The Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) began in the late 1970’s with senior elders at Barunga, in the NT, expressing their concerns at the negative impacts on young people gaining access to unemployment benefits (“sit-down money”) for the first time.  Those elders wanted a program that would require people to work for their payments and be a stepping stone to jobs.

Prior to 1 July 2007, there were approximately 8,000 people in the NT participating in the Community Development Employment Program.

While outcomes were variable, this program provided an opportunity for individuals to develop work skills, and communities to be supported with services that may not otherwise have been provided.

Following the intervention announced on 21 June 2007, the previous Australian Government proceeded to progressively close down CDEP throughout the Northern Territory with the stated aim of permitting income management.

The new Australian Government suspended the unfinished program of CDEP closures and announced it will reform and replace CDEP with an improved version. On April 30 the Australian Government announced that it will reinstate those CDEP’s closed by the former government and continue with the CDEP program in its current form until new measures are put in place in July 2009.

The Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the Hon Jenny Macklin MP invited the Northern Territory Government to provide views on what a new CDEP scheme should look like.

In March 2008 the Northern Territory Government released a Discussion Paper to assist communities, individuals and interested stakeholders to have input into this process. Submissions closed on 22 April 2008.

The Northern Territory Government is currently considering these submissions as part of its ongoing policy formulation on CDEP.