Burswood in on indigenous plan

BURSWOOD Entertainment Complex has become the first major Western Australian employer to sign up to the Australian Employment Covenant, a scheme designed to provide 50,000 jobs for indigenous Australians.

Burswood plans to employ 100 indigenous Australians, while its parent company Crown Ltd aims to offer 300 positions in tourism and hospitality roles over the next two years.

AEC founder and Fortescue Metals Group chief executive, Andrew Forrest, announced the commitment this week.

Mr Forrest said despite the economic crisis, partners could ensure job security for the participants.

The three-way partnership between employees, employers and the federal government will provide $2.2 million in funding to Crown for training and employment.

Crown Melbourne human resources executive general manager Peter Coyne said while the company had partnerships with Swan and other Tafe sites, the company would take an active role in leading the partnership.

"We really uniquely need to lead this piece of work ourselves in partnership with AEC," he said.

"Traditionally we've turned to Tafe providers and relied on them for a model of training and employment, but this time we are going to be supported by them and build up our own model of training."

Federal Employment Participation Minister Brendan O'Connor said the indigenous unemployment rate was three times that of non-indigenous Australians.

"The damning facts as to why we need to increase employment for indigenous Australians speak for themselves," he said.

Despite previously criticising the federal government for a lack of support for the AEC, Mr Forrest praised Mr O'Conner's efforts.

"The minister is one of the first people in his position to really strongly acknowledge it," Mr Forrest said.