Federal Government backs Aboriginal Employment Strategy
The Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) enthusiastically welcomes the Federal Government's $17 million support for the expansion of its significant work in Indigenous employment.
This important breakthrough will help fund AES's existing operations in Moree, Tamworth and Dubbo for the next four years as well as opportunities to progress the AES model into other communities.
AES Founder Dick Estens said, "By getting behind AES, the Federal Government is demonstrating its commitment to Aboriginal jobseekers. The impact will be huge and it will bring hope back to many communities".
"I also believe that building AES into a larger network will be attractive to Australian businesses. The key to employment in regional Australia is getting big business on board, so they can lead other business leaders in employing Indigenous jobseekers.
"AES also supports businesses in the needs for reliable labour and by challenging the black-white divide that retards the local opportunities of too many communities."
AES CEO Cathy Duncan says, "It fantastic to see the Federal Government backing a grass roots solution to Aboriginal employment. Jobs help lift individual Indigenous people out of welfare dependency and raise incomes for their families. It has taken a lot of work to bring about this funding outcome. We now look forward to the challenge that will come with the steady expansion of AES."
"We must also thank Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson and Federal Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews for their support of the AES, without their commitment this breakthrough would not have happened."
The Aboriginal Employment Strategy was founded in 1997 in Moree and now has offices in Tamworth and Dubbo. AES concentrates in employment outcomes and on building business and community partnerships.
On average, AES places 450 Aboriginal people into jobs each year.
For more information please contact Dick Estens, 0427657066 or Kristy Porter, 02 67521735 aeskp@bigpond.net.au
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