Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, upon notice, on 10 September 2012 :

(1) Is the Minister aware that, as of March 2012, Job Services Australia and Disability Employment Services job seeker data shows 31 356 job seekers in remote regions of Australia; and that the Kimberley makes up 3 561 of these job seekers equating to the highest proportion of job seekers (41 per cent) in remote Western Australia.

(2) Is the Minister aware of the KALACC [Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre] Cultural Economy Scoping Study 2010, funded by the department, and its proposal to generate 771 employment positions relating to Aboriginal culture.

(3) Is the Minister aware of the July 2012 Repatriation Employment Plan, that contains a proposal to generate 24 core repatriation employment roles, including 15 full-time positions.

(4) Given the extremely high rate of Aboriginal job seekers in the Kimberley, will the Government fund the Cultural Economy Scoping Study and the Repatriation Employment Plan.

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

The Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) The Minister is aware of the job seeker data. The Government has responded to employment participation in remote regions of Australia, including the Kimberley, through the establishment of a new employment services program - the Remote Jobs and Communities Program (RJCP). The program replaces Job Services Australia (JSA), Disability Employment Services (DES), the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program and the Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) in remote Australia.

(2) The Minister is aware of the Cultural Economy Scoping Study 2010 and has received information about the study from the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre (KALACC).

(3) The Minister is aware of the July 2012 Repatriation Employment Plan however also acknowledges that The Office for the Arts (Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport) currently has responsibility for the Indigenous Repatriation Program. The Minister is advised that the WA State Manager of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations met with KALACC representatives on 24 September 2012 to discuss the plan.

(4) This is a matter for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The department, in consultation with the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, continues to meet with KALACC and will consider the plan.