❓ The Minister updates the house on progress in Aboriginal employment outcomes, highlighting a partnership with the Commonwealth government and GenerationOne, and the selection of Polytechnic West as a key training provider. Focus is on increasing Aboriginal employment in the health sector.
AnsweredQoN 495Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ABORIGINAL EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES
495. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the
Minister for Training and Workforce Development:
In the past, the minister has stated that two key areas of
interest to him are promoting training in the hospitality industry and
improving Aboriginal employment outcomes. Can the minister update the house on
the progress that has been made in these areas?
495. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the
Minister for Training and Workforce Development:
In the past, the minister has stated that two key areas of
interest to him are promoting training in the hospitality industry and
improving Aboriginal employment outcomes. Can the minister update the house on
the progress that has been made in these areas?
AnswerView source ↗
I do want to talk about this. When ''Twiggy''
Forrest started his project of getting 50 000 Aboriginal employees across
Australia, we were very pleased as a government, and I was pleased as Minister
for Training and Workforce Development, to sign up the Department of Health to
that agreement to help reach the 50 000 target. We were proud to do that. We
did notice as we went forward that despite a commonwealth commitment to train
young Aboriginal people to get them into jobs, there was somewhat of a
disconnect between the people who put up their hands and said, yes, they would
employ Aboriginal people and the training program that got those Aboriginal
young people ready to go in. The new federal government has partnered with
GenerationOne, which has taken over the reins of ''Twiggy''
Forrest's program, and made available specific training for Aboriginal
people to get them into jobs. I am very pleased to say that one of our
organisations, Polytechnic West, has been chosen as the only training group in
Western Australia to provide the training to get Aboriginal people into jobs. I
have had discussions with it about what employment opportunities are available,
particularly stressing that there are not sufficient Aboriginal people employed
in health. We need to increase the number of Aboriginal employees, and to do
that, Aboriginal people need proper training so that they are ready to go in
not only the lower levels of training in health, but also all aspects—nurses,
doctors, physiotherapists, allied health and so on. I am very pleased that a
state government organisation has been chosen by the commonwealth in a general
tender as the organisation with the most expertise to put training into place
for Aboriginal people. It will work hand in hand with units of the Aboriginal
Workforce Development Centre. I was out with one of those units in Perth today.
It is very committed to increasing Aboriginal employment in this state.
Forrest started his project of getting 50 000 Aboriginal employees across
Australia, we were very pleased as a government, and I was pleased as Minister
for Training and Workforce Development, to sign up the Department of Health to
that agreement to help reach the 50 000 target. We were proud to do that. We
did notice as we went forward that despite a commonwealth commitment to train
young Aboriginal people to get them into jobs, there was somewhat of a
disconnect between the people who put up their hands and said, yes, they would
employ Aboriginal people and the training program that got those Aboriginal
young people ready to go in. The new federal government has partnered with
GenerationOne, which has taken over the reins of ''Twiggy''
Forrest's program, and made available specific training for Aboriginal
people to get them into jobs. I am very pleased to say that one of our
organisations, Polytechnic West, has been chosen as the only training group in
Western Australia to provide the training to get Aboriginal people into jobs. I
have had discussions with it about what employment opportunities are available,
particularly stressing that there are not sufficient Aboriginal people employed
in health. We need to increase the number of Aboriginal employees, and to do
that, Aboriginal people need proper training so that they are ready to go in
not only the lower levels of training in health, but also all aspects—nurses,
doctors, physiotherapists, allied health and so on. I am very pleased that a
state government organisation has been chosen by the commonwealth in a general
tender as the organisation with the most expertise to put training into place
for Aboriginal people. It will work hand in hand with units of the Aboriginal
Workforce Development Centre. I was out with one of those units in Perth today.
It is very committed to increasing Aboriginal employment in this state.
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