The AES started in Moree in 1997 by cotton farmer Dick Estens AO, with the support of the Cotton Industry through the Gwydir Valley Cotton Growers Association. The AES grew out of one of the recommendations of the 1991 Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody to establish Aboriginal employment promotion committees nationwide.

The AES quickly grew to become an organisation which was making significant changes to Moree, positive changes for the town’s Aboriginal people. Due to the work of the AES Moree has gone from a town with a racist reputation to a leader in Reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

The AES expanded to Tamworth in 2003 and Dubbo in 2004. The successful expansion enabled the AES to further expand into Sydney in November 2005. We now have a significant footprint in NSW and have also expanded to QLD, NT, WA and VIC.