The Building Blocks (Continued)
Economic Participation
The Australian Government wants all Australians to share in the opportunities of Australia's strong economy and to enjoy the financial and social benefits of work.
The 2012‑13 Budget demonstrates the Government's commitment to supporting Indigenous economic development and opportunity. We are investing in job creation in the Northern Territory, and redesigning remote employment services across Australia to better support communities and help people move into work. We are also making investments in infrastructure projects to promote and support businesses and broader economic development.
2012—13 Budget initiatives to close the gap in economic participation
Remote Jobs and Communities Program
The Australian Government is providing $1.5 billion over five years to introduce a new Remote Jobs and Communities Program (RJCP) on 1 July 2013. The new arrangements will provide better and more integrated services, with:
- a single provider of employment, participation and community development services in each of the 65 remote servicing regions — providing better services on the ground
- services that will be delivered in partnership with the community, underpinned by an action plan agreed with the community
- all communities and job seekers will be engaged in meaningful participation activities
- jobseekers will get personalised support from the single provider, so their skill development, participation activities and training meet their needs and better match local job opportunities.
A new Remote Youth Development and Leadership Corps for people aged under 25 will provide 12,000 places over five years to support young people on a clear pathway to employment. Building on the success of the Indigenous Rangers program, the Remote Youth Development and Leadership Corps will provide a nine–month program geared towards real employment opportunities for young people.
A new flexible $508 million Participation Account will provide funding for participation activities that help people get ready for work and also benefit their community.
A Community Development Fund ($240 million over five years) will also underpin larger community–development activities and community capacity building.
About 4,000 people who are currently receiving CDEP wages will continue to receive wages for the first five years of the new model. These people have been participating in CDEP for a long period of time, since before 2009, and many face significant barriers to employment.
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory — Jobs Package
Aboriginal people in remote communities across the Northern Territory will have greater employment and economic opportunities under the jobs package announced in the 2011 Mid–Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, including the following components.
Working on Country Indigenous Ranger Program
The Government is providing $19.1 million to create 50 new ranger positions in the Northern Territory in our Working on Country program. This program is about protecting the environment and delivering permanent jobs for Indigenous people. It has a strong track record in the Northern Territory, with almost 30 ranger teams already doing conservation work and providing role models for young people and the community.
Improving opportunities for Aboriginal people to get access to existing jobs in their communities
Through this package the Government will strengthen its efforts to ensure local people fill the jobs available in their communities by providing more traineeships and job shadowing. The new Local Jobs for Local People Indigenous traineeships will ensure up to 100 Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory are supported to fill services delivery jobs in their communities as these become available. The package will also provide a jobs guarantee for Indigenous students from Northern Territory Growth Towns.
As part of the jobs package, the Government will work with Aboriginal people to maximise local employment opportunities that flow from the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory investments. The Government work will with Aboriginal people to support local employment opportunities including Aboriginal youth workers, community support workers, child protection and family support workers, interpreters, Indigenous engagement officers and night patrol officers.
Australian Public Service Employment and Capability Strategy for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Employees
The Government is providing $1.8 million over three years to build on existing efforts to recruit more Indigenous people into the Australian Public Service with the aim of achieving our target of 2.7 per cent Indigenous employment by 2015.
Under this initiative, current recruitment and retention strategies will be strengthened. Funding will help to provide employment pathways for Indigenous Australians into the APS, develop a cultural competency framework for APS agencies and support Indigenous APS employees with networking and development opportunities.
Free–to–air Indigenous television service
$63 million over four years to establish a free–to–air national Indigenous television channel for all Australians as part of the Special Broadcasting Service Corporation (SBS). The new channel will launch in the second half of 2012 and increase the amount and quality of original Australian Indigenous content on free–to–air television.
Youth Pathways to Employment and Participation — BackTrack
The Government is providing $0.8 million over four years to support BackTrack to continue to provide pathways to employment and participation for disadvantaged and disengaged young people, particularly Indigenous young people, through mentoring, training, and education programs. Backtrack provides a range of programs for young people in Armidale, NSW, that support them to reengage or remain engaged in education or vocational training to improve their employment, training or education outcomes and their engagement with community life.
Improved native title processes
The Government will streamline the management of native title claims by moving native title claims mediation from the National Native Title Tribunal to the Federal Court. The Tribunal will continue to play a crucial role in the effective functioning of the native title system. This initiative builds on the Government's success in tackling the backlog of outstanding native title claims and will make the native title system more efficient and effective.
These new Budget initiatives support existing national agreements and investments, working together to drive Indigenous economic development.
In October 2011, the Australian Government launched the Indigenous Economic Development Strategy 2011‑2018 to help provide pathways for Indigenous Australians to have the same opportunities as all Australians — to get an education, find a job or start their own business, own their own home and provide for their families.
Last year, the Australian Government undertook a wide consultation process to design the new remote participation and employment arrangements. A discussion paper, The Future of Remote Participation and Employment Servicing Arrangements, was released in August 2011.
Around 1,200 people contributed to 42 consultation sessions across Australia in August — September 2011. The Australian Government spoke to Indigenous people, service providers, employers and others with an interest in this area. A Remote Participation and Employment Services Engagement Panel was appointed to provide advice on policy directions and on how to engage with remote communities.
The new Remote Jobs and Communities Program is an essential part of the Australian Government's agenda for Indigenous economic development. It is a key piece of a framework that is working to create job opportunities, connect Indigenous Australians with jobs, strengthen links between training and jobs and drive demand for Indigenous employment.
Another important component of the Government's economic development work is the Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) which operates nationally, providing $658.6 million over four years, to improve employment outcomes and participation in economic activities for Indigenous Australians. In the first eight months of the 2011‑12 financial year, the IEP has achieved more than 21,000 placements in employment and training related activities, including almost 10,000 job commencements. This work contributes to the Government's commitment to halve the gap between Indigenous and non–Indigenous employment outcomes within a decade.
The IEP funds projects which:
- encourage and support employers to provide sustainable employment opportunities
- encourage and support Indigenous Australians to take up training and employment opportunities, stay in jobs and enhance their future employment prospects
- develop Indigenous workforce and economic development strategies that support local and regional economic growth
- develop sustainable Indigenous businesses and economic opportunities in urban, regional and remote areas.
Commencing in 2011‑12, the Indigenous Youth Career Pathways Program aims to assist more young people to make the transition from school to further education and work. It provides $50.7 million over four years to fund 6,400 School Based Traineeship commencements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Years 11 and 12 to undertake a school–based traineeship.
The Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council (AIMSC) is an initiative that works to strengthen business–to–business links between Indigenous enterprises and corporate and government Australia. Established in September 2009, AIMSC helps Indigenous–owned businesses access purchasing and supplier arrangements in the private and government sectors, contributing to a sustainable and prosperous Indigenous enterprise sector in Australia. As of 31 December 2011, AIMSC had certified 124 Indigenous suppliers and generated $22.9 million in contracts and more than $13 million in transactions between its members and suppliers. From 1 July 2012, the Government is providing additional funding of up to $7.5 million over three years to support the ongoing work of AIMSC.
The $22.3 million Indigenous Carbon Farming Fund provides assistance to Indigenous Australians to participate in the carbon market. Funding for this program, commencing in 2012‑13, is provided for specialists to work with Indigenous communities on Carbon Farming Initiative projects, through providing training, legal support and advice on engagement in the carbon market.
The Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS), within the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) employs 24 Indigenous staff to deliver biosecurity surveillance functions in coastal areas between Cairns and Broome (including Torres Strait), and quarantine services associated with movements into and between defined zones in Torres Strait. A network of these staff is located on all inhabited islands of Torres Strait, as well as Bamaga in northern Cape York Peninsula to assist in managing biosecurity risks through the Torres Strait pathway. Other Indigenous community liaison officers facilitate animal and plant health surveillance, public awareness functions, and the delivery of biosecurity monitoring services. The program also engages Indigenous communities on a fee–for–service basis to undertake a range of biosecurity monitoring activities in support of animal and plant health surveillance.
DAFF also administers the $500,000 Indigenous Pastoral Industry Project, one of the three components of the Northern Australia Beef Industry Strategy, an election commitment under the Northern Australia Sustainable Futures Program. The project aims to increase the capacity of Indigenous people involved in the northern pastoral industry, complementing existing Indigenous Pastoral activities undertaken by the northern Australia state and territory governments. The project is focusing on the commercial viability and sustainability of the northern Australian Indigenous pastoral enterprises.
The Australian Government developed a National Indigenous Forestry Strategy (NIFS) in consultation with Indigenous communities and forest industry stakeholders. A key aim of this ongoing program is to encourage Indigenous participation in the forest industry by forming business partnerships with the forestry industry to provide long–term benefits to Indigenous communities. In 2012—13, DAFF will continue to pursue capacity building initiatives through mentoring and skills exchange, providing assistance and promoting Indigenous participation in sustainable forest management policy development.
In 2012—13 the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) will invest $350,000 in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rural Research and Development. The focus will be the National Indigenous Climate Change (NICC) project, led by CSIRO. As part of this project a collaborative group of Indigenous leaders, senior researchers and corporate leaders are critically examining the opportunities associated with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander involvement in Australia's carbon economies. A key activity of the research team has been to develop Indigenous carbon co–benefit criteria and guidelines that have been used to design the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) Indigenous co–benefit index. The team also supports policy level dialogue around Indigenous participation in the CFI through an active contribution to the CFI Indigenous Leaders Roundtable.
Natural Resource Management
Support will also be provided in 2012‑13 to the Dynamic Rural Communities Transformation for Resilient Landscapes and Communities project. This project is assisting the Cape York Natural Resource Management Board with transitioning to a more inclusive and locally responsive approach to natural resource management.
Research and development to benefit Indigenous Australians
The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) will invest $658,000 in 2012‑13 in research and development to benefit Indigenous Australians. FRDC supports Indigenous engagement, research development and extension (RD&E), culture and customs in the Australian fishing industry.
In 2012‑13 FRDC will also continue to offer two Indigenous Development Scholarships worth $10,000 each. These scholarships are awarded to individuals who seek to help shape the social and economic future of their community and/or region through engagement with the fishing industry, including fisheries management, commercial (including aquaculture) or customary use of sea resources.
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