Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (The Department) to the Questions on Notice That Arose Duringthe 6 February Public Hearing of the Committee
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~ubmission N~. C~ ~ Australian Government I-v. Department ofAgriculture, Fisheries and Fores~ Date Received.. ~ o ~ ~Th7~) Ms Cheryl Scarlett Inquiry Secretary House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander Affairs Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Ms Scariett I thank the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Tones Strait Islander Affairs (the Committee) for the opportunity to contribute to its inquiry into Indigenous employment. As requested, here are the responses from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the Department) to the questions on notice that arose duringthe 6 February Public Hearing of the Committee. Question I — Report on Indleenous Employment in RuralIndustries The initial question on notice asked by the Committee was regarding a report by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) on Indigenous employment in rural industries. I am now in a position to confirm that ABARE is expecting to publish this report by 31 March2006 on its website (w~vw abare. ~ov.au) Question 2 — FarmBis Statistics The second piece of information requested by the Committee was a State and Territory breakdown of Indigenous people’s participation in FarmBis programs. This information has been collated and is included at Enclosure 1 Question 3 — Tiwi IslandsForestry The Committee requested more specific information relating to the involvement of the Tiwi Island Community in Department’s National Indigenous Forestry Strategy. The Tiwi Forestry Project is a partnership between Great Southern Plantations Limitedand the Tiwi Land Council. The Tiwi Land Council was established in 1978, under the AboriginalLand Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth), and represents the Tiwi people who hold inalienable freehold title to their land under the Act. The overall objective of the Tiwi Forestry Project is the continual development of an integrated forest products industry on the Tiwi Islands. As a result of the forestry operations, Tiwi Islanders are guaranteed an income flow in the future, as well as in the short-term, as they receive returns from the sale of timber. Furthermore, at the completion of the project, the establishedplantations along with any development (including the port) and an experienced and well trained local workforce revert to the Tiwi people. Currently the forest operations on the islands provide for 14 Tiwi forest apprentices and another ten positions in the area of natural resource management. These positions are full time and do not rely on Community Development Employment Project funding. The Tiwi Islands project is included as a case study in the Department’s NationalIndigenous Forestry Strategy (NIFS). Further information in relation to the implementation of the NTFS has been compiled and is included for the Committee’s information at Enclosure 2 and is also available on the DAFF website (www.daff.gov.au/nifs). Edmund Barton Building Barton ACT GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 ph ±6!262723933 www.daff.gov.au ABN24IZ3(~O695 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY . Question 4—Bawingan2a Aboriginal Corporation Marine Raneers The Committee also queried the Department about the progress ofa letter written to Senator Ian Macdonald, the former Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, by Mr Ian Munro, the Chief Executive Officer of the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation proposing joint funding of Marine Rangers for the waters adjoining the Northern Territory. Before receiving the letter from Mr Munro, SenatorMacdonald had already discussed the contribution of Marine Rangers with the Northern Territory Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries, the Hon. Kon Vatskalis MLA. During this conversation, Senator Macdonald and Minister Vatskalis had also discussed the potential to further develop the role of Marine Rangers in fisheries surveillance and enforcement. As a result of this discussion, the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines began drafting a detailed submission outlining the way in which the Marine Rangers could make a formal contribution to combating illegal incursions. This submission was still in development at the time that Mr Munro sent his proposal to SenatorMacdonald. Senator Macdonald responded to Mr Munro recommending that he contact Mr Vatskalis, or the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines, and offer to play an active role in the development of their submission. The new Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senatorthe Hon Eric Abetz, subsequently received a submission from the NorthernTerritory which included a request for funds on behalf of all 14 MarineRanger groups, including those represented by the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation. This proposal is currently being considered in conjunction with a number of others in relation to illegal foreign fishing. Question 5 — Resources to Indieenous ProtectedAreas The final request from the Committee was that the Department supply it with a list of instances where Indigenous people have accessedresources from the Landeare andNational Heritage Trust programs. This information has been collated and is included at Enclosure 3 I thank the Committee, onceagain, for the opportunity to contributeto its inquiry into Indigenous employment and would be pleased to provide any further information that the Committee might require. Yours sincerely Ian Thompson Executive Manager Rural Policy and Innovation 3 March 2006 Enc . House ofRepresentatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs QoNs from Public Hearing (6 February 2006) Enclosure I FarmBis - Skilling farmers for the future (1 July 2001 to 31 December 2004) - Indigenous participation (training occasions) by Course Category* Training NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT National Category People 99 43 1,485 50 71 4 4 1,756 Mana ement Financial 42 10 277 5 16 3 4 357 Management General 243 38 520 157 267 13 88 1,326 Business Management Marketing 1 0 50 11 6 1 3 72 Production 11 191 131 62 91 4 12 502 Management Natural 90 10 325 39 21 2 71 558 Resource Management Total 486 292 2,788 324 472 27 182 2! FarniBis — Skilling farmers for the future (1 July 2001 to 31 December 2004) - Indigenous participation (subsidy $) by Course Category* Training NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT National Category People Management $54,065 $54,818 $3,118,893 $68,538 $97,194 $1,039 $2,190 $3,396,737 Financial Management $39,544 $6,259 $579,081 $11,845 $4,642 $1,194 $1,500 $644,065 General Business Management $187,755 $21,214 $833,651 $105,876 $162,724 $8,141 $92,099 $1,411,460 Marketing $600 $0 $54,845 $3,222 $1,114 $100 $240 $60,121 Production Mana ement $4,975 $186,047 $115,975 $16,503 $58,492 $662 $4,509 $387,163 Natural Resource Management $75,005 $10,759 $453,695 $16,885 $119,183 $683 $25,696 $701,906 Total $361,944 $279,097 ~ $222,869 $443,349 $11 819 $126,234 $6,601,452 * Source: FarmBisdatabase • The FarmBis database provides a nrofile of training activities andparticipation as onlyfull records with all required fields, including course review details, are transferred to the Australian Government from the States. The database is also not linked to the acquittal or paymentprocess. • These figures are forthe second FarniBis programme which ran from 1 July 2001 until 31 December 2004. House ofRepresentatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs QoNs from Public Hearing (6 February 2006) Enclosure 2 To date the Department ofAgriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has concentrated its initial work on implementing the National Indigenous Forestry Strategy (NIFS) in Tasmania, Western Victoria, South-West Western Australia, Queensland and ACT. The Department is continuing to work with Commonwealth and State agencies and the forest industry on a complementary approach and has been working with primarily Indigenous groups to develop business opportunities generally in plantation and harvesting projects. The following list represents a sample of projects that have begun under the NIPS since its launch in July 2005. 1. Engagement ofan Indigenous Employment Office under a negotiated agreement between the Australian Government and the National Association ofForest Industries (NAFI) to increase Indigenous employment within the member companies ofNAFI and thereby, the forestry industry. 2. A joint National Memorandum of Understanding is currently being drafted between the Australian Government and peak forest industry bodies such as NAFI, Australian Forest Growers and the Australian Plantation Products and Paper Industry Council. The purpose ofthe Memorandum ofUnderstanding is to provide a mechanism to develop a sustained commitment to Indigenous employment and economic development by the agencies involved, as well as providing a clear framework to engage relevant sectors ofthe forest industry and community more generally. 3. The Department has partnered with other Commonwealth and Tasmanian State agencies, local government and the Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation under a Shared Responsibility Agreement to fund.a joint project in Smithton. The project involves Community Development Employment Project participants and schoolchildren from the local school and, in part, is aimed at local environmental revegetation to ensure survival ofthe natural habitat of theTasmanian giant freshwater crayfish (Astacopsis gouldi). ) 4. The Department is now involved in a joint working group with the Woorabinda Aboriginal