2017-03-22
The Greens and Labor have secured Senate support for a senate inquiry into the failing Community Development Program that is being rolled out in remote communities.
“The Community Development Program imposes harder so called mutual obligations for income support recipients in remote communities compared to their metropolitan counterparts”, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
“People in remote communities have to do much longer hours for work for the dole, and for basically a full year rather than 6 months.
“The roll out of CDP has seen a steep increase in the number of penalties applied in remote communities. This has a devastating impact on communities and can mean food is not being put on the table for kids.
“I hope the inquiry leads to improvements in addressing employment in communities and that a true partnership approach is taken with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“We are already struggling to close the gap for our First Peoples, we do not need to impose harsh policies that are making things worse”.
Media Release Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues