ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
ABARE survey of
indigenous people in mining
Survey conducted for an ABARE research project
funded by the Commonwealth Department of
Industry, Tourism and Resources
ABARE project 2678
For office use only
Date received:
Mine site name:
Mine site identifier:
14 April 2003
Commonwealth Government Statistical Clearing House Approval Number ?????-??
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ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
Contents
1.
2.
Background
3
Working in partnership program
Scope of the ABARE survey
Key ABARE contacts
3
3
4
Questionnaire
5
Mine site location, production and employment
Indigenous education, occupation and income
Mine site and discrete indigenous communities
Policy issues
Commonwealth Government Statistical Clearing House Approval Number ?????-??
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5
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ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
Background
ABARE is conducting a survey of indigenous people in mining, on behalf of the
Commonwealth Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources (DITR), to collect
information on indigenous employment and economic linkages between mine sites and
discrete indigenous communities. The information collected from this survey will be used to
support the Commonwealth government’s mining industry/indigenous communities regional
partnership program – known as the ‘working in partnership’ program.
Working in partnership program
On 3 August 2001, the Commonwealth government launched the working in partnership
program to promote long term partnerships between indigenous communities and the
exploration and mining industry. The program was allocated funding of $1.2 million over four
years, and is designed to build on current efforts of the mining industry and indigenous
communities to improve cooperative relationships.
This program forms part of the Commonwealth government’s commitment to increase
economic opportunities for indigenous Australians in rural and regional areas, and also
complements the broad government agenda of support for economic independence and
increased job opportunities. It is strongly supported by indigenous representatives, industry,
and relevant government departments.
More information on the working in partnership program is available on the DITR website,
www.industry.gov.au/indigenouspartnerships. Alternatively, you can contact either Lisa
Melville (Ph: 02 6213 7266) or Clare McIntosh (Ph: 02 6213 7189) for further information.
Scope of the ABARE survey
A major role of the ABARE survey is to assess the current relationship between the mining
industry and local indigenous communities from a mining industry perspective. The survey
will collect information at the mine site or oil/gas field level (referred to as ‘mine site’ in
the questionnaire), including any onsite processing and contracting.
In this study, an indigenous person is defined as a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as
such by the community in which he or she lives.
The ABARE survey is voluntary. However, the survey is a key mechanism by which the
Commonwealth government will obtain important economic and policy information, and we
would greatly appreciate your participation. The survey will highlight the economic benefits
of mining operations to indigenous people, particularly in remote areas.
The survey results will be included in an ABARE research report due to be released in mid
2003. The survey results will not be published or released in a form that will identify
individuals or mine sites. For more information about ABARE, please refer to our website
www.abareconomics.com.
Commonwealth Government Statistical Clearing House Approval Number ?????-??
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ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
Key ABARE contacts
Please return the completed questionnaire, preferably by email, by Wednesday 23 April
2003 to:
Marat Fainstein
Australian Minerals Economics Section, ABARE
Telephone:
Email:
Fax:
Postal address:
02 6272 2052
minesites.project@abare.gov.au
1800 636 275 (toll free)
GPO Box 1563, Canberra ACT 2601
The completed questionnaire may also be returned by fax or post. Any queries regarding the
survey may be directed to Marat Fainstein or Leanna Tedesco (telephone: 02 6272 2295). If
Marat and Leanna are unavailable, queries may also be directed to Lindsay Hogan (telephone:
02 6272 2034).
Commonwealth Government Statistical Clearing House Approval Number ?????-??
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ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
Questionnaire
Mine site name:
Managing company:
Contact person:
Job title:
Telephone:
Email:
Fax:
Postal address:
Please note that all questions refer to information at the mine site or oil/gas field level
(referred to as ‘mine site’), including any onsite processing and contracting.
Mine site location, production and employment
Q1. Please provide the following location information for the mine site.
(a)
(b)
(c)
______
______
______
State/territory
Longitude (degrees, minutes)
Latitude (degrees, minutes)
Q2. What were the main minerals produced at the mine site in 2001-02?
Please list in the following table.
Mineral resource
Quantity produced (include units)
1.
2.
3.
If zero mineral production in 2001-02, please go to the final question (Q21).
Q3. What date did mineral production commence at the mine site?
month/year
______
Q4. In 2001-02, what proportion of the workforce at your mine site was employed based on
long distance commuting (including for example fly-in/fly-out, and drive-in/drive-out)?
Please select from the following: 0%, 1–25%, 26–50%, 51–75%, or 76–100%.
% range
______
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ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
Q5. What was indigenous and total employment at the mine site as at 30 June 2002?
Please provide details as indicated in the following table.
Full time
no. of persons
Part time
no. of persons
no. of person years a
Total workforce
Male
Female
Total workforce
Indigenous
Male
Female
Total indigenous
a
The full time equivalent of part time employees. For example, 2 people employed half time (that is,
0.5 years each) is equivalent to 1 person year.
Indigenous education, occupation and income
Q6. What was the highest education level of indigenous employees at the mine site as at
30 June 2002? Please provide information in the table below.
Full time
Part time
no. of persons
no. of persons
Completed university, other tertiary
Completed trade apprenticeship,
technical, vocational
Completed secondary school
Attended or completed 1–4 years of
secondary school
Attended or completed primary
school
No formal education
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ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
Q7. What were the occupations of indigenous employees at the mine site as at 30 June
2002? Please provide information in the table below.
Full time
Part time
no. of persons
no. of persons
Intermediate production and
transport workers
Tradespersons and related workers
Professionals
Associate professionals
Labourers and related workers
Clerical, sales and service workers
Managers and administrators
Q8. Please provide labour market information for indigenous employees at the mine site as
at 30 June 2002 as indicated in the table below.
Unit
Part time
$
Average annual wages and salaries
Average hours worked per week
Full time
no. of hours
Age
under 25 years
no. of persons
between 25 and 45 years
no. of persons
over 45 years
no. of persons
Average age
no. of years
Number of years worked at mine site
under 1 year
no. of persons
between 1 and 5 years
no. of persons
over 5 years
no. of persons
Average number of years worked
at mine site
no. of years
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ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
Q9. Does the mine site have specific education and training programs for indigenous
employees?
Y/N ______
If yes, please provide information on the programs utilised by indigenous employees at
the mine site in 2001-02.
(a)
(b)
no. of persons ______
$ cost ______
Number of indigenous people
Total cost of program
Mine site and discrete indigenous communities
The extent to which mining operations provide economic opportunities to local or regional
indigenous communities is an important consideration in the ABARE study.
Q10. Is the mine site located in the vicinity of one or more discrete indigenous communities?
Y/N
______
If no, please go to question 18 in the policy issues section.
Q11. In 2001-02, what proportion of the indigenous workforce at your mine site resided in a
local/regional discrete indigenous community?
Please select from the following: 0%, 1–25%, 26–50%, 51–75%, or 76–100%.
% range
______
Q12. In 2001-02, what proportion of these indigenous employees at your mine site was
employed on the basis of long distance commuting (including for example fly-in/flyout, and drive-in/drive-out)?
Please select from the following: 0%, 1–25%, 26–50%, 51–75%, or 76–100%.
% range
______
Q13. What is the total number of agreements your mine site has had with local/regional
indigenous people?
(a)
(b)
At the exploration stage (including land access)
At the mining stage
______
______
The following questions ask for a number based on the following scale:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Not important or not applicable
Of minor importance
Fairly important
Important
Very important
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ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
Q14. Using the above scale, please indicate the importance of the following education and
training programs utilised by indigenous employees at the mine site.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
Financial and/or other support to complete secondary education
Financial and/or other support to complete trade apprenticeship,
technical or vocational education
Financial and/or other support to complete university or other
tertiary education
Mine familiarisation courses for new entrants to the industry
Mentoring scheme
Workplace literacy and numeracy courses
On the job training
Other (please specify)
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
Q15. Using the above scale, please indicate the importance of the following aspects as they
relate to the mine site’s contribution to local/regional indigenous communities.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)
(l)
(m)
(n)
(o)
Compensation payments (including direct payments,
royalty payments, community trust funds)
Supporting cultural heritage surveys as part of land access
arrangements
Higher income earning opportunities through direct employment
at the mine site
Human capital development through learning by doing
(or work experience)
Human capital development through education and training
opportunities
Sourcing inputs from indigenous small businesses
Providing assistance to indigenous small businesses (start-up
and/or operating phases)
Providing indigenous people with greater choice in consumer
goods and services (aspects may include lower prices, better
quality or increased range of consumer items)
Investing in economic and/or social infrastructure that provide
services for indigenous people
Providing assistance to community development programs
Providing assistance to cultural programs
Providing assistance to environmental programs
Facilitating communication between indigenous communities and
government (for example, by providing information on
state/territory or Commonwealth programs and services)
Investing in goodwill between the mine site and local/regional
indigenous communities
Other (please specify)
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
______
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ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
Q16. Please provide an estimate of total indigenous development expenditure for
local/regional discrete indigenous communities in 2001-02.
$ cost ______
Policy issues
Q17. Please comment on the following programs as they relate to indigenous employment
and community issues relevant to the mine site.
Are you
Do you
aware of access any
these
of these
programs? programs?
Y/N
Y/N
Comments for each program
(such as strengths, weaknesses,
suggestions for improvements)
Brief response
Community Development
Employment Projects (CDEP)
National Indigenous
Cadetship Project
Corporate Leaders for
Indigenous Employment
Structured Training and
Employment Projects (STEP)
Foundation for Regional and
Rural Renewal
State/territory indigenous
programs
Other (please specify)
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ABARE SURVEY OF MINE SITES
Q18. Are there any impediments to your mine site employing more indigenous people?
If so, please provide some brief comments outlining these issues.
Q19. What do you think are the major issues that should be considered as part of the
Commonwealth government’s working in partnership program (outlined in the
background section on page 3)?
Q20. Please provide an estimate of the time taken to complete this questionnaire
Minutes
______
Please return the questionnaire to ABARE using the contact information provided on page 4.
Thank you for participating in this survey. The final report will be available on
ABARE’s website, www.abareconomics.com, in mid 2003.
Commonwealth Government Statistical Clearing House Approval Number ?????-??
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