Better opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians

Release Date:
Media release

The Albanese Government will scope a new First Nations Economic Partnership with the Coalition of Peaks and other organisations to boost labour force participation and improve economic outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

After initial discussions between Treasury and the Coalition of Peaks, scoping work will commence imminently.

The partnership will focus on the strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and community-controlled organisations, opportunities for job creation and translating First Nations' knowledge, assets, interests and rights into tangible, sustainable social and economic benefits for communities.

Jobs will also be one of the four priorities – along with health, education and housing – that the Government will ask the Voice to provide advice on, if the referendum is successful this year.

The employment rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continues to significantly lag that of non-Indigenous people and the gap has not closed notably over the past 30 years. It's not good enough.

That's why the Albanese Government is taking a different approach – working with First Nations people to deliver policies and programs with better outcomes.

Work is ongoing on the replacement of the Community Development Program – which has set many communities back – with a more effective remote jobs program that is based on real jobs, proper wages and decent conditions.

A new remote jobs program will leverage investment in remote communities to build local economies, develop local workforces and deliver important social and cultural outcomes. Including by providing opportunities for people to work for community, as well as supporting employment in the open economy.

Jim Chalmers:

If we're going to close the gap and get better value for our investments, we've got to do things better.

We want to create more opportunities for more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in communities across the country.

To do that, we've got to get better at generating opportunities where people live, understanding the issues on the ground and empowering communities to do what they know works.

That's exactly why we're partnering with the Coalition of Peaks and other First Nations advocates to scope a First Nations Economic Partnership, which can help us do just that – broadening and deepening opportunity for the first of us, in a way that can lift up all of us.

Linda Burney:

Having a job is one of the building blocks of a good life – but too many Indigenous Australians are missing out. This hurts individuals and families, and diminishes our nation.

The current system isn't working – and we need to do things better.

That's why I will ask the Voice to provide advice on the best ways to support more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into local jobs, if the referendum is successful.

It's also why we are replacing the Community Development Program with a better remote jobs program with real jobs, proper wages and decent conditions. This will increase local community control, help people get the skills their community needs and build social economies.