Appropriate income support for Aboriginal Australians: options for the 1990s

Abstract

This paper focuses specifically on income support options for Aboriginal Australians, and an attempt is made, for analytical purposes, to isolate income from employment issues. Particular attention is paid to the Aboriginal Employment Development Policy (AEDP) and its goal of achieving income equality between Aboriginal and other Australians by the year 2000, while simultaneously reducing the extent of Aboriginal welfare dependence to levels commensurate with those for the total population. The paper analyses the entire range of income support options available to Aboriginal Australians (including the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) scheme); outlines the current income status of Aboriginal people; and lists a number of preconditions for appropriate income support. A range of issues and options for the 1990s are then canvassed, particularly in light of the introduction of the Active Employment Strategy from 1 July 1991 and the associated replacement of unemployment benefits with Job Search Allowance and Newstart. The paper concludes that income equality for Aboriginal Australians is unlikely by the year 2000; a move towards income equality and reduced welfare dependency will only occur if appropriate income support strategies are implemented.