WA community working to address low Indigenous employment rate

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Regional WA's high Indigenous unemployment rate remains despite vacancies in hospitality and tourism. Changes to a decades-old federal government employment program are offering more support for locals, to work in industries traditionally staffed by backpackers.

Transcript

00:00Becoming a kitchen hand is giving Cameron Victor a second chance at life.

00:07This is a life-changing opportunity for me and my family and it gave me a brand new start.

00:1370% of staff at this Kananara resort are local indigenous people. For many, it's their first job.

00:20It's the best feeling that you'll ever have, even if you've never worked before.

00:26Once you get the hang of it, it just goes like a routine.

00:29The Kimberley struggles to fill tourism and hospitality jobs and has high indigenous unemployment rates.

00:36Right across the Kimberley, the hospitality industry has been staffed largely by backpackers.

00:42However, we want local people coming into those jobs.

00:47Jobs that can turn lives around.

00:50I wasn't in a real good place when I wasn't working.

00:55I went from doing nothing to now doing a lot of things, learning a lot of things and making money while doing it.

01:02Some of the boys, they see me, like, went to school and stuff and find a job.

01:07Some of them, they got jobs and stuff, yeah.

01:10They just need a bit of push from the homies, from the brothers and stuff like that, yeah.

01:16Here.

01:17Your coffee.

01:19These are some of the 3,000 remote jobs created across the country through the new federally funded

01:26Remote Jobs and Economic Development Programme.

01:29It replaces the old Community Development Programme which failed to reduce high unemployment.

01:35But how can this new programme lead to meaningful and sustainable jobs?

01:41Providing a lot of the wraparound supports is absolutely critical.

01:44Does that DAF member have safe accommodation locally?

01:48The new programme is far more tailored towards the industry-specific needs.

01:54Therefore, we believe it will be far more successful.

01:57Shonti Duncan wants to be a role model for others.

02:00It makes them happy to see a local working into a place like this.

02:05Changing lives, one job at a time.

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