DARWIN—Self sufficiency for Aboriginal people is dependant on providing rewarding, full time employment, the head of an indigenous employment agency says.
Set up in a small country town in NSW almost a decade ago, the Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) was developed as a model for indigenous employment.
Since then it has been rolled out across Australia and now places hundreds of Aboriginal people in employment every year.
Opening a new office in Alice Springs today, AES CEO Danny Lester said it was a milestone for Aboriginal welfare in central Australia.
Under the federal government's radical intervention into Northern Territory communities, Aboriginal work for the dole has been scrapped and people will be encouraged into mainstream employment.
"With such a strong focus on indigenous welfare at the moment we will be working hard to change and stamp out welfare dependency experienced by the majority of the Aboriginal community in and around Alice Springs," Mr Lester said.
"It is our goal to see more black faces working within the CBD districts of communities rather than welfare recipients."
Mr Lester said many indigenous people dreamed of getting into full time employment.
"Self sufficiency amongst the Aboriginal population starts will permanent and sustainable jobs within the local economy," he said.
AES Alice Springs officer manager Tamara Chatfield said the scheme continued to rollout nationally.
"We hope that we will bring positive employment opportunities to the Aboriginal people of Alice by building partnerships with the many businesses and communities of Alice," she said.
"The AES continues to work hard at stamping out the notion of welfare dependency whilst effectively promoting self sufficient economies within the indigenous community."
Ms Chatfield said 20 people already had been placed into work in the desert town.
"It also sends out the message to the business community that we have the capability of filling the current skills shortages facing Australia," she said.
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