Mr KURRUPUWU - 2015-04-29
Can you update the Assembly on your plans for unlocking the potential of Aboriginal people and communities across the Northern Territory?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. I have had the pleasure of working with the member since he has been in parliament, and also working with the Tiwi Islanders for a number of years around economic development. Most people would be aware we are starting to see major changes, whether that is to do with the forestry project, construction of the port by the Singapore-based company or other elements in the Tiwi Islands including, most recently, the lease arrangement for horticultural and agricultural development, as well as tourism.
He knows I am keen to support economic development and that is what the government is trying to do. We are running a model of decentralisation for decision-making and investing in infrastructure and economic opportunities.
We have established local authorities in 63 communities and have 10 more to go. We want to get that model out to all 73 communities. We currently have 756 members as part of the local authorities with decision-making at the local level. We have put $7m into supporting those local authorities and $5m ongoing every year to ensure there are resources available for them to operate, and to support some small projects.
With regard to economic development, we have started a program to double Aboriginal employment in the public service from 8% to 16% over a five-year period. We also have a new procurement policy which targets the establishment of 2000 additional private sector jobs in regional and remote parts of the Northern Territory by 2017.
They are substantial numbers and already some of our changes to procurement are seeing rapid increases in private sector jobs for Aboriginal Territorians, particularly in remote areas, but regional areas as well.
To add to that, yesterday we announced over $0.5bn of road infrastructure, the main part going to regional and remote parts of the Territory. Millions of dollars are going to every major arterial route in the Northern Territory. We have also set aside $9m for telecommunications. Importantly, we have sought to target some communities in particular around economic advancement. That is based on the model of establishing the office of Aboriginal Affairs at Alice Springs and employing a number of staff in that agency to work with several communities to support economic advancement and tap into programs such as Business in the Bush, where we are trying to support businesses to develop and redevelop, to grow economically and to grow job prospects, and the $4.75m tourism infrastructure development program which was announced in yesterday’s budget.
There is a range of initiatives on top of our Community Champions program, all designed to get people on welfare into work and setting the enabling infrastructure with program dollars, as well as mentoring support, with key targets for government to drive that change.
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. I have had the pleasure of working with the member since he has been in parliament, and also working with the Tiwi Islanders for a number of years around economic development. Most people would be aware we are starting to see major changes, whether that is to do with the forestry project, construction of the port by the Singapore-based company or other elements in the Tiwi Islands including, most recently, the lease arrangement for horticultural and agricultural development, as well as tourism.
He knows I am keen to support economic development and that is what the government is trying to do. We are running a model of decentralisation for decision-making and investing in infrastructure and economic opportunities.
We have established local authorities in 63 communities and have 10 more to go. We want to get that model out to all 73 communities. We currently have 756 members as part of the local authorities with decision-making at the local level. We have put $7m into supporting those local authorities and $5m ongoing every year to ensure there are resources available for them to operate, and to support some small projects.
With regard to economic development, we have started a program to double Aboriginal employment in the public service from 8% to 16% over a five-year period. We also have a new procurement policy which targets the establishment of 2000 additional private sector jobs in regional and remote parts of the Northern Territory by 2017.
They are substantial numbers and already some of our changes to procurement are seeing rapid increases in private sector jobs for Aboriginal Territorians, particularly in remote areas, but regional areas as well.
To add to that, yesterday we announced over $0.5bn of road infrastructure, the main part going to regional and remote parts of the Territory. Millions of dollars are going to every major arterial route in the Northern Territory. We have also set aside $9m for telecommunications. Importantly, we have sought to target some communities in particular around economic advancement. That is based on the model of establishing the office of Aboriginal Affairs at Alice Springs and employing a number of staff in that agency to work with several communities to support economic advancement and tap into programs such as Business in the Bush, where we are trying to support businesses to develop and redevelop, to grow economically and to grow job prospects, and the $4.75m tourism infrastructure development program which was announced in yesterday’s budget.
There is a range of initiatives on top of our Community Champions program, all designed to get people on welfare into work and setting the enabling infrastructure with program dollars, as well as mentoring support, with key targets for government to drive that change.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016