2025 year in review: Ongoing injustices
In 2025, key issues in the news affecting Indigenous people were dominated by ongoing disparities in justice, health, housing, and economic outcomes, as detailed in the Commonwealth’s Closing the Gap reports and the Federal Budget.
The aftermath of the failed 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum and state-level progress on treaties and land rights were also prominent.
Social Justice and Incarceration
A major and worsening issue was the over-representation of Indigenous adults and children in the justice system, particularly in the Northern Territory.
Protesters are seen outside the Department of Corrective Services during a rally in Perth,
Record Incarceration: The NT faced record high imprisonment rates, with nearly 90 per cent of detainees being Aboriginal.
Youth Justice and Age of Responsibility: There were significant human rights concerns over the high rates of Indigenous youth detention (making up around 60 per cent of the national youth prison population) and the ongoing debate over raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 years old to at least 14, a move supported by many advocates but not universally adopted by all States or Territories in 2025.
Police and Bail Laws: The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) launched a High Court challenge to the NT’s tightened bail laws, arguing they were unconstitutional and leading to an increase in Aboriginal people held on remand without conviction.
Family Violence: Family and domestic violence remained a critical issue, with two in three Indigenous people who reported experiencing violence in the last year reporting it was domestic or family violence.
Barriers to employment remain significant and a significant gap in life expectancy persists.
Health, Housing, and Economic Disadvantage
The National Agreement on Closing the Gap annual report for 2024 and the 2025 Implementation Plan highlighted that while some areas like Indigenous Protected Areas were on track, the majority of socio-economic targets were not being met.
Housing and Essential Services: There were critical shortages of adequate and affordable housing, especially in remote communities like Walgett, where residents reported no new government homes in 20 years. The 2025-26 Federal Budget allocated funds for repairs, new housing in the NT, and essential services like laundry facilities and improved food security through a subsidy scheme for remote stores.
Health and Life Expectancy: A significant gap in life expectancy persists, with a University of Queensland study in September 2025 highlighting that 65 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people die before they can access the age pension. The budget included funding to expand culturally safe health services, including Birthing on Country services and a nutrition workforce.
Economic Empowerment: Barriers to employment remain significant, with the Federal government introducing a new remote jobs scheme and expanding the Indigenous Procurement Policy to boost opportunities for First Nations businesses.
The aftermath of the failed Voice referendum continued to affect national discourse.
Politics, Land Rights, and Culture
Political engagement saw mixed results and a continued focus on self-determination.
Post-Referendum Context: The aftermath of the failed 2023 Voice referendum continued to affect national discourse, with major political parties largely avoiding substantial new promises for structural reform in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election.
Treaty Progress: In a positive development, Victoria’s statewide treaty formally commenced with a cultural celebration.
Native Title and Cultural Heritage: A landmark High Court judgment in March 2025 confirmed that native title is a property right, entitling holders to “just terms” compensation if it is taken away by the Commonwealth. There were also ongoing legal battles concerning the protection of cultural heritage from mining developments in Western Australia and Queensland.
- Tomorrow: Prominent people of 2025
