Captain Brad Willis, Australian Army

Humanitarian Engineering in Indigenous Australia:

The Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program

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 2010-

2014

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