The Federal Government was rich on rhetoric but failed to take decisive steps to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous people, critics said yesterday.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd rejected the suggestion and signed an agreement, which would deliver $195million for health, education and training, social housing, transport and community infrastructure in the East Kimberley. He called for an end to partisanship in the debate over indigenous policy.
''It is time that we put the rancour of the past behind us,'' Mr Rudd said.
''It is time that we recognise the things that have not worked in the past, and it's time we actually marched together towards the future on those things that do work.''
Mr Rudd set targets to close the gap in health, education and life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous people after he made the official apology to the Stolen Generations.
In its new report, the Productivity Commission concluded the gap had widened in some areas including child abuse and incarceration rates.
Mr Rudd described it as a ''devastating report'', saying ''we have to redouble and treble our efforts to make an impact. ... It is unacceptable and it requires decisive action.''
The Government would tackle truancy, foster economic development and remove ''anti-social impediments'' such as alcohol, pornography and drugs in communities if they were ''fair dinkum'' about closing the gap.
Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop continued the attack on Mr Rudd yesterday. ''He said these results are devastating and that is right,'' Ms Bishop said.
''He said we need to take decisive action, well that's what he said before the last election, and it seems that nothing has been achieved.''
Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the commission's report was ''distressing and disappointing''.
But it was impossible to turn around ''decades of difference in life expectancy, in education and employment outcomes'' overnight.
''We set out on the journey to close the gap in indigenous disadvantage knowing that it was going to be [a] long term journey and a difficult journey,'' Ms Gillard said.
Indigenous disadvantage was discussed at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in Darwin on Thursday.
The leaders signed off on national partnerships to improve education and food security; deliver services in urban and regional areas; and boost access to the internet in remote communities.
Existing education funding would be targeted to improve indigenous children's outcomes in terms of enrolment, attendance, retention, literacy and numeracy.
They reached in-principle agreement on a national licensing scheme to ensure nutritious, reasonably priced food would be available in indigenous communities.
There would be ''stricter reporting'' on efforts to close the gap in early childhood, school, health and housing. Every six months, governments would outline progress in reducing smoking and risky drinking, providing antenatal services for young women and offering early learning services.
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