Labor aims to close more indigenous gaps

Labor wants to make cutting down the number of indigenous people in jail a key national priority if its wins federal government.

The party's national conference has agreed to work with states and territories to add three more targets to the Closing the Gap agenda.

These would make it a priority for all governments to address the high rates of indigenous people involved in the criminal justice system, increase participation in higher education, and make sure 90 per cent of eligible indigenous people can access the National Disability Insurance Scheme by 2020.

Labor's indigenous affairs spokesman Shayne Neumann accused the Abbott government of backing away from its previous pledge to develop justice targets.

He said Labor premiers may well want to take the new targets added to the party's national platform on Saturday to the Council of Australian Governments before a federal election.

National Congress of Australia's First Peoples co-convenor Kirstie Parker said the Closing the Gap targets must be taken up with bipartisan support around the country.