“Depending on what statistics you looked at, some claimed it was as high as 22 per cent,” he said.

Cr Vardon was mayor during this period and asked councillors to support an employment-training scheme to bolster employment opportunities for local people.

“The rate was extremely high,” he said, “so I also approached Minister Peter Reith, who was part of the Howard Government, to put money toward a scheme for unemployment that specifically targeted Aboriginal people.”

According to Cr Vardon, the scheme illustrated a commitment by Eurobdoalla Shire Council to finding employment solutions for local people.

He estimates that these days the region’s unemployment rate sits about level with national statistics.

“I know that the figures can vary according to where you get them from,” he said.