Aboriginal Employment

Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) is committed to increasing the diversity of our workforce. Increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment is important on a number of levels including:

Strengthening our commitment to reduce unemployment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Demonstrate our support and respect for Aboriginal cultural values in the workplace by delivering programs to increase cultural understanding and respect
Finding ways to overcome employment and retention barriers

HNELHD plans and implements diversity initiatives to take positive steps to address continued disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the workplace. HNELHD employs over 900 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Overcoming employment and retention barriers has many challenges and we have implemented a number of strategies to achieve sustainable employment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the public sector.

Increasing employment opportunities for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people within HNELHD is about broadening the diversity of the workforce so that public sector staffing reflects the people we serve and provides new ideas and fresh perspectives to the way Government works.

Artwork above: A Brighter Future for All by Ron Potter 2007
Commissioned by HNELHD

For questions regarding Aboriginal Employment, please contact the Manager of Aboriginal Employment, Sarah Maybury at Sarah.Maybury@health.nsw.gov.au

Why does Hunter New England Health have Targeted Positions?

Anti-discrimination Law recognises that because of past discrimination, some groups will not have equal employment opportunity. HNELHD is committed to ensuring that we level the playing field to facilitate the employment of people belonging to groups designated as disadvantaged. As such, a targeted position is a process for filling mainstream positions using tailored advertising and recruitment strategies to maximise applications from a particular group within the community i.e.: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Why are we Committed to Aboriginal Employment?

Increasing employment opportunities for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people with HNELHD is about improving social and economic justice and improving the lives of Aboriginal people, their families and communities. By doing so, HNELHD is positively contributing to the Government's Agenda of Closing the Gap in health and employment outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Aboriginal people make up 3.4% of the NSW population and 7.5% of the Hunter New England population. HNELHD provides health services to 24% of the NSW Aboriginal population. The NSW Government expectation is for HNELHD to provide an Aboriginal workforce of 6%. At present, Aboriginal employees represent 5.33% of the total HNELHD workforce.

Aboriginal employment remains a strategic priority for HNELHD and we have coordinated and launched many Aboriginal Employment Strategies over the past 14 years. The new Aboriginal Employment Strategy 2021 – 2025 is currently being implemented.

Good Health Great Jobs: 2021-2025 Aboriginal Employment Strategy

Hunter New England Local Health District is working towards increasing the number and proportion of Aboriginal people working across all health professions by utilising various recruitment and retention strategies including implementing the actions listed within the four priorities.

2021-2025 Aboriginal Employment Strategy

Helpful Resources

SteppingUp aims to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander job applicants understand how to apply for roles within NSW Health by clarifying the recruitment process and addresses some of the challenges that can be experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants so they can more effectively apply for roles within NSW Health.

Confirmation of Aboriginality

Communicating positively - A guide to appropriate Aboriginal terminology

Acknowledgement of Country

We would like to Acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Nations within Hunter New England Local Health District and pay our respects to Elders, past, present and emerging.

We acknowledge the significant place that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples hold in Australia, as the first Peoples of this Nation.

We ask all those that walk, work and live on traditional Aboriginal lands to be respectful of culture and traditions.