A new roadmap has been created by the National Indigenous Australians Agency, to improve economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Launching the National Roadmap for Indigenous Skills, Jobs and Wealth, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt said it set the framework for Indigenous businesses to build greater financial independence and to boost Indigenous employment.
“It has been informed by wide consultation with stakeholders and follows months of roundtables with some of Australia’s most prominent industry leaders,” Mr Wyatt said.
“The Roadmap is about the practical steps we can take to get more Indigenous people job-ready, increase Indigenous participation in the workforce and foster Indigenous entrepreneurship,” he said.
Mr Wyatt said it set an example of working in partnership with industry and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities to identify opportunities to increase Indigenous participation in all areas of industry.
“Supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses and encouraging all business — Indigenous and non-Indigenous — to employ more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, will create inter-generational wealth and contribute to Australia’s long-term growth and prosperity,” he said.
“The national Roadmap, and its focus on enabling economic opportunity, will complement and help realise the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.”
Mr Wyatt said the next stage would be the establishment of an Indigenous Reference Group to work with him, industry champions and key stakeholders to develop the action plan to implement the Roadmap.
Chief Executive of the Business Council of Australia, Jennifer Westacott said business was a critical part of meeting the challenge.
“Only economic advancement at an individual, family and community level can create opportunities and deliver real, genuine and lasting change,” Ms Westacott said.
The 28-page Roadmap can be accessed at this PS News link.
