Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Hansard source

I have mentioned in the past in this chamber the success of the Indigenous Employment Program. Already, there are over 43,000 placements in jobs and training, which exceed our budget targets by 3,500, but there are also a number of mainstream projects and programs that I have not mentioned in the Senate and which are important to bring to your attention.

The Caring for our Country program has put 625 Indigenous Australians into jobs as rangers. Minister Garrett has put in place a cadetship program for rangers to try to encourage more young Indigenous Aust­ralians through their schools to be involved, to have a career as a ranger and to preserve their traditional country. Through the Jobs Fund and the Innovation Fund, funds were put together during the worst of the global financial crisis to try to stimulate the economy. Over 535 jobs have gone to Indigenous Australians, disadvantaged backgrounds and 11 Indigenous owned companies are benefiting from— (Time expired)