are making into women's health is a game changer. The first listing of the pill on the PBS in more than 30 years. Better access to long-acting contraceptives. The first listing of menopause hormone therapy treatments on the PBS in more than 20 years. Longer consults for menopause, training for GPs, a national awareness campaign around menopause, more pelvic pain and endo clinics.

BRIDGET BRENNAN, HOST: The Federal Government will today hand down its annual Closing the Gap report after last year's data showed many targets were going backwards. The Minister for Indigenous Australians is Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, and she joins us now from Parliament House. Hi, Minister, and welcome back to News Breakfast.

MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Good morning, Bridget and good morning to all your viewers across the country.