2.6 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples Employment

1. Australian Catholic University has a long-standing commitment to full participation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in higher education. The University will implement the Towards 2033 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Plan. The University will maintain and increase the number of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees who are employed by the University to 77 FTE (excluding casual employees) or 3.2% of the workforce during the nominal life of the Agreement. This increase is benchmarked from the 31.8 FTE Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples (excluding casual employees) employed by the University in March 2025.

2. Strategies will include increasing the participation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples:

   1. in academic positions; and

   2. in classifications that reflect the broader employee profile of the University.

Increasing and enhancing employment opportunities for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples

3. The University aims to be an employer of choice for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. The University will strive to provide Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees with an environment that supports and nurtures their careers and provide further strategies to achieve these aims and more in the Towards 2033 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Plan.

4. As part of its commitment to increase the number of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees as outlined in sub-clause 2.6(a), the University will increase the number of identified positions for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees from 30 to 40. Identified positions will be continuing and will be at classifications that reflect the broader employee profile of the University.

5. Students who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, and who are accepted into or enrolled in ACU Research Higher Degree Programs in either a Master of Philosophy or Doctor of Philosophy, will be offered employment with the University under the following conditions:

   1. fixed-term employment as an academic in their relevant discipline, in accordance with the fixed term category in sub-clause 2.3(c)(vi) (subsidiary to studentship). The level of the appointment will normally be as a Level A Academic but appointment at a higher level may be offered by the University commensurate with experience and credentials and in accordance with the classification standards of this Agreement;

   2. the period of the appointment will be aligned to their enrolment and anticipated completion up to a maximum of six (6) years;

   3. full-time employment for a part-time student or up to 50% part-time employment for a full-time student. A student (employee) may request, and the University will not unreasonably refuse, changes to their employment fraction during their employment;

   4. the Academic Career Pathway applicable to the appointment will be in accordance with sub-clause 4.2(g). A student (employee) may request, and the University will not unreasonably refuse, a variation of their Academic Career Pathway during their employment;

   5. the workload allocation for the student (employee) will include teaching, research and service provided that adequate and appropriate workload is allocated towards supporting completion of the Higher Degree Program;

   6. the student (employee) may be supported to undertake the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education at the expense of the University, where requested by the University, however, completion of the program will not be a requirement to achieve probation or further employment in accordance with sub-clause 2.6(e)(vii); and

   7. following satisfactory progress or successful completion of the research higher degree during the fixed-term appointment and subject to satisfactory performance, the employee will be offered full-time continuing employment as a teaching and research academic. The University may, at its discretion, offer the employee continuing employment at any time while they are a student.

6. The Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Graduate Program will continue to operate to provide employment experience in professional employee positions.

7. The University will report at least annually to the ACUSCC on the number of employees engaged under sub-clause 2.6(a) (in accordance with sub-clause 1.11(d) of the Agreement).

Providing Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees with a welcoming and culturally inclusive workplace

8. The University will include Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness training as a component of the University’s compulsory induction program for new employees.

9. During the life of the Agreement, the University will take reasonable steps to arrange for all employees who have not previously completed the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness training, to participate in the training. Employees will be encouraged to reattend this training every twenty-four (24) months.

10. The University will also provide ongoing, specialised training opportunities which would support employees to apply and incorporate Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples’ perspectives and knowledge in their roles.

11. Cultural or ceremonial duties performed by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees for or on behalf of the University are recognised as important contributions. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees may be employed in roles which include such activities as part of their role. Other Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees may be invited and/or wish to contribute to such activities in addition to their role. In the latter case, the employee will seek the agreement of their supervisor, and will be provided with time release, to perform such agreed activities.

12. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees are entitled to utilise Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples Cultural and Ceremonial Leave for the purposes of attending to cultural and/or ceremonial obligations in accordance with clause 5.8 of this Agreement. Where the purpose of the leave is not consistent with the purpose of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples Cultural and Ceremonial Leave or Community Service Leave and/or Personal Leave is exhausted, an employee member may apply for paid Extraordinary Leave in accordance with clause 5.12.

13. In recognition of the increased effectiveness and productivity of employees proficient in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people’s languages, continuing and fixed-term employees who are required to use these languages in the course of their employment will be paid an allowance in accordance with the rates specified in Schedule 3. These language allowances are not pro-rated for part-time employees.

14. For the purpose of this clause ‘Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people’s language’ means a recognised proficiency in any one of the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples languages.

15. These language allowances will be updated in accordance with the general percentage increases in salaries as set out in clause 3.3.