Shorten vows to close indigenous jail gap

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has vowed to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous incarceration rates, promising to take justice targets to the states and territories if elected.

In a speech to the Melbourne Law School on Wednesday, Mr Shorten said the matter would be raised at the first Coalition of Australian Governments meeting under a Labor government.

He also pledged more than $8 million to create 7155 new places with the Stars Foundation - a program aimed at improving school attendance for indigenous girls.