Thu 23 December 2021:
The Australian government will pay Aboriginal people more than $1 million for a “racist” initiative.
The Community Development Programme is a “work for the dole” program that was expected to provide about 25 hours of work each week to 30,000 people.
Because they were only paid A$10 per hour, critics have labeled it “modern day slavery.” This is only half of the national minimum wage.
According to Damien McLean, president of the Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku, locals had to travel over 1,000 kilometers to the nearest centers to represent themselves at a welfare office.
They were also required to work double the hours of those in cities and were 25 times more likely to face penalties, the Australian National University found.
A group representing 680 people in ten Western Australian communities has filed a lawsuit against the government.
The council “represents the interests of around 2,000 Ngaanyatjarra, Pintupi, and Pitjantjatjara Traditional Owners (Yarnangu) who reside in the Ngaanyatjarra Communities” as per the court.
“For communities with high costs of living and high levels of poverty, it was very difficult, very stressful,” McLean said.
“That’s why we’re glad the commonwealth has had a good look at it and seen the problems it is causing,” he added.
The program began in 2015, and over 80% of those who benefited were Australian Aboriginals.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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