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Budget 2024-25: Delivering better outcomes for First Nations people

15 May 2024
Budget 2024-25 tile

On Tuesday 14 May 2024, the Treasurer, the Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, handed down the 2024–25 Federal Budget. This Budget delivers on the commitments made in the Commonwealth’s 2024 Closing the Gap Implementation Plan and invests $2.4 billion in real actions that will make a tangible difference to First Nations people’s lives.

On Tuesday 14 May 2024, the Treasurer, the Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, handed down the 2024–25 Federal Budget.

This Budget delivers on the commitments made in the Commonwealth’s 2024 Closing the Gap Implementation Plan and invests $2.4 billion in real actions that will make a tangible difference to First Nations people’s lives.

Central Australia

In addition to the $250 million Better, Safer Future for Central Australia Plan, the Government will increase its support by investing $18.0 million over 2 years from 2024-25 to build new and improve existing boarding facilities in Central Australia for students from remote Northern Territory communities.

The Government will also provide $14.2 million over 18 months in additional funding to deliver policing and other community safety support in Alice Springs.

Delivering real jobs and economic development

In February, the Government announced the new Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program. $777.4 million over 5 years from 2023-24 (and $255.5 million per year ongoing) and will fund the creation of 3,000 real jobs, with proper wages and decent conditions in remote Australia.

The Government is building on the Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program with an additional:

  • $68.0 million over 4 years from 2023 24 for First Nations Digital Inclusion measures to deliver free community Wi-Fi in remote communities, establish a First Nations Digital Support Hub and a network of digital mentors to provide culturally competent support, and to improve the national collection of data on First Nations digital inclusion.
  • $20.2 million over 4 years from 2024 25 (and $3.6 million per year ongoing) for the Federal Court and National Native Title Tribunal to reduce the backlog of Native Title claims, resolve post determination disputes and preserve culturally and historically significant native title records that underpin the resolution of future claims. 
  • $0.5 million over 2 years from 2024 25 to the Australian Law Reform Commission to review the future acts regime within the Native Title Act.
  • $15.0 million over 4 years from 2024–25 to work with First Nations peoples and communities to support connection to Country through management of drought and climate risks.
  • $11.8 million over 4 years from 2024 25 to support First Nations groups to participate in upfront consent processes for Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme projects on Native Title lands.
  • $2.7 million over 4 years from 2024-25, as part of the Future Made in Australia – Making Australia a Renewable Energy Superpower measure, to expand the First Nations Renewable Hydrogen Engagement Fund.

Housing and essential services

The Government is building on its joint $4.0 billion investment with the NT Government through additional measures to support remote NT communities and homelands, with:

  • $120.0 million over 3 years from 2024 25 to continue delivering repairs and upgrades to housing and essential infrastructure on Northern Territory homelands. 
  • $20.0 million in 2023-24 to deliver an additional 49 houses under the existing Remote Housing Northern Territory Federation Funding Agreement, in partnership with and jointly funded by the NT Government.
  • $111.1 million in 2024 25 to continue critical services under the National Partnership on NT Remote Aboriginal Investment.

Image removed.

Caption: New homes under construction in Yirrkala (NT) 2023

Supporting First Nations students to achieve their full potential

Education investment of $110.0 million over 4 years (and $11.0 million per year ongoing) will provide:

  • $18.2 million over 4 years from 2024 25 (and $2.2 million per year ongoing) to develop a new National First Nations Education Policy.
  • $29.1 million over 4 years from 2024-25 (and $8.7 million per year ongoing) to support national First Nations peak organisations National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation and SNAICC - National Voice for our Children to partner with Government on matters affecting First Nations children in early childhood education.
  • $27.5 million over 4 years from 2024-25 to extend the existing programs: Australian Indigenous Education Foundation Scholarship Program, Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership’s Indigenous Cultural Responsiveness Initiative and English Language Learning for Indigenous Children, which aim to improve educational outcomes of First Nations students.
  • $2.4 million over 3 years from 2024-25 for the First Nations Teacher Strategy to increase the number of First Nations teachers, helping to ensure students are taught in a culturally appropriate way to achieve their full learning potential. 
  • $32.8 million to support the Clontarf Foundation in the 2025 school year to continue its school engagement programs for First Nations boys.

Strengthening health and wellbeing

Access to affordable and culturally appropriate health services is essential to closing the gap in life expectancy. This Budget provides: 

  • $11.1 million over 5 years from 2023 24 (and $2.8 million per year ongoing) to expand coverage of the Closing the Gap Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Co-payment Program to all PBS medicines for eligible First Nations people.
  • $94.9 million over 2 years to continue and expand national strategies for First Nations vaccination uptake, sexually transmissible infection testing and culturally safe sexual health services, and communicable disease molecular point of care testing.
  • $10.0 million in 2024 25 to deliver targeted and culturally appropriate mental health supports for First Nations people.
  • $4.7 million over 5 years from 2023–24 for the Northern Territory Medical program to increase the number of First Nations medical practitioners and address recruitment and retention challenges. 
  • $4.0 million over 4 years from 2024–25 to the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association to continue to support First Nations doctors to become medical specialists.

The Government is focused on supporting the health and wellbeing of more First Nations women in this Budget. 

  • $12.5 million over 4 years from 2024 25 will be provided to the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to facilitate community-led distribution of menstrual products in regional and remote First Nations communities. 
  • The Midwife Professional Indemnity Scheme will be expanded to cover privately practising midwives providing low risk homebirths, including Birthing on Country services for First Nations women.  

Stronger Families

Measures to create real change for First Nations children and families include:

  • $5.9 million over 2 years from 2024-25 to establish an interim National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People. 
  • $12.8 million over 4 years from 2024-25 to continue the Indigenous Youth Connection to Culture Program in 12 communities, a place-based initiative, designed with First Nations Elders that responds to an immediate need for cultural and community based suicide prevention activities to support First Nations youth. 
  • $11.7 million over 2 years from 2024-25 for the First Nations Family Dispute Resolution Pilot to continue to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to resolve disputes around separation in a culturally safe setting. 
  • $96.9 million over 4 years from 2023-24 for resolution payments to eligible people who held an active Youpla Group policy on or after 1 August 2015. 

Justice support services

Measures to prevent crime, improve community safety and reduce the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children in the criminal justice system include:

  • $76.2 million over 5 years to establish a new First Nations prison to employment program.
  • $10.7 million over 4 years to provide the next stage of funding for the Justice Policy Partnership..
  • $24.0 million in 2024 25 under the National Legal Assistance Partnership, to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, and National Family Violence Prevention Legal Service (FVPLS) providers.
  • $4.6 million to ensure service continuity for the Custody Notification Service while future design of the service is considered in collaboration with First Nations stakeholders.

Preserving and celebrating First Nations cultural heritage and language

To ensure strong First Nations cultures, languages and connection to Country, the Government is investing:

  • $53.8 million over 4 years from 2024-25 ($17.8 million per year ongoing from 2028-29) to increase the number of First Nations language speakers through enhanced support for community language learning and new language centres.
  • $10.3 million over 4 years from 2024-25 ($2.7 million in ongoing funding from 2028-29) to support the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) in the Return of Cultural Heritage program to facilitate the return of historic cultural materials, which remain in overseas collections, to traditional owners and custodians.
  • $7.3 million in 2024-25 to support and enhance AIATSIS’ ongoing role in facilitating cultural heritage activities and for urgent repairs and maintenance at AIATSIS’ facilities.
  • $3.6 million over 2 years from 2026 27 for performing arts training organisations to support First Nations students and workers.
  • $17.7 million over 3 years from 2024 25 to reduce the backlog, support administration of complex applications under Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 and progress the reform of Australia’s cultural heritage laws.

A number of other portfolios across the Commonwealth are also prioritising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, the details of which are available on budget.gov.au.

More information on the 2024-25 Budget is available on: