1.1 Introduction
The Many Rivers region of the NSW Mid-North Coast has the third largest Aboriginal population in Australia and is home to 39,360 Aboriginal people (8% of Aboriginal Australia). The Aboriginal unemployment rate is 14% (5,116 people) compared to the national regional average of 5.6% (ref. 2006 Census).
The Many Rivers Regional Partnership Agreement (the Agreement) is the result of collaboration and consultation between Aboriginal communities and stakeholders to address Aboriginal unemployment in a strategic and supportive manner. This will be achieved through the creation of sustainable job opportunities and capacity building. The stakeholders in the development of this agreement have included Community Development Employment Project (CDEP)/Aboriginal Employment providers, the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC), Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALC), other relevant key Aboriginal organisations, all spheres of government, industry and the Non Government Organisation (NGO) sector.
The parties to the Agreement will work together to develop employment opportunities in the following areas:
- Land management
- Aboriginal arts and cultural based enterprise
- Cultural tourism
- Elite sport careers
- Aged care
- Housing and construction
- Government jobs.
The Agreement focuses on a multiple agency effort in addressing human service issues that impede the transition from long-term unemployment to sustainable employment.
The geographic area covered by this Agreement is the Many Rivers Region. Priority locations have been identified as Tweed/Byron, Ballina, Casino, Coffs Harbour, Nambucca, Kempsey, Taree, Hunter and Wyong.
The first stage of the Agreement will capture opportunities that arise through the extensive network of Aboriginal land management workers throughout the Many Rivers Region. Engagement with industry has identified significant opportunities for Aboriginal Green Teams (AGTs) to undertake commercial environmental work. This Agreement aims to increase Aboriginal employment in the areas of climate change, environmental regeneration and conservation job markets. It has also been identified as a key initiative in addressing the COAG endorsed ‘Closing the Gap’ indicator to halve the gap in employment outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians within a decade within the Many Rivers Region.
Many Aboriginal people currently working in AGTs are trained or are currently undertaking training and have qualifications in land management. There are approximately 63 AGTs (421 people) in the region with teams at different stages of development with varying levels of skills and expertise. The objective of the Agreement is to develop and strengthen the business capacity of AGTs to generate sustainable employment for Aboriginal people across the region. The Agreement provides the framework to assist AGTs to identify opportunities to undertake commercial work, education and training, business development and business ownership. As 1% of land in NSW is Aboriginal owned, there are also opportunities for Aboriginal people and communities to work on their land and country.
This Agreement is a practical example of community engagement, promoting economic participation, reducing welfare dependency and strengthening communities by developing solutions that are central to addressing Aboriginal disadvantage. It is anticipated that this Agreement will contribute to the Australian Employment Covenant’s target of placing 50,000 Aboriginal Australians in employment. The flow charts at Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 illustrate how job opportunities are expected to be created under the Regional Partnership Agreement, whilst developing other employment markets and the continuum to education and employment.
The Agreement is a statement of the mutual intentions of all the parties and is not intended to give rise to enforceable rights or binding obligations on the part of any party.
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1.2 Parties
This Agreement is between the Australian Government, the New South Wales State Government (NSW Government), representatives of NSW Local Government (Shires), NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC), Peak Aboriginal Non-Government Organisations, and Industry partners. It is anticipated that additional parties will join the Agreement as more projects are developed.
Australian Government
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
- Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
- Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
- Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
- Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
NSW State Government
- Department of Education and Training (DET)
- Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW)
- Department of Lands
- Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC)
- Department of State and Regional Development (DSRD)
- Coffs Harbour Education Campus
- North Coast Institute of TAFE
Local Government
- Far North Coast Group of Councils
- Hunter Councils
- Mid North Coast Group of Councils.
Statutory Bodies
- Booroongen Djugun College
- Dare to Lead for Business
- Local Aboriginal Land Councils (NSW Northern and Eastern Zone)
- Many Rivers Training, Enterprise and Employment Aboriginal Corporation
- New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council
Industry
- Border Ranges Contractors
- EnviTE
- GHD Engineering
- Wesley Vocational Institute
- World Indigenous Cultural Exchange and Economic Development Organization
- Yunaga Minesite Services
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1.3 Key Principles
The ‘Closing the Gap on Aboriginal Disadvantage Statement’ endorsed at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in March 2008 forms the basis for the Australian and NSW Governments to collaborate in a joint approach to address Aboriginal disadvantage in NSW. This Agreement is also based on the following principles:
- a spirit of cooperation, respect, partnership and shared responsibility;
- a willingness by all parties to be flexible and innovative;
- a commitment by all parties to work together to meet ‘Closing the Gap’ targets;
- an acknowledgement of the need to build the social and economic independence of the people in the region;
- an acknowledgement of Aboriginal people’s connection to their culture, land and sea; and
- a commitment to accountability and performance monitoring by all parties.
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1.4 Targets
The targets of this Agreement are to:
- reduce Aboriginal unemployment in the Many Rivers region by 50% over the next five years;
- create jobs and business opportunities for Aboriginal people and communities through economic and business development;
- establish a continuum/pathway to education and employment for AGT trainees and employees; and
- strengthen Aboriginal communities and people in this region through the principles of Social Inclusion.