Chapter 4Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce participation and development
4.1This report outlines the many barriers to workforce participation and development that are experienced across Northern Australia. Those barriers are also experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples in Northern Australia, often to a greater level than within the population generally.
4.2These barriers include issues such as the greater infrastructure deficits found in communities where many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live, the greater prevalence of social and economic disadvantages that can impact a person's capacity to engage in work and the need for culturally functional and effective education, training and workplaces.
4.3However, there are also opportunities for economic and workforce participation that only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities experience. This includes the opportunities for economic development which may arise from a person's traditional interest in and access to their land—via Native Title or Aboriginal landholdings—and including from intangible cultural heritage and traditional knowledge.
4.4This chapter explores this duality, where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Northern Australia have untapped potential for economic activity, but where the existing social and economic disadvantage (and related issues of family and lifestyle dysfunction), are creating structural barriers which prevent individuals and communities from realising that potential.
4.5The chapter outlines how those workforce barriers are experienced at higher rates in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and how they could be addressed. It also explores how some opportunities for economic and workforce participation that are exclusive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are being increasingly taken up by those communities, and how government can help to create better economic environments where those opportunities can thrive.
Economic and workforce participation rates
4.6Northern Australia has a much higher population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than the rest of the nation, with many living in remote or very remote locations. There are around 230 000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people living in Northern Australia—comprising around 17.4 per cent of the population, while the national average is around three percent of the total population.
4.7Around two-thirds of Northern Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live outside major cities. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is also younger and growing at a faster rate than the rest of the Australian population, with 'First Nations Australians … projected to constitute approximately half of the working age population of Northern Australia by 2050', 'indicating the importance of this cohort for future growth of the Northern Australia labour force'.
4.8However, the employment rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Northern Australia is around 33 per cent (compared with 68 per cent for the remainder of the population):
First Nations peoples in Northern Australia are less than half as likely than non-First Nations peoples to be employed, those in the labour force are around three times more likely to be unable to find work and are twice as likely to have disengaged from work entirely.
4.9The Central Land Council noted that in the Northern Territory (NT), the employment statistics and social outcomes are particularly dire:
The NT's Indigenous employment rate is the lowest in the country, and the gap is widening. Deepening poverty is contributing to its social challenges. While nationally Indigenous poverty rates have been declining slowly over the past decade, poverty in remote Aboriginal communities is climbing. Aboriginal people living in remote communities in the Northern Territory experience the deepest levels of poverty in the country. We cannot address Indigenous poverty unless we address the employment gap.
4.10The NT Government similarly noted that while the unemployment rate for the NT tends to be below the national average, 'regional and remote areas tend to face disproportionately high unemployment and low participation rates, especially in the Aboriginal and youth populations, and these regions have systemic difficulty in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce'.
4.11Business ownership follows the same trends as employment statistics. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business ownership across Northern Australia is around six times lower than non‑Indigenous business ownership. The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts noted 'Indigenous businesses face the same issues [as non-Indigenous businesses] and are more likely to constrained by other barriers, including limited housing, social infrastructure and connectivity'. Further, the department observed that 'low workforce participation is linked with adverse economic outcomes, higher levels of welfare dependency and social issues, all of which impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities at a much higher rate'.
4.12The Northern Land Council (NLC) noted that outside of major towns in the NT, the Aboriginal community represents an underutilised and sustainable workforce. Around 80 per cent of the population is Aboriginal, which 'represents a huge untapped resource, in terms of both business opportunities on Aboriginal land and a long-term, stable remote workforce that is not subject to the high levels of transience of the NT's non-Aboriginal population'. However, the 'widespread social and economic disadvantage faced by Aboriginal people … makes it difficult for Aboriginal people in remote communities to take advantage of the limited opportunities which exist'.
Commonwealth policies and initiatives
4.13Australian Government departments have acknowledged the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to the economic sustainability of Northern Australia in their submissions to this inquiry. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry indicated 'the growing First Nations population, which is set to increase to over 50% of the total population of Northern Australia by 2040, will be crucial to driving the development agenda of the north'.
4.14The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts similarly asserted:
Economic participation of our First Nations People is critical to Northern Australia, where First Nations People retain rights and interests in significant land areas. Supporting First Nations cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and innovation is critical to this work.
4.15Successive Australian and state or territory governments have developed a range of initiatives to address barriers to workforce participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Northern Australia, and to create an environment for enterprise development. Some of the current initiatives are listed below.
4.16The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) outlined a range of Australian Government commitments it is involved in to improve workforce and economic participation:
Improving job and business outcomes for First Nations businesses including through increasing opportunities under the Buy Australia Plan and the Indigenous Procurement Policy.
Deploying the recently established Northern Territory Aboriginal Investment Corporation with access to $680 million over three years, to invest in First Nation businesses, commercial projects and communities.
Delivering funding of over $1.4 billion from 2021-2028 under the Indigenous ranger programs, to assist First Nations peoples to manage and care for their land and sea.
Developing an Indigenous Ranger Sector Strategy to build workforce and enterprise capability, and to amplify outcomes for First Nations people, organisations and communities.
4.17In 2022, the NIAA released the National Roadmap for Indigenous Skills, Jobs and Wealth Creation, which identified several initiatives specific to Northern Australia such as:
increasing local Aboriginal employment in community services funded by states, territories and local governments across remote Australia, with a focus on the NT;
a 2021 announcement to create a network of Indigenous business and employment hubs in Northern Australia;
developing an Indigenous Rangers Strategy with a focus on improved training and identifying commercialisation opportunities; and
empowering Prescribed Body Corporates (PBCs) and native title holders to take advantage of opportunities from their rights and interests.
4.18The Australian Government stated that the Office of Northern Australia is undertaking a review of the Northern Australia Indigenous Development Accord 'to ensure the Accord reflects the needs and aspirations of First Nations communities'.
4.19The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has a long-standing collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander communities and organisations to develop sustainable futures, including:
Drafting the Our Knowledge, Our Way in caring for Country best practice guidelines for working with Indigenous knowledge in land and sea management.
Creating the first Digital futures roadmap for Northern Australia to empower local Indigenous people to use data, artificial intelligence and digital technologies to adaptively manage country.
Supporting small business Yolngu Business Enterprises (YBE2) develop the capability to control destructive ant infestations for Rio Tinto Alcan.
Developing Indigenous land and water enterprise opportunities in Northern Australia.
Upskilling Larrakia Rangers to take air samples at the CSIRO Gunn Point baseline monitoring station in the Northern Territory.
Partnering with James Cook University
4.20The Department of Industry, Science and Resources outlined how it 'supports First Nations employment in Northern Australia through a range of policies and programs', including making it 'easier for First Nations businesses to employ more First Nations Peoples' by:
Making it make it easier for First Nations businesses to apply for program assistance, including preparing tender submissions, grant applications, grant acquittals and managing funding agreements.
AusIndustry building its capability to better support First Nations businesses in accessing market opportunities through its network of Regional Managers.
The National Measurement Institute (NMI) is working with the Northern Australian Aboriginal Kakadu Plum Alliance to support First Nations bushfood businesses.
Repairing the damage caused by the abandonment of the Community Development Employment Program
4.21A critical form of social capital in economically marginalised communities is paid employment in work which is valued and endorsed by the community. It does not matter what the source of the funding for the payment is, but it is vital that the payment be seen and understood to be a wage. Indigenous communities across Northern Australia used to be able to rely on a long-maintained and familiar arrangement underwritten by government in this regard, one which substantially secured collective cohesion and individual self-respect. Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) payments for work done were wages paid under an employment contract, and were not susceptible to income management. Citizens living in such communities came to view the CDEP as something which belonged to them, and felt undermined when it was taken away.
4.22The history of the CDEP as a social asset and the impact of its removal has been authoritatively described by Emeritus Professor Jon Altman and his associate for many years, Will Sanders, and witnessing the benefits of the CDEP in remote northern communities is part of the lived experience of some committee members. A NIAA representative who appeared before the committee acknowledged the continuing affection felt for the CDEP. Information from Government about the CDP has not dispelled the view of the committee that the benefits of the CDEP need to be regained.
4.23The Australian Government has so far committed to replacing the CDP in two stages:
The first stage, announced in February 2024 is the new Remote Jobs and Economic Development (RJED) program which will begin from September 2024.
The $707 million program is being developed in partnership with First Nations people and will initially fund 3000 jobs gradually over three years.
It will support people in remote communities to move into meaningful jobs that communities want, with fair pay and conditions.
The second stage of replacing CDP is the design and delivery of a new remote employment service.
This will support people who are not job-ready, or who are unable to be placed in a job right away, with the skills and resources they need.
4.24The committee does not agree with the proposed remote employment arrangements involving merely the establishment of a de-facto 'job readiness' service, rather than there being an arrangement like the old CDEP whereby participants outside the RJED program stream can get paid for basic work as employees of a community business or organisation, being work which is valued in the community.
4.25Many submitters and witnesses to this inquiry supported the reforms to the CDP, primarily on the grounds that it was not delivering value for money outcomes. The Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory (APO NT) submitted that 'the cost of CDP was twice as much as the previous program Remote Jobs and Communities Programme' and argued there is 'a strong case to reconsider the financial investment into the current CDP programs'.
4.26The Central Land Council similarly argued that the CDP cost $300–400 million to operate annually and 'has categorically failed to contribute to improved employment outcomes in remote communities'. It noted there is 'ample opportunity for job creation in remote communities that address genuine needs', and it recommended that in future approaches, communities should 'be at the centre of determining what jobs are needed and of value in their communities'.
Workforce participation barriers
4.27Other chapters in this report outline the workforce participation barriers experienced across the board in Northern Australia. Many of those barriers are experienced at greater rates by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, due to the different demographics, as well as the greater numbers who live in remote and very remote communities with greater infrastructure deficits. The NIAA submitted that:
First Nations' job seekers (especially First Nations women) on average face more barriers to employment than non-Indigenous job seekers including lower educational attainment, limited access to transport, criminal convictions, or residence in outer regional, remote or very remote localities where the labour markets are thin and far from centres of economic activity.
4.28However, there are also a range of additional barriers that are only experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live in remote and very remote communities, and such communities have greater infrastructure deficits, impacting people's capacity to engage in the workforce. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is younger on average than the non-Indigenous population, so statistically there is a great proportion of people of working age living in communities and impacted by those participation barriers.
4.29Additionally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people generally experience far greater social and economic disadvantages that can impact their capacity to engage in work. The need for culturally appropriate workplaces, work practices and education or training opportunities is also specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
4.30Most importantly of all, there is the contemporary social crisis, reflected in high rates of domestic violence and youth suicide, and the urban drift from remote communities to towns in search of alcohol. At the heart of the crisis is a diminishing capacity (due significantly to the abandonment of CDEP) for adults (especially young adults) to feel valued and respected for undertaking basic paid work in their own communities. Fostering a work ethic at this threshold level is a key scaffolding strategy for transitioning that minority of community members who will have the opportunity to take up full-time and non-subsidised paid employment for a non-government employer.
Cultural safety
4.31Cultural safety refers to 'overcoming the power imbalances … between the majority non-Indigenous position and the minority Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person so that there is no assault, challenge or denial of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person's identity, of who they are and what they need'. In particular, cultural safety in health care and educational settings and workplaces can significantly improve the workforce participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
4.32The NLC cited a lack of cultural safety within recruitment and ongoing employment as a barrier to hiring and retaining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. It advised that a commitment to reviewing employment policies and procedures—and potentially legislative reform—was necessary to ensure equitable access to employment. The NLC further noted the need for flexible employment conditions 'that accommodate cultural obligations, and personal circumstances are essential for retention of Aboriginal staff', including 'supporting sometimes lengthy absences due to ceremony, Sorry Business, care responsibilities, family or community violence, or other reasons'. The NLC suggested keeping a pool of local staff as an effective option:
Access to culturally appropriate and on-the-job training is limited in Northern Australia due to remoteness of many communities and the lack of local training providers. There also is a need for additional work on aligning training to employment opportunities.
4.33The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations informed the committee that it delivers Workforce Australia services in employment regions that share boundaries with CDP providers in Northern Australia. When asked about how the Department engages with people in Northern Australia to co‑design policies and programs to foster workforce development, it gave the example of Yarrabah Employment Services:
The Department worked with the Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council to co‑design and build a model for the delivery of employment services in Yarrabah.
Wugu Nyambil Limited is the recognised agency, and is supported by Council to deliver employment, training and job seeker participation in the Yarrabah community. All 14 staff employed with Wugu Nyambil Limited are local community members except the General Manager and the Business Hub Co-ordinator.
Education and training
4.34The NIAA submitted that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's tertiary and vocational educational attainment is lower than the non-indigenous population, largely due to the remoteness of many communities—with a lack of training facilities—and limited access to culturally appropriate training.
4.35Mr Nathan Rosas of the Ngaigu-Mulu Aboriginal Corporation told the committee of the programs being put in place to provide cultural support to Aboriginal people in schools and workplaces, and the positive effects of keeping those people engaged. With regard to schools, Mr Rosas told the committee:
Through our work with the school departments, through different schools, with the education department, we identified that a lot of our Aboriginal students are lost in the system, lost culturally, lost in terms of their place in society, and that's what the program addresses. It's called my culture and my place … Initially, it's having huge success in terms of changing the behaviours of those students. We're now already seeing those behaviours of those students, in terms of attendance, increasing drastically just for that class. But now the challenge is to not only improve it for that class but improve the attendance right across the whole year for that student.
4.36The program is now being exported to educational institutions in other regions. For example, two universities in Victoria are investigating a similar program to support young Aboriginal people from remote communities when they are studying away from home.
4.37The Northern RDA Alliance contended that collaboration with 'Indigenous mentors is the key to empowering and upskilling our local Indigenous population and, to build Indigenous owned and operated businesses'. The Alliance argued that despite many organisations and programs for training and skills development, there are still low Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander economic participation rates.
4.38The Northern RDA Alliance stated that this could be improved by more focus on ongoing employment pathways rather than 'tick a box' training. One such method could be through greater collaboration with Traditional Owner groups to provide such mentoring during training and in ongoing employment. The Alliance noted the following such collaboration:
In Far North Queensland, RDA Tropical North is working with Cook Shire Council and the Western Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation to develop a talent pipeline in readiness for construction of the Lakeland Irrigation Area Scheme (dam on the Palmer River in Southern Cape York). While in its infancy, the collaborative effort aims to bring Western Yalanji people back onto country, employed in jobs that build and operate the dam, and to create joint ventures and new businesses for the local custodians.
4.39The NLC made a similar observation and noted that 'a workforce development program focused only on employment, education and training or short-term job creation is a band-aid solution'. The NLC recommended a 'well-thought out, wholistic approach to economic development in remote Australia' which would include a focus on 'creating the conditions that allow Aboriginal people to identify opportunities and lead ventures on their land, creating an environment that attracts capital, supports the development and growth of local businesses and builds capacity in communities, not only to join the workforce, but to run enterprises and take control of delivering services'.
4.40The NLC cited the example of the Learning on Country initiative, which has been flexibly deployed to provide a localised and tailored solution (see Box 4.1).
4.41Ms Lara Watson of the First Nations Workers Alliance told the committee that in the Torres Strait region there is a sustainable approach to developing trade skills, particularly in electrical trades, based on a mentoring system 'so there's always a flow of an electrician who is available to be able to not only maintain homes but also the power lines'. Ms Watson noted that ideas like this, based on local solutions to local problems, could be replicated in other areas facing similar circumstances:
… there are absolutely models out there. I don't think you have to reinvent the wheel—it's been done before—so it's a matter of picking up a model that works and going for it.
4.42The Burdekin Shire Council (Queensland) agreed that education and skills training being available in regional areas 'improves the capability and employment prospects of the local workforce', which in turn contributes to productivity and local economic activity. The Council pointed to underutilised education assets, such as the TAFE Queensland Burdekin campus, which could be providing additional training courses.
4.43Charles Darwin University noted the increased training expenses in regional and remote settings, with some of those increased costs passed on to students. It further noted that these challenges 'are more difficult by several magnitudes' for remote and very remote service delivery compared with regional centres.
4.44The Shire of Wyndam-East Kimberly noted that, while the local Aboriginal population was between 40 to 50 per cent and thus has the potential to address labour force issues, there was little 'transparency in [jobs training] programs that are being delivered on the ground by service providers'.
Box 4.1 Case study – Learning on Country The NLC pointed to the Learning on Country (LoC) program as another example of how a broader program can be adapted to provide localised solutions that meet the needs of a specific group. The LoC program is funded by the NIAA, administered by the NLC and delivered through a partnership arrangement between community ranger groups and schools in 15 NT remote communities. Targeted at middle and senior school students, it provides a 'practically‑oriented educational, training and employment pathway using a combination of natural and cultural resource management activities and education resources' and is a 'mechanism for delivering combined Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal teaching, learning and evaluation'. The LoC program is supported by site specific local LoC committees and coordinators with an all-Aboriginal LoC Steering Committee providing cultural and strategic guidance to the program. This means Aboriginal people decide and deliver the LoC activities (in partnership with rangers and schools) and set the strategic direction for the program. The LoC employment pathway is beneficial for young Aboriginal people in remote communities because a 'both ways' education supports them to walk proudly and confidently in two worlds. It also benefits employers in various industry sectors involved in the sustainable use of land and sea because it is an employment incubator and succession planning tool to support these sectors by: building confidence and capability and encouraging young people to consider taking up sectoral employment opportunities and community leadership roles; increasing the availability of a job ready cohort of young Aboriginal people with transferable skills ready to transition into employment roles as they become available; and reducing workplace recruitment disruption because replacements are drawn from the student cohort supported by the community rangers, better preparing them for the workplace transition. |
Source: Northern Land Council, Submission 57, p. 29.
Access to health services
4.45As noted in Chapter 6, access to appropriate and safe health services is a key determinant in people's workforce readiness. Further, people living in Northern Australian rural and remote areas must travel further and pay more to access required health services, while also experiencing poorer living conditions, limited access to clean water and quality food, and extreme climate and weather.
4.46These factors combine to result in overall shorter average life spans, greater rates of disability and higher rates of chronic disease in people living in Northern Australia, which can then impact their workforce participation.
4.47Healthcare challenges are exacerbated by higher rates of social disadvantage, lack of access to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare workers, and/or culturally appropriate care.
4.48The Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union submitted that poorer health outcomes for people in regional, rural, and remote communities includes 'higher rates of hospitalisations, deaths, or injury than people living in major cities'. Delays 'to receiving treatment may exacerbate health morbidities and increase the complexity of treatment required, which places greater strain on the health workforce'.
4.49Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH) noted that the greater prevalence of chronic disease and disability can often be exacerbated by 'poorer access to health services they need – because the workforce is not there, they are too far away or the costs and wait times are too great'.
4.50SARRAH pointed to existing positive initiatives to grow the Aboriginal health workforce, such as the Aboriginal Health Academy in Darwin. SARRAH noted there is 'considerable potential for further growth across Northern Australia'.
4.51The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) noted that people will bypass mainstream services to access one where they are confident their cultural safety is guaranteed and further that 'up to fifty per cent more health gain or benefit can be achieved if health programs are delivered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities via ACCHOs [Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations], compared to if the same programs are delivered via mainstream primary care services'. NACCHO contended that while the current critical skills shortage requires using non‑Aboriginal and fly-in-fly out health workers, this 'exacerbates housing shortages, limits continuity of care and cultural safety, and does little to empower communities or create local career opportunities.
4.52The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) argued that much of this poorer access to health services for Aboriginal people in remote communities is caused by the declining numbers of Aboriginal health workers and Aboriginal health practitioners who are 'critical to provision of culturally safe primary health care':
In the longer term, there needs to be a review and strengthening of policies to improve maldistribution of health professionals and to increase capacity for training of health professionals in rural and remote areas. If the status quo of ongoing severe maldistribution continues, inequities in health access and outcomes are at risk of increasing for Aboriginal people in remote areas. This is clearly unacceptable given current severe disparities in health outcomes.
Indigenous enterprise development
4.53It was suggested by the Local Government Association Northern Territory that many NT Aboriginal communities were established for cultural reasons, not economic ones. As such, they do not operate under the same economic conditions as those in regional, urban and city environments. In reality, many if not most, significant Aboriginal communities in the NT were established as Commonwealth-endorsed missions under the enabling framework of the Aboriginals Ordinance (e.g. Wadeye), or else as government trading posts/service hubs (e.g. Maningrida). Nevertheless, whatever their historical genesis, it is true that in many remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, local enterprise development is a key potential driver of economic participation. Local enterprise development provides the opportunity for local individuals or entities to essentially create their own jobs, based on specific local conditions. Arts and crafts centres are an example of this. However, the welcome phenomenon of local enterprise development, while it should be encouraged, will rarely be a tide which can raise all boats, and should not be burdened with the weight of that expectation.
4.54The Burdekin Shire Council noted that Indigenous enterprise development is a 'critical foundation of Indigenous economic development' and that realising the potential of those business is important for the communities and regions in which they operate. However, the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley suggested that government rhetoric around 'Indigenous Business Development' lacks 'actions of real support'.
4.55That said, there is enormous opportunity available in remote enterprise development to drive greater economic participation. The Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN) submitted that 'the scale and significance of the economic potential for Aboriginal businesses in the NT is such that, with targeted investment, will lead to change and real outcomes for our people and for the broader Northern Territory economy'. It further submitted:
This potential and opportunity is also recognised by the Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission (TERC) – a coalition of business, industry and government leaders, focused on growing the NT economy to $40 billion by 2030 – who identified that Aboriginal business development is 'key to supporting and fostering future growth potential' (2020). The Report acknowledges that growth will occur in the regions WITH Aboriginal people, and focuses on initiatives to support Aboriginal enterprise, Aboriginal economic leadership, and overall growth in the regions.
4.56The NLC also noted that, similar to employment training, there is a lack of 'one stop shop' training and advice for NT-based Aboriginal enterprises where they can access funding, training and mentoring. As such, many potential enterprises remain undeveloped. The NLC noted the support already provided by organisations such as Indigenous Business Australia, NIAA and the NT Department of Trade, Business and Innovation. However, it argued that the NT remote region is 'linguistically and culturally diverse' and such organisations 'need to have a sufficiently resourced presence in the NT, including regional based staff who understand the culture and needs of local people'.
4.57The NLC recommended the establishment of a government business development entity specific to 'provide the comprehensive support and assistance needed to develop and strengthen Aboriginal businesses in remote and very remote areas', for example by providing 'access to concessional finance, sound financial training and advice, and business capacity building'.
4.58The NTIBN submitted details of its work as the peak body representing NT Aboriginal businesses. Its services include:
The NT Indigenous Business and Employment Hub (The Hub)—provides infrastructure and program business supports, a one-stop-shop offering tailored support to Aboriginal Businesses and Job Seekers through a case management and coordination of services approach.
Certification—provides certification services to Aboriginal businesses through a robust verification process.
Networking/Events—through participation in key local and national events, provides introductions to relevant corporate and government stakeholders and key decision makers.
Advocacy—promoting and supporting the growth and development of Aboriginal businesses and industry.
Access to NTIBN's sophisticated online digital platform, The Blak Business Directory—Connect, designed to showcase legitimate and authentic Blak Businesses and Ally Businesses.
4.59The NTIBN noted that investment in Aboriginal business development brings more than just economic outcomes, as it is 'associated with investment in Aboriginal business development, including improved health, wellbeing, and educational outcomes among Aboriginal community members'. It submitted:
What we also know is that Aboriginal business employ Aboriginal people (at a rate of 60% higher than other businesses). In fact, Supply Nation's own publications suggest that the rate is 100% higher than the non-Indigenous businesses. As such, investing in Aboriginal business will support Aboriginal workforce development organically, leading to improved economic and social outcomes.
Anecdotal evidence from NTIBN members suggests Aboriginal businesses actively accelerate career pathways, investing in real skills transfer and promotional opportunity for their Aboriginal workforces.
4.60A key barrier to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business development was identified by the NIAA as the lack of access to capital and intergenerational wealth transfer, which is impacting the ability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to link into the broader economy.
4.61To address this challenge, the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia suggested there is a need for funding and investment models for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that create and support inter-generational wealth creation.
4.62In addition to local enterprise development, two other main employers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Northern Australia are the agricultural and the mining and energy sectors. These are explored below.
Agriculture sector
4.63As with many other sectors, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander current and potential employees lack critical sector-specific training to enable them to thrive within the agricultural sector.
4.64The Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia noted that 68 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agricultural employees do not have any recognised post-school qualifications. The NIAA noted that there is a lack of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in leadership roles within the agriculture industry in Northern Australia, despite significant land ownership and interest.
4.65There are programs being managed by the sector to address these issues. Cattle Australia submitted that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment 'accounted for 10.7% of the total employment, while in northwest WA it was 15%'. It pointed to the Pastoral Real Jobs Program, operated by the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association, which was responsible for providing training and job opportunities to more than 250 indigenous people, providing them skills to secure employment within the cattle sector.
4.66The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry informed the committee that agriculture is one of the key industries in Northern Australia, and it is facing workforce shortages and competing with other sectors to attract the existing pool of workers.
4.67The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry submitted that 'increasing the participation of First Nations people into the agricultural workforce' will bring benefits to the entire agricultural sector and broader community by increasing the overall number of workers available to the sector. The Department is assisting this objective through 'the development of a First Nations Platform for shared benefits in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Framework (First Nations Platform)':
The department sees this development as fundamental to meeting the portfolio's objectives, rather than an optional activity. The First Nations Platform will provide a broad approach to implement the government's prioritised First Nations policy and guide the department in its policy and industry leadership activities, as well as in its partnerships, research efforts and working with First Nations peoples.
Mining and energy sector
4.68The NIAA noted that the mining and energy sector 'employs 18 per cent of First Nations men in remote areas and 10 per cent of all mining apprenticeships are filled by First Nations Australians'. It further noted that while 'this is a much larger share than other industries, significant opportunities exist to increase this share further'.
4.69The Department of Industry, Science and Resources similarly noted the importance of the mining and energy sector to Northern Australia and to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people in particular. The Department pointed to the high rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment in the mining sector, but also noted that the resource sector 'supports Indigenous Australians through royalties, employment opportunities and businesses supplying goods and services to the industry and nearby communities' and that 'more than 60% of national resources projects across Australia operate on land covered by a native title claim or determination'.
4.70The Department provided details of programs being undertaken to create employment opportunities for First Nations people in the resources sector:
For example, the Government's Critical Minerals Strategy 2023-2030 outlines a framework to support shared economic benefits with First Nations communities, including communities located in regional and remote locations across Northern Australia. This includes the provision of jobs through local training and internships, local business and procurement opportunities, and community shares and equity stakes in projects.
Aboriginal land tenure
4.71Land tenure in predominantly Aboriginal communities can present both challenges and opportunities for economic development—and therefore workforce development. With a higher number of communities with these types of land ownership and usage profiles across Northern Australia, it is important to unpack how land tenure impacts economic development in this region.
4.72The two most important statutory regimes are the Native Title Act 1993, which applies across Australia, and the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (ALRA).
Native title
4.73Native Title includes rights and interests that relate to land and waters that are:
held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
governed under traditional laws and customs; or
recognised by the common law in accordance with theNative Title Act 1993(Cth).
4.74While Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people hold native title rights and interests in respect of more than 40 per cent of Australia's land and waters, in only a very small number of instances does native title equate to exclusive ownership of land.
4.75Instead, what native title usually provides for is a residual set of rights which allow native title holders to perform certain activities which come from traditional laws and customs, such as the right to camp, hunt, use water, hold meetings, perform ceremony and protect cultural sites. There are also some associated procedural rights. Generally, native titleholders must be consulted about changes which will affect their traditional recognised rights, and in some cases, they may be entitled to compensation. The largest areas of land subject to native title in Australia are in what is known as the pastoral land estate. .
4.76Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBCs) were established by governments to support native title holders to make informed choices about how they can use their native title rights to leverage economic development opportunities on their land. There are currently 231 PBCs in Australia, 165 of which are in Northern Australia. The Prescribed Bodies Corporate Capacity Building Program has been allocated funding of $47 million over the four years from 2021–22 to 2024–25 to 'build the capacity of PBCs to generate economic benefits and manage their land effectively and sustainably'.
4.77Additionally, PBCs can make applications for compensation where native title rights and interests have been impacted:
Some examples include the grant of a freehold lease or the construction of public works such as a telephone line or a road. Activities may be classified as past acts, intermediate acts or future acts.
4.78However, the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) contended there is 'a large gap in the capability and independence of Prescribed Bodies Corporate and closing this will reduce red tape and provide for more equitable benefits to flow to local groups'.
Northen Territory Land Rights
4.79By contrast with the native title situation, land granted under ALRA is freehold land, held on behalf of the traditional owners by a statutory land trust. The land is required to be held safe for future generations forever (it is “inalienable” and cannot be bought or sold). Traditional owners as a group hold decision-making power over the use of their land and are assisted by Land Councils to secure and manage their land. Almost 50 per cent of the Northern Territory has been returned to Aboriginal peoples through ALRA.
4.80If the traditional owners choose to do so, they can lease or licence their ALRA land on terms and conditions which they decide.
4.81The Central Land Council noted that ALRA provides Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory with a measure of self-determination:
By providing legal title and a measure of control over some of our traditional lands, the law has allowed us to determine the pace and extent of our involvement in the broader Australian society and economy. The many resource development projects and commercial enterprises now operating on Aboriginal land show that respecting our land rights can be compatible with national economic development.
4.82The NLC noted that these land rights 'offer enormous opportunity to address economic disadvantage in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory' where 'Traditional Owners should be afforded the opportunity to derive economic and social benefits from their rights to land, water and resources'. The Council argued for a new policy framework 'to activate these rights and ensure that Traditional owners are placed at the centre of the economy and the job market'.
4.83The NLC further noted that these Aboriginal lands make a significant contribution to the NT economy:
In 2021-22, the NLC managed revenue from commercial agreements on Aboriginal land of almost $60 million, a 10% increase over the previous year. As at the end of 2021-22, this included managing 915 land use agreements (leases or licences) negotiated under section 19 of the Land Rights Act and 34 agreements under Part IV of the Land Rights Act (mining and petroleum). The minerals and onshore petroleum sectors are becoming increasingly active in the NLC region, with NLC currently administering a total of 73 agreements concerning 148 separate granted resources and energy titles across both Land Trust and Native Title land.
Leasing ALRA land
4.84To enter into or conduct any business on ALRA land requires permission from the Traditional owners, generally by seeking a lease or licence agreement from the relevant Land Council, which then consults the Traditional owners to provide information on the proposal and determine whether approval will be granted.
4.85The lease process can take over six months to complete. Lease terms are generally from one to 40 years in duration. Mortgage arrangements in respect of leasehold interests in ALRA land were made easier by the introduction into the Act in 2006 of section 19(8), which facilitates the transfer interests under a mortgage without the need to obtain a further consent under the lease. Royalties, rent and any other monies from the land use is paid into a trust, and ultimately paid out to various Aboriginal corporations or used for community development projects. Mining royalties are paid into the Aboriginals Benefit Account, which is variously distributed to operate the Land Councils and other activities for the benefit of Aboriginal Territorians.
4.86Since 2007, the Australian Government established a policy of Township Leasing, whereby the Executive Director of Township Leasing (EDTL) holds and administers 99-year Township Leases over Aboriginal communities, or 'Townships' in the Northern Territory. The EDTL and can then provide individual business or people 'certainty of tenure through long term subleases', which 'creates better conditions for business and economic development opportunities'. These arrangements were already available through conventional section 19 leasing, but the branding opportunity provided by having 'township leases' as a tenure option has proved attractive to some traditional owner groups, who benefit from significant up-front government payments.
4.87The Office of Township leasing argued that this form of leasing provides the security of tenure required for economic development:
Township Leases facilitate greater development and investment in remote Aboriginal communities, thanks to the long term security of tenure and the ability to transfer or sell Subleases. All enquiries regarding development in a community covered by a Township Lease must be made in writing to the Office of Township Leasing.
4.88However, while the Township leasing policy has been in place for 17 years, such leases have only been agreed by one mainland community and seven island communities.
4.89The NLC argued that workforce development should become a component of negotiating land use agreements but noted that 'the negotiation of suitable clauses in land use agreements, requires a strong understanding of the employment and training aspirations of the group; the existing levels and types of training and employment within the group; and the potential employment and associated training opportunities arising from, or in connection with, the project'. The Council submitted that this mapping work should be undertaken as part of a collaborative social impact assessment process facilitated by land councils.
Western Australia
4.90Around 22 million hectares of land in WA—about 8.7 per cent of the state—is managed by the Aboriginal Lands Trust (ALT), a statutory board convened under the Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority Act 1972 (WA). The land includes 301 parcels of land with 243 Crown reserves, 47 freehold, six general purpose leases and five pastoral leases.
4.91There are over 290 existing leasing arrangements which constitute approximately 13 million hectares (or 54 per cent) of the ALT estate. There are 81 ALT reserves (19 million hectares) where special protections apply and to enter or transit through these reserves a permit is required. There are an estimated 12 000 people living on ALT lands in 142 permanent settlements.
4.92The ALT has the authority to grant leases over Aboriginal reserves in WA to allow communities, corporations or individuals to develop the land in an orderly way. They ensure that rights are coupled with responsibilities so that investment in buildings and infrastructure can occur and there are clear lines of responsibility to the leaseholder and any partners the leaseholder may seek to engage. Many of these leases are to Aboriginal Corporations acting on behalf of a community group, while other leases are to government agencies, service providers or to individual Aboriginal people.
4.93Lease applications are considered favourably where there is support from the registered Native Title PBC and the community and that the lease will be for the use and benefit of Aboriginal people.
Queensland
4.94Since 1991, the Queensland Government can make decisions to facilitate the granting of land to Aboriginal communities to 'have ownership of land to manage according to their traditions or customs', via Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT) lands. They were developed as a way of returning former Aboriginal reserves and missions back to local community control. Under a DOGIT, the land is transferred to a community trust, and each trust area becomes a local government area with incorporated councils with elected representatives.
4.95Such land grants are found in the Cape York Peninsula, Torres Strait Islands and Carpentaria regions, with additional grants in the Cairns area and towns throughout Queensland.
Development on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land
4.96The NTIBN submitted that Aboriginal land should be viewed as a tangible asset:
Aboriginal businesses in the NT have a comparative advantage in location‑based assets. Location-based assets are unique to a specific area and are not found elsewhere. Aboriginal tourism, Aboriginal arts, land management, minerals, and support services, are examples of location-based assets.
Due to the scarcity of the product or service, there is greater comparative advantage. Many of these assets and the related economic opportunities are specific to Aboriginal people, communities, and lands – generating a unique set of Aboriginal economic development opportunities.
4.97The CSIRO collaborated with the National Native Title Council to work with local Indigenous landowners to seek and understand economic opportunities, highlighting 'the potential contribution that Indigenous ownership of country can make towards future sustainability and economic prosperity, achieved via strategic growth and development of local corporations and investment opportunities'.
4.98A range of witnesses and submitters noted that land tenure restrictions can be an impediment to economic growth. The Northern RDA Alliance noted that, among other impediments, 'complex land tenure and lengthy approvals processes, has resulted in underdeveloped built economic and social infrastructure (including education, childcare and housing)'.
4.99The ILSC pointed to mainstream hesitance towards engaging with Aboriginal land tenure and communal decision making as hampering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander landowners' access to capital. The ILSC recommended further work to educate lenders of the opportunities of working with such landowners so they can develop products that work in the absence of freehold tenure.
4.100The NLC noted that although there are no legal impediments to using Land Rights land as security for financing, in practice Aboriginal businesses are generally unable to secure financing as land use agreements are not considered by banks and other lenders as appropriate collateral for lending purposes.
4.101The Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia undertook research to better understand how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities can undertake landholder-driven development. The report noted a 'business on Country approach has emerged as a preferred approach to assessing options and attracting and managing preferred development to make the best use of their [Traditional owners'] assets'.
4.102The Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia identified the key barriers to 'First Nations participation in the modern Australian agricultural, fishing and aquaculture industries' as:
A data deficient environment where more information is required to better inform and support development planning which aligns with cultural priorities, and ensure those priorities can be overlayed on existing spatial datasets.
Limited access to private capital: where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lower rates personal assets to use for accessing finance for development or economic opportunities.
4.103The ILSC thought that this inquiry and government policy more broadly should:
… look beyond Traditional Owners and encompass Indigenous Australians who are not recognised as such. It is critical to recognise that there are many Indigenous Australians who aren't recognised as Traditional Owners of their country and who will be crucial in the future development of Northern Australia.
4.104The NLC noted that one of the key impediments to development on ALRA land is the lack of road access, and growing the economy will require 'substantial investment in improved road network infrastructure, including to remote communities and homelands'.
Opportunities
4.105As outlined at the start of this chapter, people living in Aboriginal communities in Northern Australia—predominantly remote communities—face significant barriers to workforce participation. However, there are also a range of opportunities that are only found in regional and remote Aboriginal communities. These are twofold—there are opportunities to breach those workforce barriers, but also opportunities for enterprise development. The following section will explore a few of these ideas raised in evidence to the inquiry.
4.106The NLC summarised this issue succinctly, submitting that:
In discussions about economic development, however, this is too often framed from a deficit perspective, with Aboriginal land tenure, culture, law, rights and values treated as obstacles to investment or barriers to employment. This view must be challenged. Aboriginal land and culture should instead be seen as providing integrity, stability, strengths and opportunities.
4.107The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry noted emerging opportunities for First Nations people in industries such as 'renewable and low emissions industries (i.e. solar, wind and hydrogen); advanced manufacturing in resources technology, medical, clean energy, and food and beverage industries; the space industry including infrastructure and observational capabilities'. The Department further noted that 'First Nations people are at the forefront of natural capital markets that support environmental sustainability through carbon offsets such as First Nations peoples fire management and blue carbon, and specific agricultural products such as native foods and botanicals'.
4.108The NLC pointed to the low rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment in the minerals and energy sector in the NT, apart from 'boutique roles, such as cultural monitoring or entry level field assistants, yard hands or offsider type roles', with very few employed in professional positions. The Council noted that each stage of the minerals and energy development process afforded opportunities for industry to engage with NT Aboriginal businesses and labour. However, 'the effective engagement of local Aboriginal people in the resources sector is diminished by the lack of foresight, coordination and strategic planning from industry and government to engender real economic development opportunities through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment strategies, targeted capacity building and other programs for Traditional owners'. The NLC proposed that effective strategies to deliver better economic opportunities to NT Aboriginal communities through employment would include:
An industry-wide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment strategy and procurement process.
Conducting an audit to identify existing baseline qualifications and skills relevant to these sectors within Aboriginal populations in mining regions.
Designing targeted training programs (advance planning from the outset of a resource development project to identify potential employment opportunities across all aspects of the project well in advance of these opportunities becoming available).
Aligning course types and numbers of graduates in any training program with industry criteria.
Scheduling training so completion is synchronised with the timing of an employment opportunity as it becomes available.
Training delivered by persons experienced in inter-cultural communication, with on-going support mechanisms in place, to ensure sensitivity to Aboriginal values and culture and to attain desirable completion rates.
4.109Charles Darwin University provided details of initiatives and programs it is involved in that focus on creating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and business opportunities, including:
integrating diverse and complex data sources as well as legitimate local opinions about appropriate work aspirations and skills transferability; and
undertaking planning work to create flexible 'pathways to work' (from foundational to high levels) which involves blending local knowledge of VET [vocational education and training] and higher education institutions with sectoral expertise associated related to Northern Australia's main industry sectors.
4.110The CSIRO conducted a study of Northern Australia policy development issues and found that 'education levels are a key determinant of employment and income for Indigenous workers in the Darwin Region, and there are jobs in the bush and in town for Indigenous workers who have finished secondary school and have completed post-school education or employment-training'.
4.111The NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade stressed the need for 'all levels of government need to develop policies, and commit adequate resources, to invest in the coordinated delivery of services to drive employment and social outcomes'. It further noted that improving 'educational outcomes is a foundational requirement to achieve the long-term wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people and, to ultimately support workforce resilience and regional economic success'.
4.112The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry pointed to opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 'natural capital markets that support environmental sustainability through carbon offsets such as First Nations peoples fire management and blue carbon, and specific agricultural products such as native foods and botanicals'.
4.113The Department noted it is:
… exploring opportunities to leverage the potential of Indigenous agricultural products, both in Australia and internationally. This represents a growth area for both First Nations people and Northern Australia.
Early work underway in the department includes pursuing opportunities for First Nations people in the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement negotiations, including the possible recognition of the cultural significance of native foods and botanicals, and looking at how we can better support First Nations trade and enterprise in Indigenous agricultural products more generally, including through a traceable Indigenous credential.
4.114Multiple submitters pointed to employment and enterprise opportunities relating to the 'caring for country' sector, as well as utilising cultural knowledge for similar opportunities.
4.115The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies emphasised the importance of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce being trained and supported to develop skills and knowledge to manage cultural collections on Country.
4.116The NLC pointed to the establishment of ranger programs and Indigenous Protected Areas, which has already created 'an important employment sector and emerging economy in land and sea management generally and ecosystem services and cultural heritage management more specifically. The NLC argued the sector should be better 'supported to play a key role in policy responses aimed at maintaining and improving the health of the environment in Northern Australia' and further noted:
… Traditional Owners and Aboriginal rangers have specialised skills and knowledge that puts them in an ideal position to manage land and sea country and propose place-based solutions, and presents opportunities to expand into new, specialised, income-generating services.
4.117The NTIBN noted that the 2015 Australian Government's Indigenous Procurement Policy, which specifies a target number of contracts to be awarded to Indigenous businesses by each Australian Government department, has exceeded its aim of attaining three per cent Indigenous procurement by achieving seven per cent of total procurement awarded to Indigenous businesses in 2019. However, the NTIBN further noted that contracts awarded tended to be of lower value, with the total value of those contracts only being 1.5 per cent of the total value of the procurement contracts on offer. The NTIBN recommended changing 'from volume-based targets to improve the low total value of the procurement contracts to date'.
4.118The NTIBN also recommended changes to the definition of an Aboriginal Business Enterprise so that it must be at least 51 per cent owned, managed and controlled. It argued that 'wealth without Aboriginal management and control is a disabler' and pointed to a 'new working group of First Nations business leaders, coordinated and driven by the NTIBNas developed a pathway to 'establish a first of its kind national peak body for the Indigenous business sector … called the National Indigenous Business Chamber Alliance'.
4.119The NTIBN further stated:
Representing thousands of majority owned Aboriginal businesses across the country, this group reaffirmed their commitment to work as a collective to advocate for a First Nations led, placed-based approach to growing the Indigenous business sector, and calls on government and industry to respect First Nations decision-making, sovereignty and expertise in the pursuance of increased First Nations economic participation across all sectors.
This group will call for the disbanding of Supply Nation and the handing back of the verification of and register for Indigenous businesses to the jurisdictional Indigenous Chambers of Commerce or Indigenous business Networks and the National Indigenous Business Chamber Alliance. Again, this movement is about empowering true local decision making, data sovereignty and having the rightful authority identifying and verifying our Countrymen.
4.120APO NT pointed to the Australian Government's focus on job creation in remote NT Aboriginal communities, with an investment of around $300–400 million per year. APO NT argued these programs—including the CDP—have minimal job outcomes achieved for participants, as only around seven per cent of participants go on to secure a job lasting six months or more. APO NT argued this there is a 'clear need to redirect this investment'.
4.121The APO NT discussed the need for a more holistic approach to economic development that recognises the need for improved and more localised governance arrangements to empower local communities to take greater ownership of economic development programs. The APO NT argued that this approach would deliver better labour market results for communities in Northern Australia. The approach was captured in a policy document Fair Work Strong Communities:
The [Fair Work Strong Communities] is a proposal that recognises that it is not just the form of labour market assistance that matters, but the extent to which it can be seen as a vehicle for local decision-making, and the rebuilding of local authority in tandem with creating meaningful jobs directed to meeting the needs and aspirations of local communities. Central to the proposal are governance arrangements that embed Indigenous control at every level - from the development of national policy to its application on the ground. This must include the ability for local communities to set goals and adapt program settings to local circumstances, and the establishment of governance arrangements that enshrine, in law, Indigenous leadership of the program at a national level.
4.122Mr Nathan Rosas and Ms May Rosas of the Ngaigu-Mulu Aboriginal Corporation spoke extensively on the successful programs they developed to provide culturally appropriate support to keep Aboriginal people engaged in school, higher education, training and workplaces. Mr Rosas stressed that their success is based in their local knowledge and relationships:
I think the reason we've been able to make it work is that we're local people, born and bred here in Katherine. We know everybody. All of us have grown up at school with the local people over at Rockhole and Binjari. We've got family that live out there. We know the people. We can go and engage with the people. They know us straightaway by face. That's what's made it work.
4.123The committee heard from many other witnesses of the successful outcomes that came with a focus on using local knowledge to develop solutions and opportunities. Mrs Anne Stünzner of the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia told the committee that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups were 'particularly innovative and extremely good at small business development' and described a case of a community that developed an approach to farming oysters that will shortly result in around two million oysters being available for the market, based on ideas that have come from the community itself.
Committee view
4.124While the committee does not subscribe to Professor Altman's view that the Australian Government should formalise a basic universal income scheme for remote Aboriginal communities, the reality is that Australian Government transfer payments are already going into remote communities in the form of unemployment benefits. The difference between what happened under the CDEP and what has happened under the CDP, is that under the CDEP the funding would go to a community employer which would then employ a local person to undertake part-time work (or full-time, if there was a 'top-up' arrangement in place). That nexus was then broken, with harmful social consequences. Under the CDP, the government money which comes in to a community is now seen as welfare money, and the CDP participants are seen by others, and see themselves as people who are subject to a welfare scheme.
4.125In order to transform this negative characterisation which has been allowed to take root, it is critically important that the replacement of the CDP involve not just the establishment of a 'job-readiness' service, but in fact the reinstatement of the CDEP. This action simply serves to secure a base level of social cohesion and capacity for transition to full-time work options. It is more important to have people working every morning for a wage, than for them to be condemned to a welfare/training scheme out of a fear that the basic job option will become a destination rather than a stepping stone.
4.126Moving to the issue of finding full-time work opportunities for that subset of remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are already skilled and 'job ready', despite many years of government focus on improving the lives and communities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, success has been patchy at best. With a larger proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people residing in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland, this issue is of significant impact in the Northern Australia region.
4.127A consistent message that has been delivered by submitters and witnesses to this inquiry is that part of the lack of progress for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Northern Australia is caused by policy makers focusing on solving problems, rather than on listening to communities and seeking and building on community-led opportunities.
4.128Rural and remote communities in Northern Australia face many more barriers to workforce participation than are experienced in regional and metropolitan centres. There are physical and social infrastructure deficits—hospitals, schools, communication, roads—that create barriers to economic participation and growth for those communities. Lessening these deficits will undoubtedly improve the environment in which local economies can thrive.
4.129However, these communities also experience opportunities for economic participation and growth that are different to those which exist in regional and metropolitan centres. In particular, there are opportunities and strengths presented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures themselves. As argued by the Northern Land Council, these cultures should not be seen through a deficit lens, but should be seen as 'providing integrity, stability, strengths and opportunities'.
4.130These opportunities presented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures include innovative and localised solutions to workforce barriers caused by historical disadvantage and infrastructure deficits, as well as local enterprise development opportunities. Examples are as diverse as tourism, bush tucker produce, environmental and cultural management, and carbon offset markets.
4.131The answers to the question of how to foster sustainable economic development in Northern Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities already exist—within those communities. Government and industry must do better in creating an environment where those community-driven solutions are listened to and given the best possible opportunity to be implemented and thrive.
4.132The committee recommends that the Office of Northern Australia work closely with the National Indigenous Australians Agency and other relevant government departments to:
recover and revive the community jobs and associated work ethic and social capital that were developed under the former Community Development Employment Program and which were lost as a result of the abandoning of that program;
in particular, ensure that the program to replace the Community Development Program provides for program participants to be paid wages under employment contracts with community-based employers for stipulated work undertaken (rather than participants being recipients of a government transfer payment), and that participants be eligible for superannuation and 'top-up' payments;
design programs which will empower local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Northern Australia to better meet their essential service delivery needs; and
encourage and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Northern Australia to develop innovative and sustainable workforce training and enterprise development models.