Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I do not reflect on Senator Payne's error, because, I have to say, I had to check that I was representing.

This is the more recent change. I do have some information about the Aboriginal Employment Strategy, which is a major recipient of IEP—the Indigenous Employment Program, which I am advised has nine current projects worth $29 million. I am also advised that all contracts have a start and end date, and any new contracts have to meet the guidelines and criteria of the Indigenous Employment Program. I am advised the government will continue to discuss these contracts prior to expiry with existing providers. That is the usual course.

Last month, the AES was successful in tendering to provide traineeships under the government's $50.7 million Indigenous Youth Career Pathways program. I understand that this was an open, independent public tender process for contracts which have a stated expiry date. The senator, given her interest in this area, would probably also be aware that the Aboriginal Employment Strategy is one of 18 successful organisations from a large quality field, selected under the tender to deliver the program across 13 regions nationally from the 2013 school year.

The quality of submissions for the IYCP—the Indigenous Youth Careers Pathway tender that I described earlier—was very high. Tender outcomes reflected the result of an open and competitive tender process which resulted in a number of organisations being considered suitable.

I understand that, previously, funding support for Indigenous students participating in school-based traineeships was provided through IEP and focused on providing funding directly to employers or through IEP panel members who acted as brokers. (Time expired)