Australian governments continually commit to the principle of improving the delivery of programs and services to Indigenous Australians. Many Indigenous Australians are sceptical about these professions of good will, viewing them as lip-service that does not become manifest in policy, resources, or programs. The gap between rhetoric and delivery has lead to cynicism in the Indigenous community. ATSIC’s adoption of a greater advocacy role at all levels will go some way to addressing this cynicism, but advocacy alone will not implement real change.
ATSIC needs to put forward workable frameworks that monitor CDEP performance against other labour market programs, and that engage all levels of government, industry, and the community in general to consult and develop effective policy and programs. Some outcomes of such frameworks could be joint policy development, bilateral agreements at State and local levels, community service agreements, and commitments by CDEPs in turn to achieve improved outcomes for CDEP participants.
Government has indicated that it intends to review the outputs that it gets from ATSIC in terms of the dollars funded into its budget, and has also recently undertaken a review of CDEP on-cost funding. For CDEP the implication is that government wants to look at what it costs to obtain employment, training, economic activities, and community development outcomes through CDEP.
We need to demonstrate to government that it receives many cost-effective outcomes from funding the CDEP scheme, and that it would gain greater outcomes through a further investment of funds. We need to demonstrate that further government investment will allow:
the strengthening of pre-vocational skills and on-the-job and accredited training through better linkages with other agencies;
increased employment outcomes for participants through more effective utilisation of the Indigenous Employment Program and Job Network; and
further development of CDEP communities to deliver a wide range of social, cultural, and community-based outcomes for participants.
For too long, and in too many places, CDEP has been expected to provide a broad range of services and to support Indigenous Australians without appropriate funding to support the expected outcomes. CDEP needs the support of and the goodwill that will come from partnerships with governments, the private sector, and the wider community. These partners must first understand the issues of disadvantage, and then work hand in hand with CDEP to deliver a better future for Indigenous Australians—a future which will continue to be community driven, outcomes focused, and one of which we can all be proud.