Richard Farmer wrote in Tuesday’s Crikey about how the government is attempting to recruit its own own to CleanUp Aboriginal Australia:

The Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA) is putting the altruism of Canberra’s fat cat public servants to the test with an appeal for volunteers to spend up to a year living in a tent on the aboriginal lands the Commonwealth Government is about to take over.

The following email was sent to all DIAC staff in Australia and overseas on 26 June 2007 at 9:31AM.

Expressions of interest sought. Cons: less-than-luxury accommodation, families and spouses not welcome. Pro: higher pay.

Let’s hope the plan is more thorough than the spell check (It’s Yuendumu folks).

Subject: National emergency response to protect Aboriginal children in the NT [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Colleagues

The Secretary, Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, have asked me to forward this message to you.

National emergency response to protect Aboriginal children in the NT

Expressions of interest sort [sic] from SES and Executive staff

In response to the national emergency confronting the welfare of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory, expressions of interest are sought from suitable SES and Executive Level staff to undertake the challenging role of Administrators in remote communities.

Administrators in locations such as Yuendumi [sic] will be responsible for managing the provision of Australian Government services and supporting the implementation of the emergency response in the community.

Applicants should note that conditions, such as accommodation, will be basic. The Administrator roles are considered to be unaccompanied and as such families and spouses would not be accommodated, however, support for reunion visits will be provided.

It is anticipated that the positions would be of 12 months duration.

An attractive remuneration package is available, taking into consideration the demanding nature of the task involved and the isolation of the posting.

Successful applicants would be seconded to the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs for the period.

Andrew Metcalfe

Secretary