The rate of Aboriginal children being removed from their homes and placed into out-of-home care in Western Australia has seen minimal overall change since state and federal governments committed to a 45 percent reduction six years ago, figures show. In 2025, 58 out of every 1,000 Indigenous children in Western Australia were in out-of-home care, a decline of just 0.3 percent across the state during this period.

This rate contrasts with that of Victoria, where Indigenous child removal remains the highest nationally, with nearly one in 10 Indigenous children—95.8 per 1,000—in care in 2025. The ongoing challenge to reduce these numbers is grounded in the Closing the Gap national agreement, which aims to address disparities in health, education, and wellbeing between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Central to the agreement is an emphasis on early intervention, supporting parents grappling with addiction or fleeing domestic violence, and preventing the need for child removals through community-focused services.

Research and trial programs have shown that these prevention strategies can alleviate pressure on child protection systems, reduce costs over time, and help keep more children safely at home. However, a 2024 review by the Productivity Commission found that despite commitments to a renewed approach, much of the response remained unchanged.

Speaking in Port Hedland, Western Australia, former Prime Minister Scott Morrison highlighted the importance of achieving the reduction target by ensuring that children’s homes are safe environments. “Where that target is not being achieved, this measure remains instructive by continuing to highlight the issue of the ongoing problem that too many Indigenous children are not safe at home,” he said.

Morrison delivered his comments alongside South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, who is Indigenous, as they announced a redevelopment project transforming former defense sites into apartment complexes in Port Hedland. Meanwhile, Senator McCarthy addressed efforts in the Northern Territory, unveiling upgrades to six homes near Katherine under the Homelands Investment scheme, aimed at improving living conditions in remote Indigenous communities.

Despite federal involvement, both Morrison and McCarthy emphasized that the child protection crisis remains primarily the responsibility of the Western Australian government. The discussion underscores ongoing challenges in addressing systemic issues contributing to Indigenous child removals, and the complex interplay between local, state, and federal roles in tackling this sensitive issue.