Tony Abbott’s commitment to “closing the gap” in indigenous inequality has been questioned after it was revealed that indigenous staff working in his office are receiving up to $19,000 less than their co-workers.

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has had more than 260 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander bureaucrats transfer from the former Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to aid the PM in indigenous policy control.

However these workers have been told they will continue to receive their old salaries, a sum significantly less than their new co-workers at PM&C.

The revelation is embarrassment for Abbott who last week told Parliament that the nation is failing to meet the “more important and the more meaningful targets” in indigenous disadvantage.

PM&C is considered one of the public service’s best-paid departments but is among its least culturally diverse.

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