The report, "Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage", shows indigenous children are six-times more likely to be abused than non-indigenous children. Back in 2003, that gap was just four times as likely.
State and territory leaders are focusing today on closing that gap. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told reporters, "We have to redouble and treble our efforts to make an impact.", continuing that 'It is unacceptable and it requires decisive action." Rudd called the report "devastating."
"Relatively, Indigenous people live in greater poverty, have poorer housing, a poorer education and poorer employment prospects," said indigenous policy professor John Altman.
Altman says it's those conditions that lead to higher levels of child abuse among the aboriginal people.
Other violence-related data in the report showed poor outcomes for Indigenous people.
Confirming Altman's theory, the report found that there was no improvement in 80 percent of social and economic categories. Only 36 percent of Indigenous teens finish high school studies, compare that to 74 percent of non-indigenous teens.
Mr. Rudd says officials at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in Darwin will focus on finding ways to close this gap.
The Prime Minister says state and federal leaders will also focus on "critical areas" such as the global recession and nation building.
"The global recession is having a significant impact on workers everywhere," Mr. Rudd said.
"It represents an important intervention by governments to assist those who have been affected this way by the global recession."