Forum tackles Aboriginal employment

Ways Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians can work together to create more sustainable employment was the focus of yesterday’s Generation One ideas forum.

Generation One, an initiative led by Fortescue Metals Group CEO Andrew Forrest, aims to eliminate Aboriginal disadvantage within one generation.

Mr Forrest was joined on the forum’s panel by Business Council of Australia Deputy Chief Executive Melinda Cilento; incoming Reconciliation Australia CEO Leah Armstrong; Aboriginal Employment Strategy Chief Executive Danny Lester, and ANZ Banking Group’s Senior Manager of Indigenous Training and Employment Bruce McQualter.



The panel, which was moderated by journalist and SBS Insight presenter Jenny Brockie, discussed the gap existing between school-leavers and work-ready, skilled employees; practical workplace training and the need to convince Aboriginal parents that genuine opportunities exist for their children.

“The elephant in the room is a culture that you can find anywhere, including in very wealthy families – the welfare culture,” said Mr Forrest. “If things are given to you, you lose your drive… We need to demand more of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters.”

Both Ms Cilento and Mr Forrest agreed that more businesses now see the benefits of workplace diversity and are trying to implement policies and structures to support the employment of more Aboriginal Australians.

Mr McQualter said ANZ’s Aboriginal training and employment scheme had awakened the non-Aboriginal workforce’s need for balanced information about Aboriginal cultures. He also thought it necessary to “set the bar higher” when it came to what Aboriginal children learn at school.

Enabling Aboriginal people to easily transition into the next phase of their careers was very important, said Mr Lester, who would like to “see our fellow brothers and sisters at all levels of business”. He added that helping young people to complete Year 12 and start to build a strong career path and mindset early on was crucial.

For Ms Armstrong, mentoring had to be a core part of any professional development strategy.

When comments were fielded from the audience, Mission Australia’s National Aboriginal Advisor, Steve Cochrane, told the forum if change is to occur we must “embed in people the need to strive in education… Sport is not all things – when you leave school you must be good enough academically to participate at uni. Kids are not prepared for what is ahead at uni.”

On being asked for one development that would lead to lasting employment for Aboriginal Australians, Mr Forrest said real change will only come when government convinces Aboriginal people the end of disparity is in sight and a collective decision is made regarding the skills needed by industry and employees.

Ms Cilento and Mr Lester agreed that regional employment strategies that create opportunities for local communities would facilitate change, while Ms Armstrong said community-led initiatives were the “main ingredient”.

After the forum, Mr Cochrane said that while any discussion on ways to close the gap was welcome, there was still a pressing need for business and the wider community to address cultural safety – that is, creating an environment of shared experience and knowledge.

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