The report used future thinking to predict health trends and what research and resources are needed to close the gap.
Lowitja O'Donoghue says community control will achieve this quickly for Aboriginal people.
“It'll be sooner than later because it'll be us leading the change, and not the government,” said Ms O’Donoghue.
Chair of the Lowitja Institute, Pat Anderson, says the report revealed Australia’s lack of support towards Indigenous culture.
“On the other hand we've got an Australia which turns its back on diversity and increases the divide between rich and poor and sees little or no improvement in the health of its first peoples,” said Ms Anderson.
But today representatives from both sides of parliament expressed their support for the institute's predictions.
“Clearly great challenges remain, they are substantial and they require long term action, this is where the Lowitja report being released today is so relevant,” said Assistant to the Prime Minister, Fiona Nash.
Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Shayne Neumann shared the same urge towards closing the gap.
“We do want to see an Australia that is successful and celebrates diversity where there is no health inequality in this country,” said Mr Neumann.
Doctor Ngiare Brown from the University of Sydney says funding cuts to the health sector will severely impact on efforts to close the disadvantage gap.
“We cannot do that if we don’t further resource the sectors that will make the most significant changes in outcomes for Aboriginal people. So we must be investing in public health and public education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mob, as well as the rest of the community,” said Ms Brown.
But with recent cuts to Aboriginal legal services and Congress, its feared the health sector will be next.
