The new National Indigenous Languages Policy is aimed at keeping Indigenous languages alive and supporting Indigenous Australians to connect with their language, culture and country.

The most recent report on Indigenous languages in Australia, the National Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS) Report 2005, found that the situation of Australia's Indigenous languages is grave and requires urgent action. Of the 145 indigenous languages still spoken in Australia, 110 are critically endangered. All of Australia's indigenous languages face an uncertain future if immediate action and care are not taken.

The Australian Government is committed to addressing the serious problem of language loss in Indigenous communities.

It requires coordinated action among the bodies involved in support of Indigenous languages, including government, language organisations and educational and research institutions.