The Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Peak Organisations (Coalition of Peaks) will today hold a face-to-face meeting on Closing the Gap with national stakeholders.

Today’s meeting in Canberra is part of a series of community engagements in every state and territory and is an opportunity for representatives from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and individuals to have a say about what is needed to improve heir lives.

Pat Turner, CEO of NACCHO and Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, will open the meeting today, along with Professor Ian Anderson, Deputy CEO of the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

The Coalition of Peaks is working with the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to develop a new National Agreement on Closing the Gap covering the next ten years. The National Agreement will set out how governments will work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to close the gap in life outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians.

It is critical that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the country have a say about what should be included the National Agreement. The meetings underway across the country help ensure that the voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is brought to the negotiating table with governments.

The Coalition of Peaks is made up of around forty Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations who are committed to representing the views of their membership and the communities who elected them, in their negotiations with government.

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