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Government - Programs and Initiatives - 2008
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Mining magnate sets ambitious indigenous employment goal
31/10/2008
Fortescue Metals has made Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest one of Australia's richest men and Mr Forrest is throwing some of his millions at a problem that has little to do with infrastructure and exports: Aboriginal employment. The Australian Employment Covenant is an industry initiative which aims to get 50,000 indigenous Australians into permanent jobs. Fifteen major Australian companies have promised to offer positions under the scheme and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd this week committed the federal government to the Covenant. 50,000 jobs is an ambitious target - particularly now, as we brace for an economic downturn. And no-one is more aware of size of the challenge than Danny Lester, former CEO of the Aboriginal Employment Strategy, an organisation that has spent the past ten years working on this very challenge: getting indigenous Australians into jobs.
Australian Employment Covenant hotline: 1300 346325
A marriage made in Queensland
01/02/2008
The Nationals' head honchos from all over the sunburnt country have met to discuss the way forward for Australia's ailing, rural-based political party. One idea -- championed by Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg -- is to merge with the Liberal Party. Does this sound familiar? Mr Springborg campaigned hard for a state-based merger of the two conservative paries in 2006 but federal Liberal and Nationals leaders poo-pooed the idea. And chances are they're not going to embrace the idea in 2008 either. So why is Mr Springborg so determined to push ahead with his wedding plans?
