The First Nations Reference Group for the Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program held its fourth meeting today.
The Remote Jobs and Economic Development program will create 3,000 jobs over the next three years, in remote Australia, to help close the gap in employment outcomes and boost economic opportunities.
Members of the group discussed community consultations and provided advice about communication products to support consultations, including a discussion paper and survey. The Group discussed upcoming roundtables in Brisbane, Cairns, Perth, Broome, Adelaide, Darwin, Alice Springs and Nhulunbuy that would held in addition to over 100 consultations in remote communities.
Members considered the success stories from the New Jobs Program Trial, launched in September 2023, and shared their experiences of the trial as community leaders. Members agreed that the trial had enabled communities to create new jobs that were backed by community, and further agreed that a similar selfdetermination model would be applied through the Remote Jobs and Economic Development program.
The First Nations Reference Group then finalised their advice to the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) on the objectives and design of the Remote Jobs and Economic Development program and agreed the program’s objectives are to:
- Increase local employment in remote communities, helping to meet the Closing the Gap socioeconomic targets for youth and adult employment
- Increase incomes and reduce poverty in remote communities.
- Strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations.
- Contribute to the long-term economic, social and cultural development of communities.
The consultation discussion paper and survey have been launched. Information about planned community consultations and design parameters for the Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program is available at Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program Consultation.
The next meeting will be held on 13 June 2024.