Promise check: Scrap the Community Development Program

At the 2022 election, Labor promised to scrap the Community Development Program. Here's how that promise is tracking.

Community Development Programme Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation building

(Image by ABC News: Stephanie Zillman)

In opposition, then shadow minister for Indigenous affairs Linda Burney called for an end to the Community Development Program remote employment service, describing it as "broken and discriminatory".

"The Government's Community Development Program (CDP) is broken and needs to be completely abolished and replaced," she said in a 2020 press release.

The Community Development Program, administered by the National Indigenous Australians Agency, was established in 2015 under the former Coalition government.

Under the CDP, welfare participants in remote communities were required to engage in up to 25 hours of work for the dole per week, 52 weeks of the year, with some provisions for leave.

In 2021, the requirement to undertake work for the dole activities became voluntary; however, a number of other obligations, including attendance of regular appointments and job interviews, remained.

In its election policy platform, Labor pledged to "abolish the punitive Community Development Program" saying, it had "caused real harm to communities across the North".

According to the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at the Australian National University, in 2016 the CDP had approximately 35,000 participants.

Around 84 per cent of those participants were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, many living in remote communities.

The Coalition had also planned to end the CDP, announcing in the 2021-22 budget a replacement to be called the Remote Engagement Program.

Labor said the CDP would be replaced with a "new program … developed in partnership with First Nations People."

Assessing the promise

This promise will be fulfilled if the CDP is abolished by the end of Labor's first term.

Here's how the promise is tracking:

19 May 2023

More Promises

Promise check: Increase child care subsidy rates

Before the election, Labor promised to increase child care subsidies for all families earning up to $530,000, as well as extend the increased subsidies to outside school hours care. Here's how the promise is tracking.

Promise check: Legislate 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave

At the 2022 election, Labor promised to legislate 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave. Here's how the promise is tracking.

Promise check: Hold a referendum to constitutionally enshrine a Voice to Parliament in the first term

At the 2022 election, Labor promised to hold a referendum to constitutionally enshrine a Voice to Parliament in its first term. Here's how the promise is tracking.

Pharmacist holding medicine box and capsule pack in pharmacy drugstore.

Promise check: Reduce the maximum charge for PBS scripts by $12.50 from January 2023

At the 2022 election, Labor promised to reduce the maximum charge for PBS scripts by $12.50 from January 2023. Here's how that promise is tracking.

Load more +

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

More information

Promise check: Scrap the Community Development Program