Meaningful jobs and economic development are essential to Aboriginal self-determination. Employment is also crucial to overcoming poor health, homelessness and family violence. Aboriginal children who's parents are employed also have a far greater chance of succeeding at school.

Submissions from ANTaR

On 24 May 2010, the Commonwealth Government released its draft Indigenous Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan for 2010-12 for consultation. The overall aim of the Draft Strategy is to “increase the wellbeing of Indigenous Australians by supporting greater economic participation and self-reliance.”

ANTaR provided a submission in response to the draft strategy. Download the submission through this link.

ANTaR also provided a response to the government's Native Title, Indigenous development and Tax Consultation Paper. You can download the response through this link.

All things considered — a range of opinions

To give you a more complete picture about Aboriginal employment and economic development, here's a range of perspectives. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of ANTaR, but we think they should be considered and thoughtfully debated.

• A new Employment proposal from the Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory (APO(NT)) December 2010 - Funding the Jobs Gap: A proposal for a new Community Employment and Enterprise Development Scheme (CEEDS) for regional and remote Indigenous Australia (PDF 573k)
• Five steps get them off welfare - Noel Pearson's OpEd for The Australian, 9 August 2008
• Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest vows to give away most of fortune - The Australian, 5 August 2008
• Indigenous jobs program criticised - Interview with Les Malezer on ABC Radio National, 4 August 2008
• Reconciliation Action Plans providing a framework for long-lasting results in Indigenous employment - Reconciliation Australia media release, 4 August 2008

How do you think we can best improve employment and economic development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?

We encourage considered, respectful and where necessary provocative debate. Please feel welcome to have your say, and in turn allow others to have their say without responding in anger or distrust.

ANTaR reserves the right to delete any comment that contains offensive, defamatory or discriminatory content. If you feel any of these comments are of this nature, please let us know.