$1 million to support warriors of two worlds

Joint Media Release

The Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP

Minister for Indigenous Australians

Member for Hasluck

The Hon Warren Entsch MP

Member for Leichhardt

The Morrison Government is continuing to invest in programs that deliver training and employment outcomes for Indigenous people living in remote areas by providing $1 million to Kapani Warriors to refresh their equipment and improve their training offering.

Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP, said Kapani Warriors connects Australian Defence Force veterans with Indigenous job seekers and creates a constructive and supportive environment for both the trainers and participants.

"The Kapani Warriors Program does more than support job-ready skills. It ultimately supports families thrive and communities be safer, healthier and more resilient—a key priority of the Morrison Government."

The Kapani Warriors Program does this by addressing the roots of incarceration—aggression, substance abuse, trauma and poor impulse control—and preparing participants to embrace opportunities in life by providing practical and relevant employment skills.

It's a program that empowers individuals to address challenging social problems and improve their own economic potential.

Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said the program has yielded outstanding rates of success across a number of remote Queensland communities.

"It's also led to valuable employment opportunities for participants, including with defence, the SES and local and regional employers," Mr Entsch said.

"The program showcases the value two worlds can offer each other and the rewards available to both sides.

"I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Dr White and his dedicated team for the amazing work that they're doing.

"They are literally saving lives and changing lives."

Kapani mentors — aka Defence force veterans — share their knowledge and skills and help prepare people for the workforce.

Beyond the technical training, Kapani mentors also work with participants on life skills, including self-management behaviours and strategies to de-escalate stressful situations.

Minister Wyatt said, "The warrior program provides a journey to an independent future, where individuals are empowered to provide for and protect their families and communities."

"This funding will help Kapani to continue their highly successful program, allowing them to replace ageing equipment and provide facilities so that their training is matched to current needs in the mining sector.

Operations Director Kapani, Tim White said, "Over the past few years, Kapani has worked closely with the Aurukun community and key employment partners to develop pathways to real jobs. The ability to create and sustain long-term employment is significantly enhanced by assistance to access quality modern machinery that meets current mining and occupational standards. This investment from the Federal Government enables us to help jobs starters acquire skills making them competitive in the market, and support them to go on to lead the future in Cape York."