National Interest

Fortescue Metals has made Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest one of Australia's richest men and Mr Forrest is throwing some of his millions at a problem that has little to do with infrastructure and exports: Aboriginal employment. The Australian Employment Covenant is an industry initiative which aims to get 50,000 indigenous Australians into permanent jobs. Fifteen major Australian companies have promised to offer positions under the scheme and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd this week committed the federal government to the Covenant. 50,000 jobs is an ambitious target - particularly now, as we brace for an economic downturn. And no-one is more aware of size of the challenge than Danny Lester, former CEO of the Aboriginal Employment Strategy, an organisation that has spent the past ten years working on this very challenge: getting indigenous Australians into jobs.

Australian Employment Covenant hotline: 1300 346325

Guests

Danny Lester
Head of Placement Services, Australian Employment Covenant

Further Information

Aboriginal Employment Strategy

Australian Employment Covenant

Presenter

Peter Mares

Producer

James Panichi

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