George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Hansard source

I thank honourable senators for their contributions to the debate—though it would be straining both language and charity to describe Senator Sterle’s rather crude and belligerent remarks as a contribution. The Howard government want to see the gap between the education outcomes for Indigenous Australians and those for non-Indigenous Australians closed. We are addressing this goal. This is why we are building on existing programs and initiatives that are actually working to close this gap. The Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Amendment (2007 Budget Measures) Bill 2007 amends the Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000 to increase the appropriations over the 2007 and 2008 calendar years to provide $26.1 million of additional funding. This bill provides $4 million for the expansion of the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program by an additional 750 scholarships over four years, $2.6 million for the expansion of the Indigenous Youth Mobility Program by an additional 860 places over four years, $14.1 million in infrastructure funding for urgent repairs to boarding school facilities and $5.3 million to support Indigenous people into jobs through the conversion of Community Development Employment Project positions into jobs in the education sector. The new funding of $26.1 million that is to be appropriated under this bill will support increased choice and mobility in education and training for young Indigenous people and will support CDEP participants to move into ongoing employment within the education system.

The increase in the number of scholarships offered under the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program and the increase in the number of places available under the Indigenous Youth Mobility Program will allow more young Indigenous people to access high quality education and training, to develop their leadership potential and to make informed life choices. The Indigenous Youth Mobility Program places provide valuable opportunities for young Indigenous people to leave remote communities to obtain the skills and experience that will directly prepare them for jobs that are available in remote and rural communities, particularly those in traditional trade areas such as plumbing, electrical and mining trades and in business management, teaching and nursing. The Indigenous Youth Mobility Program broadens the pool of qualified Indigenous people available to fill jobs and ensures Indigenous young people are able to make informed choices about real job opportunities and their economic independence. The increase in the number of scholarships offered under the Indigenous Youth Leadership Program will provide educational opportunities for Indigenous students at the secondary and tertiary levels while developing their leadership potential. These two initiatives will enable more Indigenous young people from rural and remote areas to access high quality education, training and employment opportunities.

The provision of $14.1 million for infrastructure funding to existing boarding schools with significant cohorts of Indigenous students will assist with urgent upgrades of accommodation facilities to prevent a loss of existing boarding places and enable the boarding schools to better meet the educational needs of Indigenous students from remote and regional areas. These schools have growing waiting lists for access to places for Indigenous people. This appropriation is in addition to the allocation of $50 million from this year’s budget surplus for non-government boarding schools that accommodate Indigenous students.

These measures will have a significant impact on Indigenous young people and their families. They will lead to accelerated improvement of their education, employment and training outcomes. They will also lead to significant improvement in community capacity in remote Indigenous communities, as many of these young people will eventually return to their home communities with enhanced knowledge, life skills and job readiness skills. In addition, the provision of funding to convert around 200 Community Development Employment Project positions into jobs in the education sector will support CDEP participants to move into ongoing employment in schools and education systems. Many CDEP participants have been doing similar work to Indigenous education workers currently being paid by schools but until now have not received the same employee benefits. They will now be able to gain the benefits of employment, including wages, leave, superannuation, training and professional development. This is part of a broader package that will see CDEP participants move into ongoing employment and move out of this welfare program to become employees in education, environment and heritage protection, community care, child care and Indigenous community policing. All up, spending on Indigenous specific education programs has increased by almost 50 per cent in real terms over the last decade.

The importance of education for young Indigenous people is a key to changing people’s lives. Education provides a foundation for later success in terms of individual advancement, choice and opportunity; and it is a vital path to improve both health and wellbeing and to achieve social and economic success. The new funding of $26.1 million that is to be appropriated through this bill is only an element of the broader package of $214 million over four years announced in the budget for Indigenous education and training. Overall, in 2007-08, the Howard government will invest almost $600 million in Indigenous specific education programs. I acknowledge and thank Senator Crossin, who has a deep and longstanding interest in this area, for her congratulations on the government’s transparency in reporting the outcomes under Indigenous education programs.

The government is determined to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students by providing more choice, mobility and educational opportunities for Indigenous students. The measures in this bill build on the government’s practical commitment in this important area of public policy. I commend the bill to the Senate.

Question negatived.

Original question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.