"Failing to consult and engage Aboriginal communities and sticking to a top-down one-size-fits-all approach, is undermining efforts to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage," said Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert today.

"We welcome the general increase in funding and acknowledge that the Prime Minister is funding some promising programs here and there - but a comprehensive national plan is needed if we are going to reach headline targets and close the gaps.

"This bitsy approach together with the continuation of a paternalistic approach which undermines successful programs and community leaders simply won't do. It means that despite increased investment and the determination of hardworking people - the sum of the close the gap measures is much less than the parts," Senator Siewert said.

"The Rudd Government is not embracing a genuine partnership with Aboriginal communities.

"Today's release of the Shadow report by the Close the Gap committee to my mind is showing Government the way. Its call to put in place a comprehensive national plan and to invest in the capacity of the community controlled health sector provides a blueprint for action I urge the Prime Minister to embrace."

"I was disappointed today that the PM continued to present a narrative where Aboriginal disadvantage was all about individual projects in remote communities in the North - but these statistics apply equally to the majority who live in urban areas and regional centres.

"To actually close the gap on health, education, incarceration and employment we need to tackle the disadvantage of the majority of Aboriginal people and we need to engage and empower them in the process.

"There is a long way to go before we have a comprehensive approach in place to close the gap," concluded Senator Siewert.

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