Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you for the question. There has been a big improvement in the work that is being undertaken by the private sector, and government needs to do its bit too. Government across the country needs to do its bit to lift its level of Indigenous employment. We have set a target of 2.7 per cent of the public sector being made up of Indigenous employees by 2015. As yet, all governments are far from meeting that target. To reach this target different departments and agencies have been working with the Australian Public Service Commission and my department to develop strategies to increase Indigenous employment. Also, departments have been working with Reconciliation Australia, setting up reconciliation action plans and putting in place targets but also strategies for cultural change to ensure that full organisations are getting behind this important work. We are also working with training organisations such as the Aboriginal Employment Strategy, AES, and with people like Dick Estens and Danny Lester. Real traineeships for young Indigenous people in school— (Time expired)