Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Subject to popular demand from this side of the chamber, I have a question for the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Can the minister update the Senate about how the coalition government's reforms to the Community Development Program will get more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander jobseekers off welfare and into work?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the question. This year's budget has been a fantastic win for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, particularly those who are looking for a job to support themselves and their family for the future. Through the Community Development Program, we have been stimulating the remote labour market—

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cameron!

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are moving people from the misery of welfare into the dignity of work.

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron!

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The centrepiece of our reforms is 6,000 real jobs that have been subsidised across remote Australia. This is a direct response to what remote communities have been calling for: real wages for real work. It overturns the decision of those opposite that abandoned CDEP. Subsidies will be available over two years. They will be tapered throughout that period to make sure that the host employers pick up their share over that two-year period. They will ensure that jobs continue long after the subsidy ends.

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron!

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the endless examples of potential jobs in communities is home and community care. I think it's really, really important that the care—

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, I've called you to order multiple times.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

People keep telling me that they can't find jobs, but let me tell you: there are plenty of job opportunities. There are plenty of people looking for jobs and there are plenty of opportunities, and CDP puts that together. We will include more support to build the capacity of jobseekers so they can move along the pathway to purpose and employment. We also know that the people who live in these communities are themselves best placed to identify the barriers to employment, so we are improving the assessment process so it's done by local people in the local communities, rather than the dodginess of it being done on the phone with Centrelink. This is a very important initiative. This year's tax budget is a win for Indigenous Australians looking to participate in our economy.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan, a supplementary question.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister update the Senate about how the Community Development Program has already resulted in more jobs for remote communities and how these reforms build on this success?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Have you got any contracts?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll take that interjection about 'workers' from those opposite. The fact of the matter is that our reforms have placed jobseekers into 23,500 jobs, and 8,600 of those jobs have been there for over six months. Participation in the program isn't at the woeful six per cent those opposite left us with. It is now, thanks to the coalition, at 73 per cent. This is working because we have listened to communities. They tell us: no work, no pay. The communities have said that at the heart of this is local service delivery. We are supporting 6,000 jobs, award wages, superannuation, leave entitlements. This is coming from the coalition. We are also changing some of the clunky Centrelink interactions. We are increasing the role of local organisations. So it's no surprise that it's working. We asked the communities. They've told the government what they would like to do, and that is exactly what we are delivering.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan, a final supplementary question.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate about any other complementary programs to get more Indigenous jobseekers into work?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since becoming minister the programs in my portfolio have created just over 60,000 jobs. To put that in context: that's around 60 jobs every single day. We are doing this through a suite of new programs that are complementing CDP. Of course, Vocational Training and Employment Centres—VTECs—have ended the Labor cycle of training for training's sake that has plagued Indigenous affairs for decades. It's not only about engaging jobseekers where there is a guaranteed job at the end; it's also providing for a specific role at the end of that.

Providers only actually get paid when they deliver. Providers get paid when the jobseeker has been employed for six months, which has ended that churn of change. If they're employed for six months, 82 per cent of them will be there two years later; that's what the evidence says. The VTECs have created over 7,000 jobs, 70 per cent of those being for the most disadvantaged jobseekers. The best form of welfare is a job and that is exactly what the coalition are going to deliver.