November 1999

The Plan

Picture: Paul Wager, The Courier Mail

As reported in the The Courier Mail on October 2, the Noel Pearson "New Partnership Plan" is as follows:

Pearson wants Indigenous people to become educated, to "enter the real economy", to defeat the evil of alcoholism and be free of the shackles of welfare dependency.

His plan to achieve that has been outlined to state and federal bureaucrats and politicians, as well as private sector business leaders from whom he is seeking - and getting - support.

The plan was for a Cape York Taskforce comprising the Premier, Cabinet ministers, Indigenous and business leaders to meet in November.

The purpose of that meeting was to devise a development plan driven by an Indigenous Business Institute, then the Cape York Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS) would be launched.

As present, people on Indigenous communities have to work for the dole under a scheme called the Community Development Employment Program.

The total employment cheque is paid to the local community council, which then pays the funds out. No work, no payment.

So the community council controls the money.

Pearson's proposal is for Indigenous people to agree to deductions being made and banked to provide for education, household, health and any loan repayment.

Pearson's four-part strategy involves:

• enjoyment of access to traditional economy
• implementing reciprocity in income transfer payments
• developing community economy through enterprises
• investing in the outside market economy

The opportunities under the REDS proposal would include supply of hardware to communities, building construction, air services, credit union and financial services.

Pearson said his "dewelfarise" proposal needed to answer satisfactorily questions about whether it would promote independence or dependency; whether it would promote responsibility or irresponsibility; whether it would be good or bad.

Pilot programmes would be trialled at Hopevale, Wujal Wujal and Aurukun communities on the Cape.

The communities would organise accounting systems using deductions, credit union links, matching of accounts with suppliers, such as for household goods, the community store and education providers; weekly payslip reporting to individuals; monthly budget reporting to families; resourcing people to advise and assist families in the management of budgets.

The families would enter contracts to maintain:

• a household account into which 10 per cent of income must be paid by automatic deduction
• an education account also equivalent to 10 per cent of income
• a voluntary loan account
• a voluntary store account

As well, some family member would be rostered each week to ensure healthy programmes were adhered to, and another roster would set out a family member who must assist at the school with education, and ensure children attended classes.

Related Story Communities call for open consultation

FAIRA Aboriginal Corporation
Phone +61 7 3391 4677 • Fax +61 7 3391 4551 • email letterbox@faira.org.au
Post Office Box 8402 Woolloongabba Q 4102 Australia
37 Balaclava Street Woolloongabba