THE CDEP SCHEME: ADMINISTRATIVE AND POLICY ISSUES¹

Abstract

As with all CAEPR publications, the views expressed in this DISCUSSION PAPER are those of the author(s) and do not reflect an official CAEPR position.

Do Fluctuations in the Australian Macroeconomy Influence Aboriginal Employment Status?

“…First, irrespective of how successful the CDEP scheme might be as a stand alone program with both employment creation and community development goals (see Altman and Sanders, 1991b), it also has to be assessed as the major component of the AEDP. For while the AEDP may have operated to dampen the impact of the current recession on the Aboriginal labour force, there is little evidence that it is achieving its major structural employment goal.…”

“…However, the CES uses a somewhat broader definition of unemployment to the ABS and subsequently CES registered unemployed consistently exceed the number of unemployed in the C e n s~s .~ For example, at 30 June 1986, 23,409 Aboriginal people were classified as unemployed in the Census compared with 29,231 registered as unemployed by the CES in September 1986. For a fuller discussion of this issue see Altman and Sanders (1991b). increased 35% there is a possibility that officially defined Aboriginal unemployment remained fairly constant and may even have declined. An additional complication is that Aboriginal participation in the CDEP scheme grew rapidly in this 12 month period, from 13,800 to 18,266 participants.…”

Just a jobs program? CDEP employment and community development on the NSW far south coast

“…As in remote locations, the non-remote CDEPs had a variety of functions including income support, enterprise development, employment creation, cultural production, institutional and financial support for self-management and investment in community infrastructure and equipment (see, for example, Australian Government 1987b;Altman & Sanders 1991;Altman & Smith 1993;Rowse 2002: 67;Smith 1995). However, as Chapter 2 identified, characterisations of the scheme changed dramatically during those 20 years, from a focus on supporting these multiple aspects of Indigenous social and economic development to a principal focus on transitioning participants into non-CDEP jobs.…”

“…Despite these mostly favourable reviews, concerns were raised relatively early on that CDEP could function to create a 'second' labour market in CDEP jobs while potentially institutionalising exclusion from mainstream employment (see, for example, Altman & Sanders 1991;Altman & Smith 1993). This was seen as problematic because, it was argued, jobs in the conventional labour market could better provide opportunities for higher wages and overcoming material poverty (Smith 1993).…”

How Important Is the Welfare System as a Source of Income for Indigenous People

“…This probably reflects the shorter life expectancy of Aboriginal women." and a series of state-based reports by Thompson and Briscoe (1991a, 1991b. These differences are particularly interesting in light of the literature which discusses the incorporation of Aboriginal people into the Australian welfare system (see Sanders, 1985Sanders, ,1987Altman and Sanders, 1991a).…”