Indigenous business sector and jobs
Indigenous business sector and jobs
Indigenous Affairs Economic Development
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Indigenous owned and operated businesses will benefit from initiatives in the 2017-18 Budget.
Within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet porfolio, the Government’s 2017-18 Budget includes three policies that will benefit the Indigenous business sector and support the employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Government’s cross-portfolio investment in initiatives to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are outlined in the Minister's Media Release Coalition delivering for First Australians.
Indigenous Business Sector Strategy
The Indigenous Business Sector Strategy is a ten-year plan aimed at growing the Indigenous Business Sector.
It will provide business with greater access to financial support to encourage new ideas, information about business opportunities and the provision of timely support suited to their needs. You can provide your feedback on the draft Indigenous Business Sector Strategy until 28 May 2017.
Indigenous Business Australia will refocus the services it delivers to help more Indigenous start-ups and entrepreneurs.
Community Development Programme
The Community Development Programme (CDP) supports remote job seekers to build skills, address barriers and contribute to their communities through a range of flexible activities.
The Government will be undertaking a consultation process in the coming months on a new employment and participation model for remote Australia. To provide time for this consultation, the CDP has been excluded from most of the income support changes announced in the 2017-18 Budget. This will give the Government time to work out, with communities, an ideal remote employment service and what will work best on the ground. In the meantime, current arrangements will continue.
Although the Government is progressing consultation on a new remote model, it is still working to improve the current CDP and its delivery in remote communities.
To help activate young people between 14-29 years of age, the Commonwealth will fund CDP providers up to $11 million over 12 months to develop and implement youth engagement strategies, in collaboration with local schools.
Evaluation Strategies
To strengthen the evaluation of Indigenous Affairs policies and programs, two research and evaluation measures will be implemented. Both measures will be designed and implemented in close consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
$50 million will be provided over four years for research into policy and implementation, to assist the next phase of Closing the Gap.
The Productivity Commission will develop and implement a whole-of-government evaluation strategy for policies and programs impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Legislation will be bought forward to put in place a specialist Commissioner to lead this work. This approach is consistent with existing specialist Commissioners for Social Policy, Industry and Environment.