23 May 2019

Jacquie Petrusma

2019-20 Budget: Investing in Tasmania’s Aboriginal communities

The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to our Reset agenda with the Tasmanian Aboriginal people, while investing to grow social, cultural and economic outcomes and to promote greater understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal culture.

To further support the Reset, the 2019-20 State Budget includes new funding of $542,000 across the forward estimates to support activities and initiatives that demonstrate that our commitment today to the Reset is as strong as ever.  This includes:

• $90,000 per annum to support greater involvement of Aboriginal communities in government decisions, consistent with the Statement of Intent between the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Alliance and the Tasmanian Government;
• New funding to support the Young Tasmanian Aboriginal Women Leader’s Awards to support emerging female leaders and to promote and advance career and academic pathways for Aboriginal girls.

Across Government we are also working to close the gap in inequalities experienced by Aboriginal people. This includes initiatives such as continued support for Aboriginal Tasmanian’s impacted by family violence, and permanent funding to support a coordinated approach to increase the number of Aboriginal people employed in the State Service.

There is also ongoing funding to enable the Cultural Management Group to continue its work with non-government Aboriginal organisations and other stakeholders on the management of cultural values, tourism and a program for Aboriginal Tasmanians to access important resources within the TWWHA, as well as for Aboriginal Trainee Rangers to work in our national parks and reserves.

This Government has a genuine desire to make a positive difference – a true difference that recognises a remarkable 40,000 plus years of Aboriginal heritage and culture, and one that points to a brighter future for Aboriginal Tasmanians.