Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he will be incredibly disappointed if more progress cannot be achieved on closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
Mr Abbott will table the latest Closing the Gap progress report in parliament on Wednesday.
Before that the prime minister addressed a breakfast in Parliament House to mark the annual event, saying it was an honour to follow Labor prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
"I would be incredibly disappointed if in three or four years we haven't continued to do even more and even better in this field," Mr Abbott said.
"But for this special day the sometimes yawning gap ... could easily be glossed over or neglected."
Nova Peris, Australia's first female indigenous federal parliamentarian, lamented the quality of life experienced by indigenous people.
"As of right now, life is not a bed of roses for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," the Labor senator told the breakfast.
"Certainly not for Aboriginal women in the northern territory who are 80 times more likely to be hospitalised for assault than any other fellow territorians."
While progress had been made in closing the gap in the Northern Territory, Senator Peris feared the gains may be lost.
"The rivers of grog have started to flow again, and violence is increasing right across the Northern Territory."
