Northern Territory Senator and Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, visited Lismore City Council in September to meet with nine new Aboriginal trainees who started work earlier this year in waste, parks, water and roads.
The two-year traineeships were developed as part of Council’s Aboriginal Employment Strategy, a core component of Council’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) adopted in 2013.
As part of the Aboriginal Employment Strategy, Council has committed to make its workforce reflect the percentage of Lismore’s population that is Aboriginal. To achieve this, Council must have a six percent Aboriginal workforce by 2017.
“We are currently at 3.6 percent and these new traineeships are designed to ensure that by 2017 we have reached our six percent goal,” Council’s General Manager Gary Murphy said.
“Seeing these enthusiastic trainees start work was a momentous day for Council. We are helping to change lives by turning intent into action. That’s what a Reconciliation Action Plan is all about – harnessing that desire to promote Aboriginal equality and making sure it evolves from feelings and words into jobs, training and awareness.
“To have a federal minister such as Mr Scullion meet our trainees and give them further affirmation and encouragement in person is just a wonderful extra boost for them.
“These trainees are going from strength to strength and we’re very proud of them.”
Lismore City Council had shown itself as a leader by being the first Northern Rivers council to develop and adopt a RAP. As well as employing nine new trainees, this has included establishing an Aboriginal Advisory Group, community pride events, and cultural awareness training for staff.
The final component of Council’s RAP is a project called Embracing the RAP, which is designed to help other councils, businesses and community groups create RAPs and bring about lasting change and job creation for Aboriginal people.
