6. Vocational training and new industries as a vehicle for economic empowerment
   1. Employment lies at the heart of socioeconomic opportunity. It provides direct economic benefit to individuals and families, including financial security, increased social mobility and access to higher standards of living.
   2. Many contributors to the inquiry highlighted the importance of education and training for enabling economic success. Universities Australia told the Committee that access to and achievement in education is a ‘key measure’ of First Nations economic self-determination.[1]
   3. First Nations Australians are significantly disadvantaged when it comes to employment and wages compared to non-Indigenous Australians. The 2021 Census showed that:

• 55.7 per cent of First Nations peoples were employed compared to 77.7per cent of non-Indigenous people.
• 53.8 per cent of First Nations women were employed compared to 73.9per cent of non-Indigenous women.
• 57.7 per cent of First Nations men were employed compared to 81.7per cent of non-Indigenous men.
• The average weekly income for First Nations peoples was $1,013 compared to $1,444for non-Indigenous people.
• First Nations women earned 74 per cent ($906) of non-Indigenous women’s weekly income ($1,224).
• First Nations men earned 68.1 per cent ($1,133) of non-Indigenous men’s weekly income ($1,664).[2]
  4. The Productivity Commission’s Closing the Gap Information Repository indicates that while Target 8 is on track to be met by 2031—increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples aged 25–64 who are employed to 62 per cent—Targets5, 6 and 7—students reaching their full potential and youth are engaged in employment or education—are on track.[3]
  5. There are also significant geographical differences in the employment rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. According to the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare, the employment rate of First Nations peoples in major cities in2021 was 58 per cent, compared to 30 per cent in ‘very remote’ areas.[4] Workplace participation also varied considerably across jurisdictions, and with the Australian Capital Territory having a First Nations employment rate of 69 per cent, compared to only 31per cent in the Norther Territory.[5]
  6. This chapter focuses on the evidence received on vocational training, cultural safety, financial literacy, and new industry opportunities as a vehicle for sustainable employment and economic empowerment for First Peoples.

The Australian Government has made record investments in vocational training

6.7The submission from the Department of Education and Workplace Relations set out a range of Australian Government initiatives aimed at ‘building a bigger, better trained, and more productive First Nations workforce’.[6] The Working Future white paper,[7] which followed the 2022 Jobs and Skills Summit, sets out the Government’s overarching vision for a ‘dynamic and inclusive labour market in which everyone has the opportunity for secure, fairly paid work’.[8]

6.8Other key initiatives include:

• the creation of one million jobs since May 2022
• fee-free TAFE and VET places in areas of high demand and skills need—as of 5November 2024, 30,000 First Nations people have registered in fee-free TAFE
• funding for Remote Training Hubs, co-designed in partnership with Central Australian communities and the Northern Territory Government
• establishment of a First Nations Vet Leadership Roundtable co-chaired by the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Organisations (Coalition of Peaks) and the Australian Government
• expansion of the Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) program which provides free language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy assessment and training to eligible job seekers—on the 2022-23 financial year, nine per cent (1,800) of SEE participants were First Nations
• a Net Zero Jobs Plan to support workers, families and communities impacted by the transformation to a net zero economy
• a network of Jobs and Skills Councils to ‘provide industry with a stronger, more strategic voice in ensuring Australia’s vocational education and training sector delivers stronger outcomes for learners and employers, including for First Nations Australians’.[9]
  9. The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia pointed out that ‘for every First Nations Australian studying a higher education qualification in 2022, there were around [seven] who were engaged in skills training’.[10] It recommended that the Australian Government:

• expand its focus on supporting First Nations students beyond the existing concentration on degree attainment at public universities to ensure these students are similarly supported at any higher education provider or high-quality skills training provider
• enhance support for delivery of quality training programs to First Nations Australians in rural and remote areas
• through the National Skills Agreement, develop of specific funding programs designed to assist students move through the tertiary system develop tertiary education investment and funding approaches that are neutral regarding educational provider type
• bring together a 'First Nations workforce development strategy' to explore and enhance the complementary roles of independent quality Registered Training Organisations and public TAFE colleges in Northern Australia workforce development.[11]
  10. Master Electricians Australia advocated for VET to be ‘integrated and streamlined’ into the secondary school curriculum, with an equal level of prioritisation as the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank.[12] It argued that vocational education training in secondary schools would foster ‘safe and supportive learning environments’, encouraging more First Nations students to engage with their secondary school learning as the curriculum is designed to extend beyond the traditional academic pathways.[13] It considered that this approach will help normalise STEM careers and foster a more inclusivity and diversity in the STEM sector, expanding the ‘talent pool’ of First Nations people in STEM fields.[14] Opportunities for First Nations people in STEM industries is discussed further below.
  11. The Industry Capability Network suggested that entrepreneurial education be integrated into school curricula, with specialised training programs offered to aspiring First Nations entrepreneurs. It noted that ‘teaching business skills from a young age can inspire future generations to consider entrepreneurship as a viable career path’.[15]
  12. Charles Darwin University recommended the development of specialised training programs that are tailored to the needs of remote communities, ‘emphasising practical skills and local relevance’. It also recommended support for education providers to develop strategies for remote community-focused training, ‘tailored for “on Country” delivery’.[16]
  13. The Alliance of First Nations’ Independent Education and Training Providers, which comprises four First Nations-owned and operated training and education organisations, discussed the ‘pressing need for a national peak body dedicated to Aboriginal youth and adult education and training’.[17]
  14. The Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research (Jumbunna) at the University of Technology Sydney attributed improved workplace participation rates in recent decades to a range of initiatives, including increased formal education and training, non-standard recruitment strategies, government procurement policies and explicit First Nations employment targets.[18] However, it submitted that fundamental structural blockages remain. These include a lack of self-determination in relation to matters of Indigenous employment and economic development, a lack of appropriate Indigenous-led data collection, and ‘overt, covert and systemic’ racism in the workplace.[19]
  15. The National Health Leadership Forum observed that recent progress toward improved employment rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples has coincided with strong economic conditions and low overall unemployment rates. It cautioned that employment rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples often decline at greater rate than for non-Indigenous Australians when conditions decline or moderate.[20] The National Health Leadership Forum also submitted that holistic consideration of the issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is necessary, with employment and economic participation not considered in isolation of education, health, safety and security, and other individual, family, community and societal factors.[21]
  16. The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) and The Treasury submitted that the First Nations Economic Partnership is an opportunity to build on the Australian Government’s objectives with ‘partnerships to achieve place-based change, and to overcome barriers to employment and economic opportunities’.[22]

Employment services and other First Nations employment support

6.17The Australian Government operates three main employment services:

• Workforce Australia, administered by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, operates across all non-remote areas of Australia. As at 31May 2024, 14.4 per cent (98,140) of Workforce Australia’s caseload consisted of First Nations peoples.[23]
• Disability Employment Services, administered by the Department of Social Services, is the main employment service for people with disability, illness and/or health condition.[24]
• Community Development Program (CDP), administered by the National Indigenous Australians Agency, aims to support job seekers in remote Australia to build skills, address barriers to employment and contribute to their communities through activities and training.[25]
  18. The CDP is currently being reformed. In the 2024 Budget, the Australian Government committed $777.4 million over five years from 2023–24 to establish the Remote Jobs and Economic Development (RJED) Program. The NIAA and The Treasury reported that the program ‘will create 3,000 jobs in remote Australia and support income support recipients move into paid employment’.[26] As part of the reforms, a new remote employment service is also being established.[27]
  19. The Coalition of Peaks told the Committee that the current governance arrangements for the RJED program ‘provide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives to provide guidance and advice to government, and for government to then make decisions’.[28] The Coalition of Peaks considered this a ‘welcome step forward’ compared to previous programs.[29] However, it submitted that changes were needed to align with the Australian Government’s commitment in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap government to ‘share decisions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives on policies and programs that have a significant impact on our people’.[30]
  20. The Jumbunna similarly submitted that ‘self-determination and local community-led design and solutions are vital to any employment or economic development program for remote Indigenous communities’.[31]
  21. The Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation told the Committee about its Real Jobs Program, an employment program which funds Indigenous owned and managed organisations in the Northern Territory. Further information is in Box 6.1.

Beyond raw employment figures

6.22Contributors to the inquiry suggested that it is important to consider more than just raw employment rates when thinking about the role of jobs in facilitating economic self-determination. The Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network argued that the type of employment is just as important:

For Indigenous people it is not enough that our people are employed but it is of more importance and value that our Mob are engaging in work that matters, work that is suitable for family and community structures, work that is enjoyable and work that is beneficial to the wider community. As we are a communal society that shares everything, consequently we value when one family member is employed as we all have something to gain.[33]

6.23The Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group similarly noted the importance of job opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to advance in their careers, rather than just starting positions or short-term contracts:

Enabling advancement opportunities that align with an individual’s skills, interests, and aspirations is key to achieving long-term employment success, including reaching senior positions. The development of a skilled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce through investment and commitment is key to addressing Indigenous economic participation and address any skills shortage in regional, rural, and remote areas, particularly in the north where the impact is greatest.[34]

6.24The Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership (Dilin Duwa) submitted that the ‘singular focus’ of governments on employment omits other economic indicators, such as business ownership and success, home ownership, and savings through superannuation:

Whilst First Nations employment remains below the Australian average, there are an increasing number of First Nations people obtaining higher degrees, achieving professional employment, and establishing businesses. This growing socially mobile part of the First Nations population is important to note, especially when considering the rising levels of business ownership.[35]

Culturally safe and supportive workplaces

6.25Cultural safety emerged as a significant barrier to sustained employment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

6.26The South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON) told the Committee that racism, discrimination, prejudice, and bias remain present in many mainstream workplaces in Australia, making it difficult for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to find work, feel safe and develop their careers:

This acts as a barrier to economic participation and economic self-determination. A 2022 report found that one in two Aboriginal people had experiences of exclusion or discrimination at work in a 12-month period and that Aboriginal people who face multiple forms of disadvantage are particularly likely to be discriminated against. This includes Aboriginal people with a disability and Aboriginal LGBTQIA+.[36]

6.27In the absence of a standardised definition of culturally safe workplaces, several submissions discussed elements of a culturally safety in workplaces and examples of culturally safe workplace practices.

6.28The South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON) submitted that a ‘culturally safe workplace recognises and respects the cultural identity of Aboriginal people and is centred around two-way communication, trust, and shared knowledge’.[37] SAACCON added that other important elements include the availability of Indigenous mentors and role models, and work arrangements that are flexible enough to accommodate the cultural responsibilities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in relation to family, kinship, significant cultural events and Sorry Business.[38]

6.29The Lowitja Institute described cultural safety as a ‘key enabler’ of success for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.[39] It drew the Committee’s attention to its Career Pathways Project Report, which details experiences of covert or unwitting discrimination and overt racism within the health workforce.[40] The project found that ‘racism and opposition from colleagues were a barrier to career progression for at least one in five people’ and were significantly more prevalent in government agencies than in ACCOs.[41] The Lowitja Institute therefore called for ‘urgent progress’ to implement Priority Reform Three of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.[42] Priority Reform Three aims to ‘transform government organisations’ so that they are ‘culturally safe and responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including through the services they fund’.[43]

6.30Screen Australia’s First Nations Department (Box 6.2) is one example of a government agency that has made concerted efforts to provide a culturally safe and supportive environment for First Nations employees. However, in its submission Screen Australia noted that more support would be needed to enhance and expand its current efforts to upskill, sustain and elevate First Nations screen practitioners and businesses.[44]

6.31The Lowitja Institute and SAACCON both highlighted the important role of the ACCO sector in providing culturally safe employment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.[46]

6.32A similar point was made by the Coalition of Peaks, which pointed out that the ACCO sector is ‘one of the largest employers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and often operates in locations where it provides the main employment opportunities in a region’.[47] Noting that Priority Reform Two of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap involves building the community-controlled sector, the Coalition of Peaks suggested governments could realise this reform by:

• strengthening the Sector’s workforce training, education and upskilling opportunities, and delivering these through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander training organisations
• ensuring that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce has wage parity based on workforce modelling commensurate with need
• supporting common community-controlled services to have a dedicated, reliable and consistent funding model that suits and is responsive to community needs.[48]
  33. The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation noted that many Aboriginal community members gain their first job at an ACCO, providing ‘an essential stepping stone for many into a life with ongoing employment that creates a capacity to support family and move out of the intergenerational poverty that is an enduring impact of colonisation’.[49] It added that traineeships are ‘critical’ in providing entry level positions for Aboriginal people in ACCOs.
  34. The Lowitja Institute drew attention to the Aboriginal-owned retailer, Clothing The Gaps (see Box 6.3), as a private business operating a culturally safe workplace. It noted the founders of Clothing The Gaps both had health promotion backgrounds from working in the ACCO sector, which had helped them to create a business that ‘supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to thrive’.[50]

Financial literacy

6.35Noting the long history of economic exclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the First Nations Foundation encouraged the Committee to think about the measures needed to support First Nations peoples who are gaining a job for the first time. It submitted that many First Nations peoples ‘do not know the difference between a credit card and a debit card, what interest is and how to save to create prosperity’.

6.36Mr Angus Crawford, representing the First Nations Foundation at a public hearing, told the Committee:

Traditionally, at a Commonwealth and subnational level, the policy conversation has revolved around how can we elevate the average First Nations person out of unemployment into employment, and the cycle kind of ends there. ‘We’ve lifted this person out of their situation. They’re no longer receiving welfare support. They’re gainfully employed, so we’ll sort of wash our hands of the situation and move forward’. But what we’re keen to do is reframe that narrative to one where we’re concentrating on wealth generation, prosperity, asset generation, long-term planning, all the sorts of things that a non-Indigenous person might otherwise take for granted or consider to be assumed knowledge.[53]

6.37The First Nations Foundation, through its financial literacy training, aims to ‘fill the knowledge gaps about western capitalist practices, teach vital skills such as setting money goals and budgeting and teaches basic financial knowledge around banking, superannuation, loans, and investments’.[54] It also targets ‘areas of vulnerability’ such as payday loans, funeral insurance, and consumer leases.[55] It submitted that:

Improving the First Nations wealth profile and access to financial information and services generates positive impacts for individuals and communities in terms of economic freedom, security, and wellbeing, as well as quality of Life and opportunities.[56]

6.38The First Nations Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Phil Usher, also told the Committee about its work to drive ‘systemic change’ in the mainstream financial services industry to encourage financial service providers to change their practices to make their services more accessible to First Nations customers.[57]

6.39Many Indigenous Chambers of Commerce also commented on the lower financial and numerical literacy entry rate of Indigenous businesses compared to non-Indigenous businesses.

New and emerging industries

6.40The Committee received evidence about specific industries in which there are new and growing opportunities for First Nations economic development, including the generation of a substantial number of jobs.

Clean energy

6.41Many participants in the inquiry drew the Committee’s attention to the economic opportunities presented by the renewable energy transition. Dr Kathryn Thorburn and Dr Lily O’Neill of the University of Melbourne described clean energy as providing ‘potentially the greatest economic development opportunity on the Indigenous estate in Australia in the last 20 years’.[58]

6.42The Jobs and Skills Australia 2023 report found that Australia’s clean energy workforce is underrepresented among First Nations people, who currently make up around 1.9 per cent of the clean energy workforce. The report suggests combining targeted employment strategies with on-site education and training targets for local, entry-level First Nations employees, who may not have had the opportunities and support to take up related education and training off country.

6.43The First Nations Clean Energy Network cited modelling by Net Zero Australia had estimated that, in order for Australia to achieve its clean energy aspirations, almost 45 per cent of clean energy infrastructure will need to be placed on land where First Nations peoples have legally enforceable rights and interests.[59] The Network called for First Nations peoples to be positioned as ‘co-designers and drivers’ of the transition, with early engagement with First Nations communities to seek free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) in relation to large scale developments on their land.[60]

6.44Citing feedback from Traditional Owners, Ms Karrina Nolan, Co-Chair of the First Nations Clean Energy Network, told the Committee that such engagement often was not occurring early enough in the project planning process to result in good outcomes.

6.45Nevertheless, the First Nations Clean Energy Network considered that renewable energy projects have the power to deliver benefits for communities, with multiplier effects through regional economies.[61] Through its recent Powering First Nations Jobs in Clean Energy report, the Network has made recommendations directed at increasing First Nations employment and training in clean energy, including:

• incorporating First Nations employment and training targets into the Capacity Investment Scheme
• establishing a coordinated industry program for First Nations apprentices in wind farm maintenance
• integrating First Nations employment and training targets and initiatives into housing retrofit, diesel replacement and microgrid programs
• promoting clean energy careers for First Nations school students
• strengthening school to VET transitions with traineeships and apprenticeships
• outreach engagement with First Nations students via Regional University Study Hubs
• funding group training, focussing on the renewable energy zones and First Nations housing retrofits
• funding an industry support program to enable achievement of employment and training targets
• building the capacity and coordination of First Nations organisations, networks and businesses
• building cultural competence in the renewable energy sector.[62]

Future Made in Australia and other investment vehicles

6.46Several participants in the inquiry identified the Australian Government’s Future Made in Australia package (see Box 6.5) as an opportunity for First Nations economic development. The Department of Industry, Science and Resources submitted that the Future Made in Australia agenda ‘presents an opportunity for First Nations businesses to cement themselves in the Australian economy by boosting participation in the renewable energy space and strengthening their participation in competitive markets’.[65]

6.47Drawing on lessons learned from Canada (discussed further in Chapter 5), Ms Nolan of the First Nations Clean Energy Network considered that funding should be specifically earmarked for First Nations led projects to achieve positive results.[67] Ms0Nolan made a similar point in relation to the Australian Government’s Capacity Investment Scheme.[68] Mr Jonathan Kneebone, the Network’s Director of Policy and Engagement, noted that Australia’s scheme did not meet the same level of aspiration as similar schemes in Canada, which had mandated minimum levels of First Nations ownership for projects:

In Australia, our Capacity Investment Scheme hints at First Nations ownership being a good outcome and something that will make you score more highly, but it doesn’t mandate a level; it just encourages people to consider that. It’s not an eligibility criterion; it’s just something that you might consider further on. So we’re heading there. I think there’s good noise about it, but we don’t have the same level of aspiration that other countries around the world have.[69]

6.48Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI) similarly recommended that First Nations impacts and opportunities should be embedded into the investment processes for Commonwealth Investment Vehicles, including the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the National Reconstruction Fund, and grant programs supporting Future Made in Australia priorities, such as those delivered by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.[70] It argued that investment processes and standards for these funding vehicles should respect the rights and contributions of First Nations communities and implement FPIC principles and First Nations data governance as ‘foundational criteria’.[71] ASFI recommended that the criteria in the Clean Energy Finance Corporation’s investment mandate could be amended to include:

• the extent of ownership by First Nations [peoples/communities] of the project,
• whether Traditional Owners have been afforded a right of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent,
• the degree of engagement with Traditional Owners,
• the extent to which the investment will deliver economic or social benefits/opportunities for First Nations [peoples/communities].[72]
  49. Professor Peter Yu, of the Australian National University’s First Nations Portfolio, similarly advocated for mechanisms for Traditional Owner groups to buy equity in the generation and transmission infrastructure needed for the transition to renewables, instead of relying solely on royalties paid under agreements with infrastructure owners.[73]
  50. The Future Made in Australia package does not include funding that is specifically allocated to First Nations outcomes. However, the Future Made in Australia Bill 2024, which was introduced into the House of Representatives on 3 July 2024 includes a community benefit principle:

(iiia) supporting First Nations communities and traditional owners to participate in, and share in the benefits of, the transition to net zero.[74]

6.51At the time of writing, the Bill remains before the Senate.

6.52The Australian Government is investing in clean energy skills development through the establishment of the Clean Energy TAFE Centres of Excellence in Western Australia and Queensland, which will specialise in the delivery of innovative training in clean energy technologies including solar, wind, hydrogen, and batteries, to feed into the grid to help create a Future Made in Australia.

Biodiversity conservation

6.53Several participants in the inquiry highlighted the large and growing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ involvement in biodiversity conservation. Mr Andrew Peterson of the BCSD Australia told the Committee about work underway to examine the role of Indigenous peoples in realising the United Nations Convention of Biological Diversity’s Global Biodiversity Framework.[75] The Global Biodiversity Framework includes 22 targets for 2030, many of which include recognition of and respect for Indigenous rights, including representation and participation in decision-making.[76]

6.54Partnership with First Nations peoples to improve environmental management and project cultural heritage forms a key component of the Australian Government’s Nature Positive Plan.[77] In addition to strengthened cultural heritage laws, the plan proposes developing a new National Environmental Standard for First Nations Engagement and Participation in Decision-Making.[78] At the time of writing, however, a draft standard had not yet been released for consultation.[79]

6.55One way in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities currently contribute to biodiversity conservation is through the network of Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs). IPAs are areas that Traditional Owners have voluntarily agreed with the Australian Government to manage for biodiversity conservation. There are currently 85 dedicated IPAs across Australia, covering 87 million hectares of land and 5 million hectares of sea. Together, IPAs make up more than 50 per cent of Australia’s National Reserve System.[80] A further 12 new IPAs were announced in July 2024, covering another 8 million hectares of land and sea.[81]

6.56The Australian Government’s Indigenous Ranger Program (see Box 6.6) is one of the key mechanisms used to create jobs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in biodiversity conservation and to fund the management of IPAs (and other areas) toward environmental, cultural, social and economic development outcomes. The program is currently being expanded through a grants process, which aims to double the number of Indigenous rangers from 1,900 in 2021 to 3,800 in 2030.[82]

6.57The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry told the Committee about the important role that Indigenous Rangers play in detecting biosecurity threats in Northern Australia. The Indigenous Ranger Biosecurity Program (IRBP) funds rangers to ‘detect changes on country and conduct activities across vast amounts of sparsely populated, hard-to-access land’.[88] The Department said that the IRBP fulfils an ‘indispensable’ role in Australia’s national biosecurity system:

Indigenous Rangers bring unique traditional knowledge and skills to the biosecurity program in Northern Australia, helping to bolster our early detection capability for exotic weeds and pests. …In addition to supporting effective biosecurity in northern Australia, the IRBP contributes to broader social outcomes in remote communities including increased education, employment and economic opportunities.[89]

6.58The Department noted that, in May 2023, the Australian Government announced the continuation of the IRBP with funding of $40.6 million over the next four years and $12 million per year ongoing from 2027–28.[90]

6.59In addition to IPAs, many National Parks and other reserves around Australia have joint management arrangements in place with Traditional Owners. Kakadu National Park and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park both consist of Aboriginal land that has been leased to the Commonwealth and managed by Aboriginal member majority boards.[91]

6.60The Committee received a submission from a group calling for Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Lee Point and the surrounding areas of Crown-owned land around Darwin, including land that has been designated for a new national park, to be returned to the ownership and management of the Larrakia People. The submission identified more than 230 examples of national parks around Australia that are under Indigenous care and protection though co-management or joint management arrangements.[92]

6.61Victoria, for example, currently has agreements with seven Traditional Owner groups to jointly manage ten national parks and reserves including the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, Taungurung Land and Waters Council, Barengi Gadgin Land Council, and Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation.[93]

6.62At a public hearing, Mr Rewi Lyall of the Jamukurnu-Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation (Western Desert Lands) RNTBC (JYAC) told the Committee about opportunities that could arise if joint management of Karlamilyi National Park was agreed with the Western Australian Government, particularly if the Martu people’s existing native title determination was updated to include the national park pursuant to section 47C of the Native Title Act 1993. Mr Lyall identified management of potential tourism sites as one such opportunity.[94] Mr Lyall also identified the generation of carbon credits on Martu lands as a potential economic opportunity.[95]

6.63An example of Aboriginal-controlled land in the Kimberley being used to earn carbon credits, using fire management, is discussed in Chapter 4 (see Box 4.1). The Kimberley Land Council told the Committee that Indigenous fire management is a ‘valuable commodity, saleable in today’s carbon market, that generates significant income for communities in the Kimberley’.[96]

6.64In its submission, software company ServiceNow said that improving the ability of First Nations communities to participate in the emerging ‘nature-positive’ market will provide a ‘unique opportunity’ to those communities:

The nature-positive market will provide a new source of funds to restore and conserve Australia’s biodiversity. Evidence from the establishment of a biodiversity market in NSW suggests that there is potentially more demand than supply of biodiversity certificates, suggesting an opportunity for more projects to be proposed and supported by this market.[97]

6.65ServiceNow argued that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the ‘most qualified group of people to meet the requirements for an increase in supply’, and that Indigenous Ranger groups have the skills and resources needed to engage in the nature repair market and create employment opportunities in their communities.[98] It suggested that technology could be provided to ease the administrative burden on Indigenous Ranger groups by making data collection and reporting easier.

6.66The Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations advocated to incentivise landowners who ‘delivered the desired biodiversity outcomes in a way consistent with First Nations’ understanding of Country’,[99] adding that it would create:

‘First Nations industry’ involved in the assessment, planning, carrying-out and evaluation of landowner proposals. An industry based on collectively held cultural ‘rights’ underpinned by rights vesting in, predominantly though not exclusively, non-Indigenous landowners. Where subject land is owned by First Nations, the value to the First Nations economy would be even greater.[100]

Tourism

6.67For First Nations communities, tourism can be a powerful driver to improve social and economic outcomes, and the sustainability of cultures. Cultural tourism is increasingly important for Australia’s regions and First Nations communities, presenting opportunities for value-added tourism, skills and job creation.

6.68Latest data from Tourism Research Australia shows that in 2023-24, there were a total of 3 million trips that incorporated First Nations activities. This consisted of 663,600 domestic daytrips, 1,223,300 domestic overnight trips and 1,099,500 international trips.[101]

6.69This represented the highest number of trips incorporating First Nations activities on record, surpassing the previous record of 2.5 million trips involving a First Nations experience in 2019, with one in seven Australian businesses directly connected to tourism.[102]

6.70The Government’s strategy for the visitor economy, THRIVE 2030, focuses on developing new and expanding support for existing First Nations owned and operated tourism enterprises.[104]

6.71Some inquiry participants drew the Committee’s attention to opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the tourism sector. For instance, TerriJanke and Company (TJC) submitted that First Nations tourism has ‘immense potential to preserve and disseminate First Nations Knowledge through immersive cultural experiences and educational initiatives directly on Country’.[105] TJC argued that robust governance and branding, safeguarded by protection of intellectual property and Indigenous cultural and intellectual property (ICIP), is essential to the success of tourism ventures.[106] Intellectual property and ICIP matters are discussed in more detail in Chapter 5.

6.72WAITOC told the Committee about the ‘unique cultural values and significant economic contribution’ that Aboriginal cultural tourism brings to the sector, with high and growing demand from both international and domestic tourists.[107] WAITOC works with Aboriginal tourism enterprises to develop markets, build business capacity, and to help businesses vary their income streams to limit the effect of seasonality.[108]

6.73Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation also submitted to the Committee about the opportunities to ‘enable strong and sustainable economic futures through cultural tourism’ including through:

• purchasing a property with plans being developed for this to be a cultural tourism site of national significance
• developing a network of keeping places to celebrate Gunaikurnai Culture and include numerous experiences
• creating sustainable pathways for Gunaikurnai people to actively get involved in Cultural tourism, such as enabling Gunaikurnai women to practice and share cultural experience in a way that provides economic benefits that are appropriate to the cultural experience
• creating learning pathways so that this has generational outcomes, where senior Community members are passing on Culture to community.[109]
  74. The Commonwealth Government recently announced a historic new partnership which will support greater participation and economic opportunities for First Nations people and businesses in Australia’s tourism industry. The First Nations Visitor Economy Partnership, comprising First Nations tourism industry representatives from every state and territory, will provide leadership and guidance on respectfully embedding Australia’s rich cultural heritage in our tourism offerings. The partnership will be funded for an initial two years through the NIAA.[110]

STEM industries

6.75Several submitters told the Committee about the growing opportunities for First Nations peoples in STEM industries, including digital technologies.

6.76Science and Technology Australia told the Committee that drawing on the expertise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and supporting First Nations researchers is ‘critical’ to deepening Australia's research capabilities.[111] It noted that Australia had not yet ‘widely understood, valued and accepted’ the deep STEM expertise that Indigenous peoples have developed over thousands of years in fields such as fire, land and water management; novel native plant properties; ecology; and other areas.[112] Science and Technology Australia recommended ongoing and increased support for First Nations peoples in STEM-based careers, including investments in Indigenous-led STEM organisations to improve STEM education and experiences for First Nations peoples.[113]

6.77The Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group reported that jobs in STEM will continue to increase at a much faster rate than non-STEM jobs, and expressed concern that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are ‘much less likely to be involved in STEM topics’.[114] It recommended that government and industry ‘come together to invest in STEM programs including secondary and tertiary scholarships with specific positions for Northern Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’.[115]

6.78The Department of Industry, Science and Resources informed the Committee about the report of the Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review, released in February 2024. The report ‘emphasised the importance of actively engaging Indigenous peoples in STEM’,[116] and recommended that the Government, through its research funding bodies:

• preference First Nations scientists and researchers applying for government funding for projects that affect or draw from First Nations Knowledges and knowledge systems, or that focus on First Nations engagement in STEM
• work with First Nations communities to develop further ways to elevate First Nations Knowledges.[117]
  79. In its 2024–25 Budget, the Australian Government committed $38.2 million over eight years to ‘support a skilled and sustainable STEM work force’, part of which includes funding to support underrepresented cohorts, including First Nations people.[118] The Australian Government also funds the Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy to support First Nations women to study and work in STEM (see Box 6.8).

Other industries

6.80Opportunities for First Nations people in the visual arts, fashion, bush foods and botanicals industries are discussed in Chapter 5, in context of discussion about intellectual property and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property.

Committee comment

6.81Education and training are key enablers of economic participation. Although some improvements have been seen in recent years, there continues to be large gaps in the levels of educational completion between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous students. Addressing these gaps, as well as the correlated gaps in employment rates for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians—particularly in remote areas—requires ongoing sustained effort.

6.82The Committee thanks contributors to the inquiry for drawing attention to a range of existing initiatives and possible new approaches for addressing the barriers to stronger First Nations participation in education, training and employment. The Committee recognises that issues concerning education, training, employment and related matters—housing, health and wellbeing—must be considered holistically, and implemented through place-based and Indigenous-led initiatives. Nuanced approaches will be needed to address the differing issues facing, for example, remote and urban areas of Australia. It will also be important to avoid focusing on jobs alone, but rather provide opportunities for the careers that are best suited to individuals and their personal aspirations, as well as the skills needed to manage finances and deal with financial service providers.

6.83The Committee also notes the importance of culturally safe and supportive workplaces for improving employment outcomes for First Nations peoples and acknowledges the critical role of First Nations businesses and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations in providing such workplaces. The Committee supports initiatives to strengthen these sectors, as well as to improve cultural safety and address issues of racial discrimination in mainstream services, including government agencies.

6.84The Committee recommends that the Australian Government explore and consider best practice mechanisms to improve First Nations workplace cultural safety.

6.85The Committee was encouraged to hear about the growing economic opportunities for First Nations peoples across a broad range of industries. One significant source of opportunity is the clean energy sector, where thousands of new jobs are being created. The renewable energy transition is driving generational shifts in energy systems, including the creation of new supply chains and demand for new resources such as critical minerals. With around 45 per cent of renewable energy infrastructure needing to be placed on land where First Nations peoples have legally enforceable rights and interests, First Nations peoples should be supported to benefit from this revolution.

6.86However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are currently underrepresented in the clean energy workforce, at around 1.9 per cent.[120] In addition to efforts to grow the supply of First Nations peoples with appropriate skills and qualifications, targeted employment strategies and on-site education and training will be needed to assist entry-level employees into the workforce.

6.87The Future Made in Australia package, and other existing investment vehicles, provide significant opportunities to invest in clean energy projects that benefit First Nations communities. The Committee is pleased that a community benefit principle has been incorporated into the Future Made in Australia package, expressly requiring decision-makers to consider the extent to which communities and Traditional Owners will ‘participate in, and share in the benefits of, the transition to net zero’ in funding decisions.

6.88The Committee notes the Australian Government is currently developing a First Nations Clean Energy Strategy, in collaboration with the First Nations Clean Energy Network and other Indigenous stakeholders. The Committee encourages the Australian Government to continue to prioritise the involvement of First Nations peoples in the transition to net zero and to implement the strategy as soon as practicable.

6.89The Committee welcomes the Australian Government’s inclusion of First Nations engagement as a merit criteria under the Capacity Investment Scheme seeking competitive tender bids for renewable capability and battery storage.

6.90The Committee suggests the Australian Government consider further mechanisms to ensure that developers engage with First Nations communities from the outset and comprehensively, but also foster agreements between Traditional Owners and clean energy project proponents that deliver social and economic benefits such as ownership, revenue sharing, partnering, employment, and funding for sub-contracting of First Nations businesses.

6.91Drawing on Canada’s experience, the Committee also urges the Australian Government to consider minimum levels of First Nations ownership for projects supported through its investment vehicles, including the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the National Reconstruction Fund and the Future Made in Australia package. Ownership and equity in clean energy projects will directly promote economic self-determination, as well as contribute to employment, skills development and wealth generation in communities, particularly in remote areas.

6.92The Committee recommends that the Australian Government implement the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy and consider a target for FirstNations project ownership and equity in clean energy.

Footnotes

[1]Universities Australia, Submission 14, p. 3.

[2]Australian Bureau of Statistics 2022, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Census.

[3]Australian Government n.d., ‘Closing the Gap Targets and Outcomes’, https://www.closingthegap.gov.au/national-agreement/targets, accessed 5 November 2024.

[4]National Native Title Council, Submission 62, p. 2, citing Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ‘Employment of First Nations People’, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/indigenous-employment, accessed 16 October 2024.

[5]National Native Title Council, Submission 62, p. 2, citing Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ‘Employment of First Nations People’, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/indigenous-employment, accessed 16 October 2024.

[6]Department of Education and Workplace Relations, Submission 65, p. 4

[7]Australian Government, Working Future: The Australian Government’s White Paper on Jobs and Opportunities, September 2023.

[8]Department of Education and Workplace Relations, Submission 65, p. 4.

[9]Department of Education and Workplace Relations, Submission 65, pages 5–6.

[10]Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia, Submission 68, p. 2.

[11]Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia, Submission68, p. 4.

[12]Master Electricians Australia, Submission87, p. 1.

[13]Master Electricians Australia, Submission87, p. 1.

[14]Master Electricians Australia, Submission 87, p. 3.

[15]Industry Capability Network, Submission74, p. 6.

[16]Charles Darwin University, Submission 58, p. 7.

[17]Alliance of First Nations' Independent Education and Training Providers, Submission 91, pages 2, 6–7

[18]Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research (Jumbunna), University of Technology Sydney, Submission 25, p. 3.

[19]Jumbunna, Submission 25, p. 3.

[20]National Health Leadership Forum, Submission 55, pages 4–5.

[21]National Health Leadership Forum, Submission 55, p. 5.

[22]National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) and Treasury, Submission 64, p. [6].

[23]Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Submission 65.

[24]Department of Social Services 2023, ‘Disability Employment Services’, https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/disability-employment-services?context=22276, accessed 16October2024.

[25]NIAA n.d., ‘The Community Development Program (CDP)’, https://www.niaa.gov.au/our-work/employment-and-economic-development/community-development-program-cdp, accessed 16 October 2024.

[26]National Indigenous Australians Agency and Treasury, Submission 64, p. [4].

[27]National Indigenous Australians Agency, ‘The Community Development Program (CDP)’, https://www.niaa.gov.au/our-work/employment-and-economic-development/community-development-program-cdp, accessed 16 October 2024.

[28]Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (Coalition of Peaks), Submission 67, p.8.

[29]Coalition of Peaks, Submission 67, p. 7.

[30]Coalition of Peaks, Submission 67, p. 8.

[31]Jumbunna, Submission 25, p. 24.

[32]Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, Submission 53, pages 2–3.

[33]Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network, Submission 63, p. 12.

[34]Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Submission 66, p. [6].

[35]Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership, University of Melbourne, Submission 8, p. 3.

[36]South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON), Submission 93, pages 8–9.

[37]SAACCON, Submission 93, p. 9.

[38]SAACCON, Submission 93, p. 9.

[39]Lowitja Institute, Submission 36, p. 8.

[40]Lowitja Institute, We Are Working for Our People: Growing and strengthening the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce, Career Pathways Project Report, August 2020.

[41]Lowitja Institute, Submission 36, p. 9.

[42]Lowitja Institute, Submission 36, pages 9 and 10.

[43]National Agreement on Closing the Gap, Priority Reform Three.

[44]Screen Australia, Submission 12, p. 3.

[45]Screen Australia, Submission 12.

[46]Lowitja Institute, Submission 36, pages 5, 9–10; SAACCON, Submission 93, p. 9.

[47]Coalition of Peaks, Submission 67, p. 5.

[48]Coalition of Peaks, Submission 67, p. 5.

[49]Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Submission 57, p. 9.

[50]Lowitja Institute, Submission 36, p. 9.

[51]Clothing The Gaps, Submission 52.

[52]Ms Laura Thompson, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19 July 2024, p. 39.

[53]Mr Angus Crawford, General Manager, Economic Policy, Research and Government Relations, First Nations Foundation, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19 July 2024, p. 3.

[54]First Nations Foundation, Submission 6, p. 3.

[55]First Nations Foundation, Submission 6, p. 3.

[56]First Nations Foundation, Submission 6, p. 3.

[57]Mr Phil Usher, Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Foundation, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19July2024, pages 2 and 4.

[58]Indigenous Studies Unit and Melbourne Climate Futures, University of Melbourne, Submission 46, p. 3.

[59]First Nations Clean Energy Network, Submission 82, p. 7.

[60]First Nations Clean Energy Network, Submission 82, p. 3.

[61]First Nations Clean Energy Network, Submission 82, p. 7.

[62]First Nations Clean Energy Network, Powering First Nations Jobs in Clean Energy, June 2024, pages 9–19.

[63]Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation 2024, ‘GLaWAC – Who we are’, https://gunaikurnai.org/our-story/, accessed 5 November 2024.

[64]Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, Submission 102, p. 1.

[65]Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR), Submission 69, p. 12.

[66]DISR, Submission 69, p. 12; The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister and the HonDrJimChalmersMP, Treasurer 2024, ‘Investing in a future made in Australia’, Media Release, 14 May.

[67]Ms Karrina Nolan, Co-Chair, First Nations Clean Energy Network, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19July2024, p. 42.

[68]Ms Nolan, First Nations Clean Energy Network, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19 July 2024, p. 43.

[69]Ms Nolan, First Nations Clean Energy Network, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19 July 2024, p. 45.

[70]Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI), Submission 15, p. 7.

[71]ASFI, Submission 15, p. 7.

[72]ASFI, Submission 15, p. 7.

[73]Professor Peter Yu, Vice-President, Australian National University First Nations Portfolio, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 30September 2024, p. 5.

[74]Future Made in Australia Bill 2024, cl 3(c)(iiia).

[75]Mr Andrew Peterson, Chief Executive Officer and Board Director, Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, pages 26–27.

[76]Convention on Biological Diversity, ‘The Biodiversity Plan for Life on Earth: 2030 Targets (with Guidance Notes)’, https://www.cbd.int/gbf/targets, accessed 23 September 2024.

[77]Department of Climate Change, Energy 2022, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), Nature Positive Plan: better for the environment, better for business, pages 13–14.

[78]DCCEEW 2022, Nature Positive Plan: better for the environment, better for business, pages 13–14.

[79]DCCEEW 2024, ‘National Environmental Standards’, https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/epbc/epbc-act-reform/standards, accessed 23 September 2024.

[80]DCCEEW 2024, ‘Indigenous Protected Areas’, https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/indigenous-protected-areas, accessed 23 September 2024.

[81]The Hon Linda Burney MP, Minister for Indigenous Australians and the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water 2024, ‘New Indigenous-managed land and sea areas across Australia’, Media release, 10 July.

[82]The Hon Linda Burney MP, Minister for Indigenous Australians 2023, ‘Doubling Indigenous Rangers to Help Close Gap on Jobs’, Media release, 24 November.

[83]NIAA n.d., ‘Indigenous Rangers’, https://www.niaa.gov.au/our-work/environment-and-land/indigenous-rangers, accessed 19 September 2024.

[84]NIAA n.d., ‘Indigenous Rangers’, https://www.niaa.gov.au/our-work/environment-and-land/indigenous-rangers, accessed 19 September 2024.

[85]NIAA 2022, Indigenous Ranger Sector Strategy 2022–2028: Consultation Draft, p. 6.

[86]NIAA 2022, Indigenous Ranger Sector Strategy 2022–2028: Consultation Draft, p. 7.

[87]Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C), ‘1,000 new jobs for expanded Indigenous Rangers program’, Media release, 31 October 2024.

[88]Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Submission 9, p. 4.

[89]DAFF, Submission 9, p. 4.

[90]DAFF, Submission 9, p. 4.

[91]DCCEEW 2021, ‘Park Management’ (Kakadu National Park), https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/national-parks/kakadu-national-park/management-and-conservation/park-management#boards-of-management, accessed 23September 2024; DCCEEW 2024,‘Welcome to Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/national-parks/uluru-kata-tjuta-national-park, accessed 23September 2024.

[92]Return Lee Point to Larrakia People, Submission 79.

[93]Victorian Government n.d., ‘Agreements with Traditional Owners’, https://www.forestsandreserves.vic.gov.au/joint-management/agreements-with-traditional-owners, accessed 6 November 2024.

[94]Mr Rewi Lyall, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Jamukurnu-Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation (Western Desert Lands) RNTBC (JYAC), Committee Hansard, Perth, 2 September 2024, p. 18.

[95]Mr Lyall, JYAC, Committee Hansard, Perth, 2 September 2024, pages 18–19.

[96]Kimberley Land Council, Submission 83, p. 9.

[97]ServiceNow, Submission 20, pages [1–2].

[98]ServiceNow, Submission 20, pages [2–3].

[99]Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations (FVTOC), Submission 40, p. 4.

[100]FVTOC, Submission 40, p. 4.

[101]Austrade 2024, Tourism Research Australia, First Nations tourism.

[102]Austrade 2022, ‘Training gives Indigenous people a pathway into tourism’, https://www.austrade.gov.au/en/news-and-analysis/news/training-gives-indigenous-people-a-pathway-into-tourism, accessed 5 November 2024.

[103]Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC), Submission 100, p. [11].

[104]Austrade 2022, ‘THRIVE 2030 strategy’, https://www.austrade.gov.au/en/how-we-can-help-you/programs-and-services/thrive-2030-strategy, accessed 5 November 2024.

[105]Terri Janke and Company (TJC), Submission 60, p. 7.

[106]TJC, Submission 60, p. 7.

[107]Mr Walter McGuire, Chair, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, Perth, 2 September 2024, p. 10.

[108]Mr McGuire, WAITOC, Committee Hansard, Perth, 2 September 2024, p. 10.

[109]Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, Submission 102, pages 1-2.

[110]PM&C 2024, ‘New partnership a boost for First Nations tourism’, Media release, 30 October.

[111]Science & Technology Australia, Submission 77, p. 7.

[112]Science & Technology Australia, Submission 77, p. 7.

[113]Science & Technology Australia, Submission 77, pages 10–11.

[114]Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Submission 66, p. [4].

[115]Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Submission 66, p. [5].

[116]DISR, Submission 69, p. 14.

[117]Australian Government 2024, Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review: Final Recommendations,p. 113.

[118]DISR, Submission 69, p. 14.

[119]DISR, Submission 69, p. 14.

[120]Jobs and Skills Australia 2023, The Clean Energy Generation: Workforce needs for a net zero economy, p.16.