Budget does not support Indigenous employment
The Federal Budget has missed an opportunity to support local government as a major employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
ACELG Research states that 5 per cent of the local government workforce (192,500) comprises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This surpasses both state and territory governments (2 per cent), the federal government (1.5 per cent) and the private sector (1.3 per cent).
"This is a time to invest in regions and support local government as the highest employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander government workers," says ACELG Director, Associate Professor Roberta Ryan.
"Our research confirms that local governments are particularly important employers in rural and regional areas, yet the sector needs continued support to plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. An opportunity exists to invest in, educate, and strengthen the capability of the local government workforce to enable this."
Other research initiatives by ACELG (and partners Local Government Managers Australia) have contributed knowledge to this issue, including a National Local Government Workforce Strategy, an Indigenous Employment Position Paper, and annual national Local Government Indigenous Employment roundtables.
"Local government can contribute to, and is working positively towards, the target agreed by the COAG Reform Council of a 2.6 per cent public sector Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment figure by 2015," A/Professor Ryan said.
"Plans by the government to dissolve the COAG Reform Council however make this more difficult. It is unclear what mechanisms the federal government has planned in the absence of COAG for facilitating critical intergovernmental dialogue on this important issue," said A/Professor Ryan.
More than $534 million in cuts to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander government and agency programs are mooted in the 2014-15 Budget. Added to this are planned changes to Newstart such as a six-month waiting period for people under 30 and a shift to the lower Youth Allowance for those under 25.
"Such changes must percolate down to local communities, places and regions," said A/Prof Ryan.
"ACELG research shows that the economic strength of regions is increased by the capacity of local governments. It’s a straightforward equation: Strengthening local government equals strengthening the regions and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities."
Contact A/Professor Roberta Ryan.
