No education, no work, and now no CDEP
April 4, 2006
The announcement by Federal Minister Kevin Andrews of changes to the Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) represents a failure by this Government to provide education incentives and real employment opportunities for remote and regional Indigenous Australians.
“CDEP is a scheme created by Indigenous people to voluntarily work for the dole in their communities by establishing employment to provide and maintain basic public services not provided by Government in regional and remote areas,” said Joel Wright, NTEU Indigenous Officer.
“It is also about building community infrastructure essential to sustainable local employment.”
“The changes announced by Minister Andrews do not address the provision of CDEP infrastructure, which has never been adequately funded, and which as a result has limited improvements health, education and employment in Indigenous communities.”
“NTEU is particularly concerned that under the new guidelines, ‘New participants in CDEP aged 20 or under will be paid a youth rate to improve incentives for young people to complete their education. Indigenous youth in this age group who are parents or legal guardians will receive the adult CDEP rate’”.
“The Government believes that offering less payment to this age group will act as a disincentive to them to leave school earlier than they would if an adult CDEP wage was not available”
“The reality is that it could provide an incentive for Indigenous youth where no real jobs exist to become parents at an earlier age in order to avoid school and be eligible for an Adult CDEP rate, thus further exacerbating the demand for more CDEP.”
“The Minister has not provided any pathways or extra incentive offsetting the reduction in benefits, such as an increase in ABSTUDY payments to complete or continue education.”
“Rather the Minister believes Indigenous Community organisations should bear the responsibility of providing training without adequate infrastructure and or pathways to further education.”
“The new guidelines, requiring most of the 36,000 CDEP participants to leave their home lands to find what under the new IR laws will in many cases be low paid work in the towns and cities, also represent a broader threat to the sustainability of Indigenous communities and their culture.”
“Without the investment in education and community infrastructure, these reforms could amount to nothing more than the removal of Indigenous people from traditional lands under the guise of community development,” said Mr Wright.
Further Information:
Joel Wright, NTEU Indigenous Officer: (03) 9254 1910