Employing Indigenous Australians: Strategies for success

Aboriginal EmploymentHuman Resource ManagementManaging Diversity

Governments have attempted to correct these past policies by being proactive in promoting Indigenous education and employment, and by putting policies into place to redress the disadvantage that Indigenous peoples face. This chapter considers a range of employment issues that relate particularly to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s employment and some of the employment strategies utilised by governments and organisations to manage diversity and to reduce labour market disadvantage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples hold a unique position in Australian society yet they are the most disadvantaged group in the community. This disadvantage is a direct result of the effects of European invasion. Historically, they have been systematically excluded from many institutions of Australian society such as social security, industrial relations and education systems. The unemployment rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is three times the national average, the highest unemployment rate of any group in the Australian labour market. Participation rates, skills, qualifications and income are all well below those of the non-Indigenous population. Recently, governments have attempted to correct these past policies by being proactive in promoting Indigenous education and employment, and by putting policies into place to redress the disadvantage that Indigenous peoples face. This chapter considers a range of employment issues that relate particularly to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s employment and some of the employment strategies utilised by governments and organisations to manage diversity and to reduce labour market disadvantage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the most disadvantaged group in Australia. The disadvantage experienced is in employment, health, housing and education and is a consequence of the widespread destruction of their traditional economic and cultural activities and subsequent exclusion from mainstream society (Sully 1997). This legacy is now starting to change, however Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples still have a long hard road ahead. Governments provide education and employment schemes that attempt to redress the disadvantage faced, yet they have limited effect and have mostly resulted in public sector jobs. Strategies for success Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment need the active involvement of organisations to ensure real progress is made towards reducing labour market disadvantage. In improving Indigenous employment outcomes, organisations need to incorporate diversity initiatives aimed at embracing reconciliation. The way ahead for organisations is through developing and implementing a Reconciliation Action Plan and Indigenous Employment Strategy in order to overcome the disadvantage faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

• Australia wide

Researcher driven

Critical discourse analysis

Completed