Race to decide jobs

Aboriginal Victorians will be guaranteed 118 public sector jobs after two government departments won the right to hire based on race.

 VCAT has approved the Human Services and Health departments to advertise job positions exclusively for indigenous applicants.

The decision is part of a State Government plan to get more Aboriginal workers into the public service.

VCAT Deputy President Cate McKenzie found indigenous people were at a clear disadvantage compared with other Victorians and should be assisted with employment.

"There is possible race discrimination involved here," she said in her findings.

"(But) in my view there is a stronger and overriding public interest that would ... make the exemption appropriate."

Liberal state MP Bernie Finn said the "outrageous" move was a form of discrimination.

"When applying for a job, the colour of your skin should not come into it," he said. "We have heard for years that racial discrimination is wrong - now we have the Government doing it.

"We might as well change the name of Victoria to PC Central."

Monash University Australian historian Bruce Knox said special treatment for Aborigines was populist and unnecessary.

"It certainly is part of an intellectualist view that is very widespread at the moment," he said.

The Department of Health defended the plan, saying VCAT made the right decision.

"The public sector can show leadership and directly improve the economic circumstances of Aboriginal Victorians," spokesman Bram Alexander said.

sThe 118 positions across both departments include Victorian Public Service pay grades one to six, meaning salaries will range from $36,035 to $121,495.

Indigenous lecturer Rebecca Garrett-Magee of Victoria University's Moondani Balluk Academic Unit said indigenous Victorians should get special treatment because of disadvantage.

"They have unique needs that go along with that," she said.

"Aboriginal people are more disadvantaged than any other group, generally."

Health minister Daniel Andrews declined to comment on the plan, referring it to Aboriginal Affairs Minister Richard Wynne.

"It is disgraceful that a member of Ted Baillieu's Liberal Party would attack our indigenous community and oppose our efforts to create a fairer Victoria," Mr Wynne said.

"There is a massive gap in employment opportunities for Aboriginal people in this state and we make no apology for our strategy that commits to help more Indigenous people access jobs."

Shadow Indigenous Minister Jeanette Powell said the Government's reliance on special exemptions showed a failure to provide opportunities for indigenous Victorians over the past eleven years.

The departments have won the exemption from the Equal Opportunity Act, which prohibits hiring based on race.