❓ Mr. Blayney asks about the WA Country Health Services Pilbara Indigenous employment program. Dr. Hames responds, highlighting the program's collaborative nature, funding, and targets for increasing Indigenous employment in the Pilbara health system.
AnsweredQoN 644Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WA Country Health Services, Pilbara — Indigenous employment program
During a visit to Port Hedland on Friday, I understand that the minister launched the WA Country Health Services Pilbara Indigenous employment program. Will the minister inform the house — (1) Who is involved in the program? (2) How the program will affect staffing levels in the health system in the Pilbara? (3) How many new recruits he expects will be involved in the program? Dr K.D. HAMES
During a visit to Port Hedland on Friday, I understand that the minister launched the WA Country Health Services Pilbara Indigenous employment program. Will the minister inform the house — (1) Who is involved in the program? (2) How the program will affect staffing levels in the health system in the Pilbara? (3) How many new recruits he expects will be involved in the program? Dr K.D. HAMES
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
(1) Who is involved in the program? (2) How the program will affect staffing levels in the health system in the Pilbara? (3) How many new recruits he expects will be involved in the program? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
(2) How the program will affect staffing levels in the health system in the Pilbara? (3) How many new recruits he expects will be involved in the program? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
(3) How many new recruits he expects will be involved in the program? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
(1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
(1) Who is involved in the program? (2) How the program will affect staffing levels in the health system in the Pilbara? (3) How many new recruits he expects will be involved in the program? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
(2) How the program will affect staffing levels in the health system in the Pilbara? (3) How many new recruits he expects will be involved in the program? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
(3) How many new recruits he expects will be involved in the program? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
(1)–(3) I had the great pleasure of joining the member for Pilbara in Port Hedland to launch this Indigenous employment program for the health department. I think the member will agree that it was an extremely good event, and that what made it good were the speeches made by the Indigenous employees already working in the health system. A series of people came forward—quite a few of whom received scholarships to advance their education—to speak about what it meant to them to be employed. The member for Pilbara and I were on the Education and Health Standing Committee when I was in opposition. The committee inquired into Indigenous public sector employment for the government of the day. I have to say that those percentages were extremely low. I do not think that particularly reflective on the Labor government of the day because I do not think that previous Indigenous employment levels had been all that much greater, particularly in the area of health. I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
I have been determined to increase Aboriginal employment in health. The director general, Mr Snowball, has made the level of Indigenous employment in health one of the key performance indicators for his senior staff. This was a joint program between the government and the private sector. A series of companies were involved through the Pilbara Industry’s Community Council, including BHP, Chevron, the North West Shelf Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside. They have all put money towards this program, which is part of the royalties for regions program of a $38.2 million total health package. This represents about $5 million specifically going towards increasing Indigenous employment. I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
I had two briefing notes with me, one dated four or five months earlier and the other dated a week before I arrived. The one from four or five months earlier referred to seven per cent Indigenous employment in health in the Pilbara. By the time we got to the stage of launching the program, the percentage had already increased to nine per cent—a two per cent increase over that short period. There had actually been 24 extra Indigenous staff employed over the previous year in the Pilbara health system, so that is a fantastic effort. The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
The target is 100 new Indigenous staff over the five-year period of this program. The program includes mentoring of Aboriginal children while they are still at school, making sure they get support with their studies and their family circumstances, getting them involved in community programs, such as camping out programs, and helping some of the older Indigenous people in the Pilbara to get into the necessary programs to get into the health system. I think this is a fantastic program and it was extremely pleasing for me and the member for Pilbara to see what fantastic Aboriginal representatives we have in the Pilbara health system.
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