Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, Senator Arbib. Can the minister please update the Senate on how the government is working towards closing the gap on Indigenous employment? In particular, can the minister please outline the importance of working with young Indigenous people—

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

You may want to listen, Senator Macdonald. You might learn something.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle, ignore the interjections. Just address your question to the chair.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm only just starting, mate.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle, just address the chair.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, this is a very important question and I may start again.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, just continue the question.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In particular, can the minister please outline the importance of working with young Indigenous people to reaching the target of 100,000 Indigenous Australians getting and keeping jobs by 2018?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Sterle, for the question. I know he has a deep interest in—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Arbib, just resume your seat. If that is the way senators want to waste time in question time, that is your choice.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was just saying I know that Senator Sterle has a deep interest in this area. While the government is working generally on employment and, as Senator Wong said earlier in an answer, 140,000 jobs have been created and people are able to put food on the table and shelter over their families, we are also ensuring that work is done with Indigenous employment. We are working to close the gap, creating and sustaining 100,000 jobs out to 2018. This is difficult work. While the majority of the work that will be done by the Job Services Australia providers will be done under the Indigenous Employment Program, we have identified that we need to work with young Indigenous Australians while they are still at school, making sure that young Indigenous students have a pathway into employment.

In 2010 we established the Learn Earn Legend! program. It is a program based on keeping young Indigenous students in school, giving them an opportunity to learn but, at the same time as that, ensuring they get that pathway to employment. We are working with national sporting organisations, with education providers and also with Indigenous communities themselves. We are making progress. The Gold Coast Titans have set up the first of the programs. In 2010, 131 students took part in the program. So far, 84 per cent have gone on to jobs, further training or higher education. Currently there are 188 students in that program. The Brisbane Broncos worked with 41 students in 2010 and 85 per cent—

Senator Brandis interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Arbib, just resume your seat. Senator Brandis, constant interjection is completely disorderly.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of the 41 students, 85 per cent are going on to jobs. So this is not training for training's sake. This is not training so people have certificates they can put up on their walls. This is training that leads to genuine employment, genuine jobs. This is where the government is investing its funds in the school area, making sure that— (Time expired)

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I note the minister mentioned some of the Learn Earn Legend! programs the government is supporting. Can the minister please inform the Senate how the government is using mentoring to support effective school-to-work transitions?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have identified that mentoring is one of the most important things that can be provided to these Indigenous students.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Liberal senators may want to make fun of this, but it is an important issue and it is certainly making a change to many people's lives. In the last budget we provided $50.7 million over four years to support 6,400 Indigenous school based traineeships. These traineeships will predominantly support students in years 11 and 12, providing them with real work experience, real mentoring and real support moving forward into employment. Students are working with employers and small business. At the same time as that, the program provides them with the opportunity to make that jump into employment, and that is exactly why this program is in place. The support for mentoring, though, does not start in year 11 and 12; it starts in year 7. Funding has been put forward to support students in year 7 so they can make progress— (Time expired)

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I note that today there are Indigenous students in Parliament House as part of the Learn Earn Legend! program, of which I have young Synarah from Port Hedland in my office. Can the minister please outline what this program is about and how it is assisting Indigenous students?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are fortunate enough in this parliament to have 100 young Indigenous students from across the country who have come to Canberra to spend the week working with members of parliament, ministers and parliamentary secretaries but also with government departments. On behalf of everyone involved, I welcome the students to Canberra and welcome the students to the week. I also thank the large number of parliamentarians, both senators and MPs, who were involved in the program. We have gone up from around 75 to over 90 MPs. Certainly the program was extremely successful over the last year and has now been increased in size. The important thing is that there are jobs in government departments, graduate traineeships and scholarships, and we want to make sure that young Indigenous Australians understand the jobs are there and get the opportunities to get access to those jobs. That is why this program is so important. I thank all the parliamentarians for their support. (Time expired)