Aurukun Mayor aiming for zero unemployment despite the failure of bauxite project

The Mayor of the Aurukun Aboriginal community on far north Queensland's Cape York says he is aiming for zero unemployment in his community, despite a major bauxite proposal falling over.

The State Government last month announced neither proponent short-listed to develop the Aurukun bauxite resource was suitable and the process would be suspended.

Aurukun Mayor Dereck Walpo says it is time for his community to move on from the Cape York Welfare Reform Trial, which has been running since 2008.

"We are looking at trying to engage with the kids that are in boarding schools now and offering them the opportunities for when they come home to do part-time work across the board, not only with council but through other organisations as well, and it's giving them the opportunity as well because there was a lot of kids in the past that missed out on employment," he said.

He says while welfare dependency is likely to continue as a result of the Aurukun bauxite lease not being granted, it does not mean the trial should continue.

"I think they've done all they could and it's about time, that the old saying goes you can only stick around and when you start to crawl and then you walk and then you run that's when you back away, so that time has come for the community I suppose to stand on its own two feet," he said.

The Federal Government has committed to funding income management as part of the trial until the end of next year but State Government funding runs out at the end of 2014.