Wed, 16 May 2012

The Australian government’s Indigenous Employment Programme (IEP) is looking to place 200 indigenous Australians – often known as Aboriginals – into jobs at the national landmark Uluru’s Ayers Rock Resort by the end of 2015.

The announcement was made by the minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development Julie Collins at a celebration marking the fact that the number of Aboriginal employees at the resort has topped 100.

Since July 2009, the IEP has put 38,800 indigenous Australians in job placements and a further 44,500 in training placements.

By 2018, it also aims to add a further 140 indigenous workers at the resort, which has been owned by the Indigenous Land Corporation for just under a year. This would mean Aboriginals make up half the resort’s workforce.

The member of parliament for local district Lingiari, Warren Snowdon, describes the plans as “a great step forward for Aboriginal jobseekers”.