Bill Shorten and a host of federal politicians have swapped their suits for running shorts as the curtain opens on the annual Closing the Gap week in Canberra.
The Labor leader joined Australian marathon champion Robert de Castella and dozens of athletes who braved crisp weather on Monday morning to run around Lake Burley Griffin.
"There's got to be hope and there's got to be belonging in closing the gap - not just talking about the problems," Mr Shorten told the Indigenous Marathon Foundation runners before joining them at the start line.
"This morning, I feel, this enhances the sense of belonging and it talks about hope, so thanks very much for involving us all."
Federal government ministers Nigel Scullion, Ken Wyatt and Darren Chester, Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie and Labor MP Andrew Leigh were also lakeside for the run ahead of the parliamentary sitting week.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will deliver the annual 'Closing the Gap' report into indigenous health and education to parliament on Tuesday.
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