This in spite of the
fact that the former Minister, Kevin Andrews, put out a press release on 20
October, 2006 saying that the CEDP program was fantastic ¬– a program which had
been working since 1977. Then, all of a sudden on the 6th of November, the CEDP
would be axed and Aboriginal employment would be mainstreamed.
The Lord Mayor,
Redfern Residents for Reconciliation and the Federal Member for Sydney, as well as
others, lobbied the Federal Government intensively. Tanya Plibersek even spoke
in the adjournment debate in the House and argued passionately for the
retention of Redfern CEDP. Then Redfern CEDP met with Liberal Senator and
Chippendale resident Marise Payne, in her parliamentary office in Sydney.
All the good people
of Redfern wanted was some flexibility. The argument was that the changes that
were proposed may suit some people but were not for all – they were simply
asking for flexibility. This is exactly what the Howard Government claims to be
supporting in the Industrial Relations area. In Aboriginal employment, there is
no way that circumstances will be the same everywhere.
As we go to press
the Redfern CEDP people are working out the implications, but the word is that
the program will definitely be over in June. Even though they have been
encouraged to bid for the new employment program, they have no certainty of
getting the funding. They are concerned about how they will pay redundancies to
all staff and are waiting for the Commonwealth to advise whether they will fund
redundancies.
The Lord Mayor said
in one of her weekly email updates: “In inner Sydney, the Redfern Aboriginal Corporation
(RAC) has operated CDEP since 1991 with employment support for up to 100
participants at a time. While the RAC assists participants to obtain mainstream
employment and provides mentoring services once employed, it also helps those
unable to get mainstream employment. I share community concern that removing
CDEP from inner Sydney
will deny disadvantaged Indigenous Australians access to specialist programs
and support.”
The Redfern
Community Centre on the Block has used the services of the CEDP participants as
security since the opening of the Centre. The Centre’s Manager, Beth Jewell
said: “We have had three caretakers from the Redfern Aboriginal Corporation
(RAC) since Redfern Community Centre opened in March 2004 and they have been
invaluable. The local Aboriginal workers have helped achieve our great success
by performing front-of-house duties and working with the community. The
caretakers have kept a watch out for the staff, building and families who use
the Centre.”
Arthur Bundock, one
of the participants, told us that he is concerned about whether some of the
participants will be able to handle life after the CEDP since they will have to
work with Centrelink and it has very strict compliance standards which may mean
people could find themselves without any income for months at a time.
One local commented:
“In spite of all the evidence the CEDP program in Redfern is doing good things
and, up till recently, the Government agreed with this view. Because of purely
political ideology, Redfern CEDP is history. It’s a sad day for Redfern!”
Source: South Sydney Herald May 2007 http://www.southsydneyherald.com.au/