2018-05-02
Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert has called on the Federal Government to urgently overhaul the Community Development Program (CDP) in light of more evidence that the program is hurting vulnerable people in remote communities.
“More and more people in remote communities, most of whom are Aboriginal, are being slugged with fines because the program if failing to meet their needs. This is having a dire impact on individuals, families and the whole community.
“The Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion has already conceded that there are problems with this program and is subsequently going through a very slow consultation process on the program, meanwhile people are being exposed to serious harm.
“I have to once again ask why the mutual obligations for the CDP program are so much harsher than what is expected of jobseekers in the city. Its blatantly discriminatory and to the detriment of those forced to partake in it for income support. Minister Scullion needs to act urgently to fix the program”.