Island calls for worker ‘ black card’

PALM Island mayor Alf Lacey has called for the creation of a “black card” that could assess whether or not fly- in fly- out white- collar workers were reducing the indigenous community’s poverty line.

Cr Lacey said there needed to be a “screening process” to determine what workers were achieving as the island was still suffering from high unemployment and societal issues.

It comes after Mount Isa MP Robbie Katter last week introduced legislation in State Parliament which would allow community justice groups in indigenous communities to grant blue cards to people who may have a criminal history.

Cr Lacey said if people were just coming to earn money and “pay off mortgages” it didn’t do the community any good. “If you’re going to come work here, we want to see some results,” he said. “Closing the Gap has got worse. If there’s $ 1 billion for indi- genous spending then what’s happening? If Robbie ( Katter) is trying to push the blue cards through, then let’s push it a step further.”

Mr Katter’s bill would create a framework that enabled a community justice group to approve the issue of a blue card even if the applicant had criminal offences. Anyone convicted of sex crimes would remain ineligible.

Cr Lacey said the move would be welcomed on Palm Island.

Mr Katter said there were many indigenous people in remote communities who were looking for work.

“Often the only work available are government jobs for which many need a blue card,” he said.

“Eighty per cent can’t access that on Palm Island so how does this situation improve?

“I came to realise that it was a system with the best intentions but wasn’t flexible enough for those Aboriginal communities.”

Mr Katter said he had been working on the bill for three to four years.