The Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program

Humanitarian Engineering in Indigenous Australia:

The Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program Captain Brad Willis, Australian Army

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 20102014

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