Budget 2007-08 > Indigenous Affairs Budget 2007-08
Building an Indigenous workforce in government service delivery
Portfolios: Employment and Workplace Relations; Attorney-General's; Education, Science and Training; Environment and Water Resources; Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; Health and Ageing
Why is this important?- The Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) programme has often supported the delivery of government services.
- CDEP participants have been doing this work but have not been receiving the complementary benefits of normal employment arrangements.
- This initiative will convert CDEP positions into jobs and employees will receive wages and access to leave, superannuation and professional development.
Who will benefit?
Over the course of four years at least 825 jobs will be created across Australia in environmental and heritage protection, education, child care, night patrols in Indigenous communities and community care.
What funding is the Government committing to the initiative?
- The Government will provide $97.2 million over four years for this initiative.
- The breakdown per department will be as follows:
- $8.6 million Attorney General's Department
- $15.0 million Department of Education, Science and Training
- $47.6 million Department of the Environment and Water Resources
- $1.0 million Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
- $16.5 million Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
- $8.5 million Department of Health and Ageing
- A total of $65.9 million in CDEP programme savings will be redirected to partly fund this initiative. Of these savings, $30 million will be delivered through Indigenous Employment Services reforms and $35.9 million through the conversion of CDEP positions into long term jobs.
- The Australian Government will be seeking commitments from state, territory and local governments to properly fund jobs in areas of service delivery currently subsidised by CDEP.
What have we done in the past?
- In the 2006-07 Budget, $20.5 million over four years was provided to create 130 full-time equivalent positions performing health worker duties in health care and substance abuse centres.
When will the initiative conclude?
- This will be an ongoing initiative.