Latest news with #Maningrida
ABC News
3 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Suspected boat arrivals discovered in Arnhem Land
Samantha Donovan: Up to eight people have been detained by Border Protection Authorities after reaching a remote part of the Northern Territory coast by boat. They were found walking near the town of Maningrida, east of Darwin. The ABC understands they're Chinese nationals. Their arrival has set off another stoush between the government and opposition over border security. Andrew Green is the ABC's Defence Correspondent. Andrew, what can you tell us about these people who've arrived in Australia? Andrew Greene: These details have started emerging in perhaps the past 24 hours or so, but what we have established is that earlier this week on Tuesday, authorities in a remote part of the Northern Territory in Arnhem Land, around 500 kilometres east of Darwin, were alerted to the presence of a group of men believed to be from China who had made their way onto the Australian mainland in a very remote part of the northern coast of Australia. But they were detected and then apprehended by authorities. And then a day later, another two men, also believed to have come to Australia from China originally, were spotted by some local rangers and they too, we understand, are now in the custody of the Australian Border Force, but their precise location is not known. Samantha Donovan: Have the authorities had much to say about their arrival, Andrew? Andrew Greene: Following their usual course of action, they've said very little. In fact, in a statement, the Australian Border Force tells the ABC that it does not either confirm or deny operations or comment on them. But what we have established is that authorities are yet to locate a boat that may have taken these people to Australia. Now that points to a few things. It suggests that perhaps they were dropped off close to the mainland by perhaps even an Indonesian fishing vessel or by another party that's brought them to Australia. Apart from that though, very little known. We know that it's up to eight individuals who are, we believe most of them are from China, but that is of course not confirmed by the authorities. Samantha Donovan: And what's been the reaction from politicians? Andrew Greene: Well, the newly appointed Shadow Home Affairs Minister, Andrew Hastie, has said that this is another example of the underinvestment by the Albanese government in border protection. The fact that a boat carrying unauthorised arrivals had made it to the Australian mainland. And in response to that, the Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, took aim at his new opposition counterpart. And he said that two days into the job, Andrew Hastie had already helped the cause of people smugglers by making those comments. So while not officially commenting on whether the arrivals had happened at all, Tony Burke did take a swing at his opponent. Samantha Donovan: Andrew Greene is the ABC's Defence Correspondent.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
New remote jobs program to fund hundreds of roles in remote communities
After months of searching, Jason Wandji, 47 has just landed a job thanks to a unique career expo held — of all places — in the remote Northern Territory's tropical north. The Yolngu man from Milingimbi had been searching for work since moving to West Arnhem Land's largest regional hub, Maningrida, a year ago in search of a better lifestyle. But when he started applying for jobs nearby, he was told he would instead need to participate in the "work-for-the-dole" Community Development Program (CDP) first, to build his skills. "I struggled a bit — I asked when I was applying around looking for a job, [and] they told me they were all not available until I went to the CDP," he said. But when Mr Wandji renewed his job search at a careers expo held by the Bawinanga Homelands Aboriginal Corporation (BHAC) last week, it took him just three days to land a job. "I was excited, I just walked around looking at what is a good job for me," he said. "I went there, had a look and was applying for three jobs. Another one from Intract called me back." Mr Wandji financially supports a number of family members. He said the job offer had made him proud, and he was now thinking about further training opportunities, such as undertaking training at the NT's Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. Under the Closing the Gap agreement, the federal government has promised to raise the employment rate of First Nations people to 62 per cent by 2031. A 2021 Productivity Commission report showed the NT was the only jurisdiction that had gone backwards on progress towards that target. The latest census found 70 per cent of Maningrida's population was not even in the labour force, and of those who were, 46 per cent were unemployed. BHAC chief executive Kira Bourke said that was not for a lack of will. Ms Bourke said those barriers include cultural commitments and the competing priorities of managing families, healthcare and access to services in a remote area. But she said offering flexible work options could help. "It means helping someone to get to an appointment because someone lives across town or out of town, or encouraging someone to have the confidence to go from being able to fix things as a 'bush mechanic' to shadowing someone on the job," she said. The Maningrida jobs expo aimed to bring all local employers together under the tin roof of the community basketball court, to link up jobseekers with the full range of local organisations to discuss work options. "We live isolated enough — there's no reason to isolate ourselves more by not working together," Ms Bourke said. The expo was held ahead of the launch of 50 new jobs in Maningrida, which are being funded under the new Remote Jobs Economic Development Program from the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). The NIAA said 650 jobs had been approved under the program so far for remote communities across Australia, with 300 more continuing from a previous trial. It said 140 of those jobs were in the Arnhem region, "including jobs in construction, retail, IT support, administration, homelands maintenance, transport and cultural roles". The remote jobs program is part of an overhaul of the CDP system, through which employers will be funded to create real jobs within their organisations rather than work-for-the-dole activities. Communities have long criticised the CDP and called for more meaningful work, training and better pay. BHAC has been funded for several positions through the program, which the organisation plans to use to offer job-sharing arrangements for local jobseekers. "It encourages women back into the workforce, it encourages older people, it encourages people that have cultural commitments, family commitments or other barriers to employment," Ms Bourke said. She said she envisioned the Remote Aboriginal Employment Service, which will replace the CDP from November, would allow jobseekers such as Mr Wandji to improve their skills to move into the NIAA-funded jobs. "There will be a large activities component to that program, and that looks like getting people ready to go into jobs," she said.
