MAKING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES STRONG THOUGH SMALL BUSINESS

Making Families and Communities Strong Through Small Business Mara West, Honours Thesis, Murdoch University, 2007improved racism, cultural difference and geographic isolation would beovercome. It pointed out that:Low completion rates have considerably exacerbated Aboriginalemployment difficulties and have resulted in a relatively low number ofAboriginal people being able to go on to tertiary and further education(p197).2.2.3. In response to the Miller Report the Aboriginal Economic EmploymentDevelopment Policy (AEDP) was developed and launched in 1987. Allof the former ATSIC’s employment and economic developmentprograms were conducted under the AEDP. These included theTraining for Aboriginals Program, Community DevelopmentEmployment Projects and the Business Funding Scheme. The aim ofthe AEDP was to achieve Indigenous employment and income equity,in line with the wider Australian community, by the year 2000.2.2.4. In 1987 the Commonwealth, with the States and the Northern Territoryestablished the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.The Commission held a national inquiry into a number of issuesrelating to the deaths in custody of Indigenous Australians. In essenceit supported the findings of the Miller Report where it found Aboriginalpeople were educationally disadvantaged, unemployment was high andtheir welfare threatened by their social and economic status.There were 339 recommendations and all governments supported andcommitted to implement them, each were required to report on theimplementation of recommendations pertaining to their area such asjustice, housing and health.Recommendations 300 to 320 involved increasing economicopportunity for Aboriginal people. It identified several programs thathad been set up in response to RCIADIC such as:Aboriginal Resource Initiative (ARRI) program that assistedIndigenous peoples to participate in activities involving wild animalresources, rural development, bush tucker, value adding andemployment.Contract Employment Program for Aboriginals in Natural andCultural Resource Management (CEPANCRM) program wasconducted through the former Australian Nature ConservationAgency (ANCA) to encourage Indigenous peoples to participate innatural and cultural heritage management.Cultural, Rural and Tourism Industry Strategies program wasinitiated to strengthen Indigenous peoples participation in thepastoral/rural industries and tourism.Community Economic Initiatives Scheme program assistedIndigenous peoples to contribute to economic growth through theestablishment of income generating activities.Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) was set upto create a range of employment opportunities for Indigenouspeoples in areas where there is no or very limited employmentprospects.11