$30 million to deliver remote training hubs to First Nations peoples in Central Australia

The Albanese Labor Government is improving access to education, training and employment in the Northern Territory with a $30 million boost over five years to deliver a Remote Training Hubs Network to First Nations people in Central Australia.

The Remote Training Hubs Network will help Central Australian First Nations people access on-Country vocational education and training that meets community needs and leads to local, sustainable jobs.

Up to seven remote training hubs will be established as part of the network to help First Nations people to access training in the skills they need.

The first two hubs will be established in the communities of Yuendumu and Ntaria, subject to ongoing community workforce planning and engagement.

Work will only proceed at these locations following detailed and genuine engagement with communities, and once they are comfortable the initiative will meet their specific needs.

The initiative follows community consultations undertaken by Commonwealth officials, the Northern Territory Government and the Office of the Central Australia Regional Controller and responds to advice from the Central Australia Plan Aboriginal Leadership Group.

The hubs are part of a wider $250 million investment in the Albanese Government’s plan for ‘A Better, Safer Future for Central Australia’.

The hubs support two of the six action areas identified under the Central Australia Plan - job creation and on-Country learning.

Off-Country training is often hundreds of kilometres and hours away from home and is not always feasible for First Nations people living in remote and very remote areas.

The hubs’ design and training offerings will be informed by place-based, aspirational 5-year workforce plans developed with communities.

Mentors and community advisors will be engaged to support the hubs and community members to help realise community aspirations for jobs and enterprise development.

The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, National Indigenous Australians Agency and Northern Territory Government will work with Central Australian communities to establish the hubs.

This approach differs from historical top-down models. Instead, it aligns with a clear message from community consultations that these responses must be designed and done ‘with’, rather than ‘to’, communities.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Skills and Training, the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP:

“I’d like to thank the Aboriginal Leadership Group for working with us and advising on the design of the hubs.

“All Australians have a right to education, training and employment. It is our responsibility to ensure that accessibility and quality is not limited to those living in larger, more developed parts of the country.

“Over the years, there have been many strategies to achieve access and equity in education and training for rural and regional Australia. Despite efforts based on expertise, goodwill and a spirit of cooperation, past promises have not always lived up to the rhetoric.

"This partnership in consultation with the National Indigenous Australians Agency, the Central Australia Plan Aboriginal Leadership Group and the Northern Territory Government places the needs of this community first to obtain the skills to participate and prosper in the modern economy.

“This is an on-the-ground example of our Government’s commitment to ensure no one is left behind and no one is held back.”

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Linda Burney MP:

“People living in remote communities have had limited access to training and employment opportunities. This will be a changer.

“The Remote Training Hubs Network will give people access to on-Country vocational education, creating pathways to local jobs.”

Quotes attributable to the Member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour MP:

“For people in our communities, centres like these will improve literacy and work skills.

“These centres will make people work ready and help them actively participate in local industries.”