Another ongoing debate in indigenous affairs. Should services to remote communities be be centralised or localised ? What is the best way to deliver services ?
Fred Chaney is someone I trust so when he suggests a new model of localised authorities to "boost community participation and accountability" then I take notice. Read about his new plan here.
At first I thought 'Here we go again. Another new model that will solve everyone's problems'. After the Federal Government had decided to establish service 'centres' it seemed that centralised services under the control of super-councils was the way forward. Is that happening ? Is it working ?
Well Fred appears to think there is a better way. And his efforts to promote indigenous well-being have been relentless.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Income Management
Putting restrictions on how people spend their own money wouldn't generally seem acceptable. That's until the Federal Government introduced income management with the NT Intervention.
There's been a lot said about the pros and cons of this scheme and I wont go into that just yet.
But today's article is the first time I've seen any community - indigenous or not - asking for permission to introduce income management. The attached article makes it sound like a 'bad news' story as the locals had a specific version they wanted implemented. But reading between the lines says there are communities who do see income management as part of a solution to community dysfunction, and who are prepared to introduce it to their own communities. That's proactive and it ought to be encouraged.
There's been a lot said about the pros and cons of this scheme and I wont go into that just yet.
But today's article is the first time I've seen any community - indigenous or not - asking for permission to introduce income management. The attached article makes it sound like a 'bad news' story as the locals had a specific version they wanted implemented. But reading between the lines says there are communities who do see income management as part of a solution to community dysfunction, and who are prepared to introduce it to their own communities. That's proactive and it ought to be encouraged.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Marcia Langton - Straight-Shooter
http://www.theage.com.au/national/a-case-for-change-20120904-25chg.html
And the full transcript. Marcia covers everything from education to health to remote communities to racism. You MUST read this....
http://www.theage.com.au/national/full-transcript-marcia-langdon-20120904-25cxw.html
I think Whitefellahs in Oz often wonder what they can do to help reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous. Especially in the south where the indigenous population is lower. Well if you think Marcia Langton has something important to say and you want to do something that might make a difference, why not support the Expert Panel to promote Constitutional Reform in Australia. Marcia is a member and I reckon she deserves the support of the average Australian. Join youmeunity.org here
The Boyer Lectures 2013
In 2013 Marcia has come out and supported the mining companies who are providing employment for indigenuos Australians during the mining boom in W.A.
However Marcia is being criticised because her travel and research have been partly funded by the mining companies.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Lovin' the AFL
How many organisations have taken indigenous opportunity as seriously as the AFL ? I know that the AFL win by having indigenous players in the game, but the AFL seem to be on a track of continuous improvement when it comes to the promotion of indigenous participation and even better - respect for indigenous culture.
Check out the indigenous players map on the AFL website. Very impressive, just need to tighten up the spelling ! And their reputation is spreading - see this from World Footy.
Check out the indigenous players map on the AFL website. Very impressive, just need to tighten up the spelling ! And their reputation is spreading - see this from World Footy.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Funny Stuff
A bit of light relief.....
Chaser's view of the indigenous view of the NBN Rollout. Beware - some people dont find this funny. Personally I reckon it is spot on as it show the irrelevance of white Australia's priorities to remote indigenous people. Plus it gives a hint of the indigenous sense of humour that many whitefellahs wouldnt know existed. Check out the movie Ten Canoes if in doubt.
Chaser's view of the indigenous view of the NBN Rollout. Beware - some people dont find this funny. Personally I reckon it is spot on as it show the irrelevance of white Australia's priorities to remote indigenous people. Plus it gives a hint of the indigenous sense of humour that many whitefellahs wouldnt know existed. Check out the movie Ten Canoes if in doubt.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Good News Week - Education
Good News stories on Education
The Australian Indigenous Education Foundation provides opportunities for indigenous students to attend boarding schools then move onto university
The Australian Indigenous Education Foundation provides opportunities for indigenous students to attend boarding schools then move onto university
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Indigenous Employment - The Road to 'Real' Jobs
This page started as a good news story about the Australian Employment Covenant. And the AEC is still a good news story. Andrew Forrest is to be admired for his attempt to employ indigenous people. But the success of such initiatives is never clear cut......
The first article comes from The Australian and paints a very positive picture.
Engaged in the real economy
From: The Australian
April 13, 2012 12:00AM
AFTER decades of economic separatism, welfare dependency and despair, increasing numbers of Aborigines in remote Australia are playing an important role in the nation's most productive industry - mining.
We congratulate Western Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest for helping place more than 55,000 Aborigines in jobs since 2008 when he launched the Australian Employment Covenant. Since then he has employed hundreds of Aborigines in his Fortescue Metals Group, where they total about 10 per cent of the workforce. Mr Forrest's lateral thinking and practical leadership have succeeded where many other programs, however well meaning, failed to draw Aborigines from the margins into the mainstream economy.
As indigenous lawyer Noel Pearson said at the outset of the covenant, for every 10 jobs a hundred flowers would bloom in the lives of indigenous children: "We're going to look back on this ... as that moment in the history of the country when government and society made a commitment to people that if you take up the cudgels of responsibility we will guarantee you a job, we will set forth before you a prospect of climbing up in the world - a home, a future for your children, a fair stake in this, your own land."
That vision is beginning to become a reality, as indigenous workers and their families swap Centrelink payments for the generous salaries available in mining and save for their own homes and futures. The transformation, individual by individual, family by family, promises long-term success because it is devoid of all vestiges of welfare and handouts. As Aborigines step up to take responsibility for themselves as they discover job satisfaction and pursue financial security, governments must continue facilitating the trend by improving health, education and housing services.
Unlike previous employment initiatives that have been motivated by paternalism, the trend to employ remote Aborigines in mining is being driven by a more hard-headed motive - the push by mining companies to secure a comparative advantage in a sector where workers are scarce. Kevin McLean, general manager of FMG's Cloudbreak iron ore mine in the Pilbara summed up the reality when he said companies were "screaming out for labour" so "if you can tap into people who already have housing, you are a step ahead." It's a win-win process.
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The True Numbers
For every indigenous jobs initiative it must be possible to measure the results. Surely we can establish how many indigenous applicants there are, how many people are employed and how long they are retained for. And then it should be a matter of looking at which employers are most successful.
Twiggy Forrest of the AEC claims to have placed 10501 indigenous job-seekers and of these 71% were still employed after 6 months. He compares that to the government Job Services program that has a 45% retention rate after only 3 months.
The government then claim that 7043 people have been employed and only 30% of these were retained.
How hard can it be to establish the true figures ?
Forrest claims the government isnt providing the training that they promised. He's already upset the government by protesting against the mining tax. Let's hope politics aren't getting in the way of evaluating or supporting the AEC.
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More jobs at the Ayers Rock Resort
Another good news story. The next question is - what is the retention rate ? Let's hope these are long term.
The first article comes from The Australian and paints a very positive picture.
Engaged in the real economy
From: The Australian
April 13, 2012 12:00AM
AFTER decades of economic separatism, welfare dependency and despair, increasing numbers of Aborigines in remote Australia are playing an important role in the nation's most productive industry - mining.
We congratulate Western Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest for helping place more than 55,000 Aborigines in jobs since 2008 when he launched the Australian Employment Covenant. Since then he has employed hundreds of Aborigines in his Fortescue Metals Group, where they total about 10 per cent of the workforce. Mr Forrest's lateral thinking and practical leadership have succeeded where many other programs, however well meaning, failed to draw Aborigines from the margins into the mainstream economy.
As indigenous lawyer Noel Pearson said at the outset of the covenant, for every 10 jobs a hundred flowers would bloom in the lives of indigenous children: "We're going to look back on this ... as that moment in the history of the country when government and society made a commitment to people that if you take up the cudgels of responsibility we will guarantee you a job, we will set forth before you a prospect of climbing up in the world - a home, a future for your children, a fair stake in this, your own land."
That vision is beginning to become a reality, as indigenous workers and their families swap Centrelink payments for the generous salaries available in mining and save for their own homes and futures. The transformation, individual by individual, family by family, promises long-term success because it is devoid of all vestiges of welfare and handouts. As Aborigines step up to take responsibility for themselves as they discover job satisfaction and pursue financial security, governments must continue facilitating the trend by improving health, education and housing services.
Unlike previous employment initiatives that have been motivated by paternalism, the trend to employ remote Aborigines in mining is being driven by a more hard-headed motive - the push by mining companies to secure a comparative advantage in a sector where workers are scarce. Kevin McLean, general manager of FMG's Cloudbreak iron ore mine in the Pilbara summed up the reality when he said companies were "screaming out for labour" so "if you can tap into people who already have housing, you are a step ahead." It's a win-win process.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The True Numbers
For every indigenous jobs initiative it must be possible to measure the results. Surely we can establish how many indigenous applicants there are, how many people are employed and how long they are retained for. And then it should be a matter of looking at which employers are most successful.
Twiggy Forrest of the AEC claims to have placed 10501 indigenous job-seekers and of these 71% were still employed after 6 months. He compares that to the government Job Services program that has a 45% retention rate after only 3 months.
The government then claim that 7043 people have been employed and only 30% of these were retained.
How hard can it be to establish the true figures ?
Forrest claims the government isnt providing the training that they promised. He's already upset the government by protesting against the mining tax. Let's hope politics aren't getting in the way of evaluating or supporting the AEC.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More jobs at the Ayers Rock Resort
Another good news story. The next question is - what is the retention rate ? Let's hope these are long term.
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