Indigenous employment changing lives in remote Western Australia

ABC NEWS (Australia)

With many vacancies in hospitality and tourism jobs as well as high Indigenous unemployment rates, regional WA is looking for ways to solve both challenges. 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 program.

01:29It replaces the old community development program, which failed to reduce high unemployment.

01:35But how can this new program 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 program 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.

02:00You know, it 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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