Boost to Indigenous Language Intrepreting

INDIGENOUS language interpreting services will be boosted with the extension of a national accreditation system.

The federal government has announced it will allocate $286,000 to National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).

The organisation will use the money to create testing materials in indigenous languages spoken in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.

This boost will see extra languages covered as well as para-professional interpreters step up to the next level to receive professional accreditation.

There are more than 500 interpreters in Australia who help Aboriginal people overcome language barriers because English is sometimes their second, third or even fourth language.

Many interpreters work with people interacting with the court and health systems.

A parliamentary inquiry on indigenous languages released its report in September recommending extra funds to improve accreditation.