The good news came as federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin announced nearly $200,000 in funding for 30 Aboriginal trainee positions at the Dubbo abattoir.

Last year Fletchers, one of Dubbo’s biggest employers and the nation’s largest meat processor, became collateral damage in the almost decade-long drought.

The company slashed jobs and scaled back the abattoir’s operations to one shift a day.

“This week we’ll put on 17 new people so we’re in a situation where we’re actually out there actively employing,” general manager Farron Fletcher said yesterday.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to get back to a second shift soon because of the shortages in livestock but certainly we’re looking to employ people. We’d be very happy if we could pick up 13 Indigenous people immediately.”

The heir apparent to the meat processing empire confirmed he was committed to Aboriginal employment in the region.

“To be able to give people meaningful work, just to line up and be part of something I think is the biggest way to move forward,” he said.

Ms Macklin said Fletcher’s had shown commitment to employing Indigenous workers and she was “pleased to work with people, wherever they are, if they’re committed to taking Aboriginal people on”.

“This is a company that already has a significant (number of) Indigenous employees about 70 employees, around 10 per cent of their staff, so they’ve already demonstrated how important their commitment is to employing and training Aboriginal people,” she said.

The company’s outspoken owner, Roger Fletcher, has been a vocal critic of the government’s lack of enthusiasm for Get Real - a program designed to keep Aboriginal youth in school while they gain on the job experience.

Ms Macklin confirmed she had discussed the program with Mr Fletcher who has previously described Get Real as the “best thing in the world for kids”.

“We had a very good discussion last night here in Dubbo about this whole initiative which is to make sure that young people get, while they are still at school, on the job experience,” she said.

“I’m really keen to follow this up with him.”