Senator Nick Sherry, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law, Mr Paul Clitheroe chairman of the Australian Financial Literacy Board and ASIC Commissioner Jeremy Cooper, will travel to Far North Queensland and the Northern Territory next week to hold a series of meetings with key Indigenous leaders and service providers on financial literacy.
"The Rudd Government wants to develop an understanding of the specific and differing needs of the Indigenous communities of Far North Queensland and the Northern Territory when it comes to developing our approach to financial literacy."
"This includes building relationships with key Indigenous leaders and stimulating frank and productive discussions on current programs and future directions."
"The Government has set a target of closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous employment within the next decade – and improving financial literacy is critical to achieving and sustaining that goal."
"Financially literate people also have far better chance of making sound financial decisions in a complex world," Minister Sherry said.
In Cairns, Minister Sherry, Mr Clitheroe and Mr Cooper will:
- meet with representatives of the Cape York Institute, Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships and Cape York Partnerships director Noel Pearson on financial literacy issues;
- visit Djarragun College to exchange views on existing financial literacy programs and their relevance to indigenous youth;
- meet with Cape York Partnership (CYP) representatives at Mossman Gorge to discuss a joint project between the Government, Westpac and the CYP, focusing on Family Income Management; and
- meet with Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network and Commonwealth Bank representatives to discuss their successful partnership.
In the Northern Territory, Minister Sherry, Mr Clitheroe and Mr Cooper will:
- travel to Groote Eyelandt, meet community leaders and visit the new traditional Credit Union with National Australia Bank Australian CEO, Mr Ahmed Fahour to discuss the success of the project;
- visit Elcho Island's Money Business Office, which supports money management and education partnerships between the Government and ANZ Bank; and
- visit financial counsellors at the Tangentyrre Council near Alice Springs to listen to their views on financial literacy issues.