the army aboriginal community assistance program
DESCRIPTION
Presentation delivered at the Year of Humanitarian Engineering Workshop in Darwin, 3 November 2011. Presented by Captain Brad WillisTRANSCRIPT
Captain Brad Willis, Australian Army
Humanitarian Engineering in Indigenous Australia:
The Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program
Me
You?
History • More than 400 Indigenous Australians fought in
WWI • 1967 Referendum – equality to be recognised • 1981 – Regional Force Surveillance Units raised • 1991 – Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation • 1992 – Mabo Day • 2000 – Est of Reconciliation Australia • 2006 – Reconciliation Action Plan Program • 2008 – Formal apology by PM Kevin Rudd • 2008 – Closing the Gap initiatives
Defence Indigenous Support
• 1997 – AACAP • 2007 – ADF Indigenous Employment
Strategy • 2009 – Defence Indigenous Development
Program • 2010 – Army Indigenous Strategy
(formalised) • 2010 – Defence Reconciliation Plan 2010-
2014
AACAP • 23 Oct 1996 – Council met with PM • Sen John Herron – MP for ATSIA
suggested Army resources • 5 Nov – MPs for ATSIA, Dept Health and
Family Services and Defence met with the PM
• 14 Nov – Sen Herron announced the tripartite initiative of the ATSIC-Army Community Assistance Program – AACAP
AACAP - cont
• 15th iteration nearly complete • Over 36 communities effected • $97M in cash + Defence resources and
salaries • 2012 in detailed planning • 2013 planning commenced
Initial focus:
• Housing: – reduce occupancy rates, – improve the quality of living conditions, and – providing Indigenous Australians first time
access to a house.
expanded to: • critical infrastructure to improve the
wellbeing of marginalized communities: – airfields – improved roads and causeways – health clinics – administration buildings
– rubbish tips – subdivisions – education facilities – childcare facilities – infrastructure to support economic growth
Now includes:
• Health effect • Training effect • Cultural Awareness Training • Integration of RFSUs • Tonga and PNG participation
Annual Commitment
• Over 200 personnel – Engineers – Tradesmen – Vet – Dental – Health – Trainers/educators – RFSU – Signallers – Logistics – Physical trainers
• 4-8 Months • Field conditions • Road deployment of
approx 100 vehicles • Visit by Indigenous
celebrities
‘Closing the Gap’
• Early childhood • Schooling • Health • Economic participation • Healthy home • Safe communities • Governance and leadership
What have we learnt?
• Understanding the client needs and culture
• Giving = immediate effect • Training = lasting effect Success through partnership and mentoring
– instilling a sense of pride...
What can the engineering profession do?
• Jack Thompson Foundation
• Parsons Brinckerhoff – solar desalination • EWB
Maybe:
• Improved cultural understanding • Knowledge and skills transfer – mentoring • Employment opportunities • Less ‘giving’
Captain Brad Willis, Australian Army