Brough backs NT Indigenous projects

Indigenous communities in Darwin have negotiated two Shared Responsibility Agreements (SRAs) to boost employment opportunities in the arts and land management.Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough today signed the $743,000 agreements with Larrakia Lyons and the Larrakia Nation Rangers.

“Indigenous communities in Darwin are to be applauded for taking responsibility for addressing issues they’ve identified through the Shared Responsibility Agreements,” Mr Brough said.

“SRAs are about the Government and Indigenous communities working directly together to reach agreements with clear responsibilities.”

He said the two projects delivered real opportunities for Indigenous Australians by creating employment opportunities for up to 15 people in the Northern Territory.

The Larrakia Lyons project will receive $606,245 from the Howard Government to boost employment and skills development for local Indigenous artists as part of a joint land management project in Lyons. As part of the project, the Jumbana Group and Larrakia Nation will run workshops at Darwin high school. Workshops will also be held for youths “at risk” at Palmerston Indigenous Village and Knuckey Lagoon.

“This project will help build the commercial Indigenous art business and broaden the employment prospects for young people in land management and cultural maintenance,” Mr Brough said.

In the second SRA, Larrakia Nation Rangers will receive $137,000 towards creating jobs and providing certificate-level training opportunities in land management for Indigenous people.

“The agreement builds on the Larrakia Nation’s already established land management enterprise, which has completed commercial contracts with the Airport Corporation and the Parks and Wildlife Commission.

Other contributors to the SRAs include: the Department of Communication, Information Technology and the Arts, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, and the Batchelor Institute.