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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/feb/06/a-third-of-remote-aboriginal-work-for-the-dole-participants-say-community-worse-off
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| Government releases damning review of its own Aboriginal work-for-the-dole scheme | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The federal government’s own review of the remote Aboriginal work-for-the-dole program has found 36% of participants say their communities are worse off under the scheme. | The federal government’s own review of the remote Aboriginal work-for-the-dole program has found 36% of participants say their communities are worse off under the scheme. |
| Of 1,000 surveyed participants, 21% felt their community was better off since the Community Development Program was introduced, but 36% said the community was worse off and 32% said their community was the same as before it began in 2015. | Of 1,000 surveyed participants, 21% felt their community was better off since the Community Development Program was introduced, but 36% said the community was worse off and 32% said their community was the same as before it began in 2015. |
| There are about 35,000 CDP participants in Australia and 83% are Indigenous. As a condition of income support, remote area participants must engage in up to 25 hours of work for the dole, five days a week. | There are about 35,000 CDP participants in Australia and 83% are Indigenous. As a condition of income support, remote area participants must engage in up to 25 hours of work for the dole, five days a week. |
| The review found that Aboriginal CDP participants were three times more likely to be penalised for non-attendance and were penalised more often. They went without income for longer periods and were less likely to be exempted on medical grounds “despite a much higher burden of disease in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities”. | The review found that Aboriginal CDP participants were three times more likely to be penalised for non-attendance and were penalised more often. They went without income for longer periods and were less likely to be exempted on medical grounds “despite a much higher burden of disease in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities”. |
| Work for the dole an 'intergenerational time bomb' for Indigenous communities | Work for the dole an 'intergenerational time bomb' for Indigenous communities |
| Poor mental or physical health, disabilities or other personal problems also meant people were more likely to be penalised. | Poor mental or physical health, disabilities or other personal problems also meant people were more likely to be penalised. |
| The most penalised cohort were men under 35 who had “poor English-language proficiency, lower education levels”, limited online and phone access to deal with Centrelink, and less mobility. | The most penalised cohort were men under 35 who had “poor English-language proficiency, lower education levels”, limited online and phone access to deal with Centrelink, and less mobility. |
| At their national conference in December, Labor committed to scrapping CDP if it wins government. Senator Pat Dodson described the CDP as “discriminatory, punitive and ineffectual”. | At their national conference in December, Labor committed to scrapping CDP if it wins government. Senator Pat Dodson described the CDP as “discriminatory, punitive and ineffectual”. |
| CEO of the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory (APONT), John Patterson, said the “CDP experiment should be abandoned and replaced with a positive Aboriginal-led model that ensures a better future for our people”. | CEO of the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory (APONT), John Patterson, said the “CDP experiment should be abandoned and replaced with a positive Aboriginal-led model that ensures a better future for our people”. |
| “The government’s reforms have taken nearly four years. The discrimination and harm of CDP were apparent years ago and in 2017 we delivered a new model for fair work and strong communities to minister Scullion’s door. But the government refused to listen to us. | “The government’s reforms have taken nearly four years. The discrimination and harm of CDP were apparent years ago and in 2017 we delivered a new model for fair work and strong communities to minister Scullion’s door. But the government refused to listen to us. |
| “It’s about treating people fairly and compassionately and not taking money away from mums and dads trying their best to make ends meet,” Patterson said. | “It’s about treating people fairly and compassionately and not taking money away from mums and dads trying their best to make ends meet,” Patterson said. |
| The Greens senator Rachel Siewert said the review “confirms what we already know”. | The Greens senator Rachel Siewert said the review “confirms what we already know”. |
| The passive racism of Australian media is borne of arrogance, ignorance, fear and fragility | Jack Latimore | The passive racism of Australian media is borne of arrogance, ignorance, fear and fragility | Jack Latimore |
| “As we heard last year almost 6,000 people are ‘missing’ from CDP and these changes cannot be explained by people being placed into work,” Siewert said. | “As we heard last year almost 6,000 people are ‘missing’ from CDP and these changes cannot be explained by people being placed into work,” Siewert said. |
| “We will not get people into work until we commit to addressing the barriers they face to unemployment, such as poverty and ill health.” | “We will not get people into work until we commit to addressing the barriers they face to unemployment, such as poverty and ill health.” |
| As part of the review, the federal government commissioned a survey of “community voices and stakeholder perspectives” in eight remote Aboriginal communities. | As part of the review, the federal government commissioned a survey of “community voices and stakeholder perspectives” in eight remote Aboriginal communities. |
| That report found social problems had increased since the introduction of the CDP including: | That report found social problems had increased since the introduction of the CDP including: |
| an increase in break-and-enters to steal food, predominantly by children and young people | an increase in break-and-enters to steal food, predominantly by children and young people |
| an increase in domestic and family violence | an increase in domestic and family violence |
| an increase in financial coercion and family fighting, and | an increase in financial coercion and family fighting, and |
| an increase in mental health problems, feelings of shame, depression, sleep deprivation and hunger. | an increase in mental health problems, feelings of shame, depression, sleep deprivation and hunger. |
| an increase in break-and-enters to steal food, predominantly by children and young people | an increase in break-and-enters to steal food, predominantly by children and young people |
| an increase in domestic and family violence | an increase in domestic and family violence |
| an increase in financial coercion and family fighting, and | an increase in financial coercion and family fighting, and |
| an increase in mental health problems, feelings of shame, depression, sleep deprivation and hunger. | an increase in mental health problems, feelings of shame, depression, sleep deprivation and hunger. |
| It said the CDP had the opposite of its intended effect to get people off welfare or “sit-down money”. | It said the CDP had the opposite of its intended effect to get people off welfare or “sit-down money”. |
| “There was no evidence from the research in this evaluation to suggest that penalties are an effective way to generate engagement,” it said. | “There was no evidence from the research in this evaluation to suggest that penalties are an effective way to generate engagement,” it said. |
| “In fact, this research found that for some jobseekers, penalisation has the opposite effect: it demotivates and disempowers them so they may attend but do not engage in the activities or they view CDP as ‘sit down for sit-down money’”. | “In fact, this research found that for some jobseekers, penalisation has the opposite effect: it demotivates and disempowers them so they may attend but do not engage in the activities or they view CDP as ‘sit down for sit-down money’”. |
| Navigating the Centrelink system was “contributing to increased stress, anxiety and mental health problems for jobseekers”. | Navigating the Centrelink system was “contributing to increased stress, anxiety and mental health problems for jobseekers”. |
| “All my mob want to do is work, do a real job that helps their people,” one respondent told researchers. | “All my mob want to do is work, do a real job that helps their people,” one respondent told researchers. |
| “Let them do things they know need doing in the community so they can be proud. Stop making people feel like they are the criminal for not having a job or having to look after their family and business [culture].” | “Let them do things they know need doing in the community so they can be proud. Stop making people feel like they are the criminal for not having a job or having to look after their family and business [culture].” |
| Researchers did not find conclusive evidence that the CDP had an effect on the number of participants obtaining a job placement or 13-week outcome. The number of people finding 26-week placements had gone up – by 1%. | Researchers did not find conclusive evidence that the CDP had an effect on the number of participants obtaining a job placement or 13-week outcome. The number of people finding 26-week placements had gone up – by 1%. |
| In 2017, the National Audit Office said the CDP cost almost twice as much as the previous work-for-the-dole scheme. | In 2017, the National Audit Office said the CDP cost almost twice as much as the previous work-for-the-dole scheme. |
| It costs $10,494 per person to deliver CDP, while the previous remote jobs and communities program only cost $5,071 per jobseeker. | It costs $10,494 per person to deliver CDP, while the previous remote jobs and communities program only cost $5,071 per jobseeker. |
| The minister for Indigenous affairs, Nigel Scullion, has announced changes to the CDP aimed at increasing attendance and reducing penalties applied to remote jobseekers. | The minister for Indigenous affairs, Nigel Scullion, has announced changes to the CDP aimed at increasing attendance and reducing penalties applied to remote jobseekers. |
| Work for the dole is 'modern-day slavery', Northern Territory MP says | Work for the dole is 'modern-day slavery', Northern Territory MP says |
| One thousand subsidised jobs for CDP participants would be available from March 2019, the minister said, with a focus on supporting Indigenous businesses. | One thousand subsidised jobs for CDP participants would be available from March 2019, the minister said, with a focus on supporting Indigenous businesses. |
| “This is because Indigenous organisations are better placed to engage with the community and respond to community priorities,” Scullion said. | “This is because Indigenous organisations are better placed to engage with the community and respond to community priorities,” Scullion said. |
| But APONT said the whole scheme needed to be abandoned. | But APONT said the whole scheme needed to be abandoned. |
| “Its very foundations are flawed and no amount of tinkering around the edges can change that. A new Aboriginal-led model centred on creating fair and decent jobs and treating people with respect is needed,” APONT spokesperson and Central Land Council policy manager, Josie Douglas, said. | “Its very foundations are flawed and no amount of tinkering around the edges can change that. A new Aboriginal-led model centred on creating fair and decent jobs and treating people with respect is needed,” APONT spokesperson and Central Land Council policy manager, Josie Douglas, said. |
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