Mick Mundine from the Aboriginal Housing Company endorsed the Government’s plan
but is wary that it may not deliver on the promise.
“Governments promise you everything but you end up getting nothing,” Mr Mundine
said.
Mr Mundine said he also supported attempts to end reliance on welfare.
“A lot of people have got stuck in that welfare trap and it has poisoned our
minds,” he said.
Members of Sydney”s Indigenous community are
helping upgrade Redfern Park and Redfern Oval as part of a City of Sydney initiative to
employ and improve the skills of local Aboriginal tradesmen.
Twelve Aboriginal plumbers, labourers, electricians, concreters and landscapers
have been employed to work on various components of the project.
The upgrade includes new public art, children”s play equipment, a new
grandstand and an upgraded oval.
Meanwhile, senior project manager of the Redfern-Waterloo Authority (RWA) Denny
Hall said the Federal Government plan has its full support.
“If the Government applied our Indigenous employment model to the
infrastructure program it could generate 80,000 jobs relatively quickly,” she said.
Ms Hall said it was a positive signal from the Rudd Government, adding that
indigenous affairs had been set back 10 years under the Howard government.
“We look forward to any increased funding because the structure and
partnerships, with private enterprise, are already in place,” Ms Hall said.
Despite the unemployment rate for Aborigines in the City of Sydney hovering at 16 per cent – compared to
just five per cent for the city as a whole – the RWA has created 250 jobs since
2006. Ms Hall said the model’s success is its structure.
“The critical thing about our model is that it uses Aboriginal trainers, is
locally placed and it impacts on other areas,” she said.
“When you focus on employment other areas of disadvantage improve, including
drugs and alcohol.”
Federal Minister Anthony Albanese has asked Infrastructure Australia to investigate how future
public works projects could improve Indigenous employment opportunities.
“We are not talking about fixing potholes, we are talking about projects of
national significance,” a spokesman for the Minister said.
“Between now and March we are looking at how the North West Metro construction
in Sydney could
play a role.”
With a $12 billion price tag, the controversial North West Metro would be the
largest capital works project in NSW.
The NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Paul Lynch, said the State Government
was already implementing ways to boost Aboriginal employment.
“Job Compacts help build Aboriginal
employment and encourage young school leavers to get into jobs and training,”
Mr Lynch said.
“By encouraging local businesses, industry groups and government agencies to
work together, we can break down barriers to employment for Aboriginal people,”
he said.
The City of Sydney
recently received an extra $471,210, under the Roads to Recovery project.
A spokesman for the Lord Mayor was unable to comment on how the money would be
spent but said council has programs to employ indigenous workers on
infrastructure projects in Glebe
Point Road, Redfern Street and Redfern Park.
Source: City News 7th September 2008 http://alternativemediagroup.com/ThreadView.aspx?tid=8755#post_8755