Six organisations across Leichhardt will receive a combined total of more than $3.5 million to deliver projects to improve the lives of First Australians living in Far North Queensland.
Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said the funding, through the Australian Government’s Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS) grant round includes:
- $1.33 million over three years for the Cooktown District Community Centre to deliver an Early Years’ learning and education programme to Indigenous children under 6 years of age in Cooktown, Hope Vale, Wujal Wujal, Laura, Coen, Lakeland and Ayton.
- $1.17 million over three years for Youth Empowered Towards Independence to develop a project that will reduce the supply of inhalants and improve support for young people at risk of engaging in volatiles substance misuse across the Far North region.
- $525,000 over four years for the Cairns Hockey Association’s Aspire To Be Deadly project to engage and empower Indigenous women and girls to become leaders, as well as improve their health, well-being, education and employment outcomes through physical activity.
- $300,000 over three years for two Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council projects that will enhance their current Family Support Services Project, and support employment within the licenced Lockhart River Remote Indigenous Broadcasting Service.
- $188,200 for Coen Kindergarten Association to regularly produce and distribute the Coen News; deliver a Kindergarten Project that will improve educational outcomes of pre-school aged Indigenous children; and increase student engagement in the Coen community.
- $80,000 over one year for Hope Vale Arts & Culture Centre to build a Youth Shed and implement a range of youth specific programmes.
The Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion said the Government’s investment through the IAS grant round had increased from $860 million to $1 billion, with 996 organisations to receive funding for over 1,350 projects throughout Australia.
“The increased investment through the grant round is the result of the Government honouring its commitment to provide longer funding agreements for important frontline services and ensure that any gaps that emerged as part of the round were filled as quickly as possible,” Minister Scullion said.
“This increased investment will help deliver on the Government’s key priorities of getting children to school and adults to work and making communities safer.”
Mr Entsch said the projects to be delivered by the six Leichhardt-based organisations would deliver demonstrable benefits for local First Australians.
“The IAS is a fresh approach to engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to achieve real results,” Mr Entsch said.
“It’s a way of the Government providing flexible, better-designed funding to meet the aspirations and priorities of individual communities.
“Together, we can achieve long-lasting results to close the gap on disadvantage and ensure all Australians have the same opportunities in life – whether they live in a capital city, or a community on Cape York.”
