Gnaala Karla Booja Working in Partnership
With Industry and Government To build Respect, build Relationships and create Opportunity
Workshop Report
Prepared for
The Gnaala Karla Booja Peoples
and
Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism
Level 1, 51 Allara Street, Canberra
GPO Box 1564, Canberra ACT 2601
August 2012
Prepared by
Grant Sarra
Grant Sarra Consultancy Services
5 Patricia Street
KARALEE QLD 4306
ABN 19492 613 302
Telephone:
Mobile:
Email:
07 3294 6096
0417 502 049
gsarra@bigpond.net.au
2
Contents
Executive Summary...................................................................................................................................4
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................5
Gnaala Karla Booja Workshop in Context .................................................................................................6
Methodology.........................................................................................................................................7
Workshop Participation ..........................................................................................................................7
Purpose of Report .................................................................................................................................7
Pre-Workshop Cultural Tour – Pinjarra Massacre Site....................................................................................8
Workshop Overview ..................................................................................................................................9
Welcome to Country ..............................................................................................................................9
Introductions and Scene Setting .............................................................................................................9
Working In Partnership Program Overview ............................................................................................ 10
Gnaala Karla Booja – Demographics and Statistics .................................................................................. 11
Minerals Council of Australia ................................................................................................................. 14
Chamber of Minerals and Energy, Western Australia ............................................................................... 15
Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council ...................................................................... 20
South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council.......................................................................................... 20
Overview of Australian Government in the South West WA Region ........................................................... 22
Gnaala Karla Booja - Our land, Our people and Our environment ............................................................. 23
Mining Sector Panel ............................................................................................................................. 26
Industry Service Related Sector Panel ................................................................................................... 28
Government Sector Panel..................................................................................................................... 34
Additional Presentations....................................................................................................................... 37
Break-Out Group Discussions ................................................................................................................... 40
Workshop Summary and Close - Where to from here? ................................................................................ 43
Appendix A - Workshop Participants ......................................................................................................... 45
Appendix B - Participant Evaluations ......................................................................................................... 48
Appendix C - Participant Comments .......................................................................................................... 49
3
Executive Summary
The Gnaala Karla Booja (GKB) workshop was held over two days, and was preceded by a half day cultural tour
of the Pinjarra Massacre site. The Pinjarra site is the actual location of a massacre that occurred in 1834, and is
a place that is significant in the history of the Noongar people of the region. The visit served to educate
workshop participants of the long local history of suffering, despair, dispossession and lack of opportunity but
also inform participants of the future plans for the development and promotion the site.
One of the many strengths of the Working in Partnership workshop process is that it affords an opportunity to
acknowledge our nation’s past and move beyond fear, denial or blame. They provide an opportunity to develop
a generosity of spirit and intent in which to identify and grasp positive opportunities (in the case of this
workshop, within Australia’s mining and tourism sectors) to engage with Indigenous people and communities at
the local and regional level. The GKB workshop attracted over 100 participants from Indigenous communities
(mostly Noongar), peak industry bodies, private businesses and government and non-government agencies.
This workshop was a departure from previous WIP workshops in that the GKB co-funded elements of the event,
including the publication of this report and the GKB Strategic Plan; and the production of a DVD. The DVD is the
main archival account of proceedings and will also enable community members and industry who could not
attend the opportunity to understand how agreements were reached and what presentations were made. The
Strategic Plan will be designed to provide a strategic vision, foundation and framework to allow Noongar people
living in the South West of WA to take advantage of development opportunities that occur within their region.
This report outlines two days of activities, together with outcomes which will support the Gnaala Karla Booja
Employment and Enterprise Development Agreement - which was signed at this workshop. The first day was
opened by a traditional welcome to country address, after which several speakers from Government and
industry made presentations. These varied from statistical and demographic lectures to company profiles and
overviews of challenges and possible solutions faced by the community and industry – particularly in the mining
and tourism sectors.
Speakers from peak bodies such as the Minerals Council of Australia and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of
Western Australia gave an overview of the industry profile in the region and the scope for Indigenous
employment. These were followed by presentations from the WA Indigenous Tourism Operators Council and
the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council. Individual mining companies such as Griffin Coal, Newmont
Asia Pacific and Premier Coal also presented their respective company profiles and how they dealt with
Indigenous employment. These activities met a key objective of the workshop, namely for GKB People and
government to meet and talk with mining companies and other service industries in the region.
The employment focus continued on the second day, which involved more community discussion and debate
interspersed with several moving addresses. Panels and robust group discussions worked on regional-specific
solutions across a range of issues identified by the GKB Elders. The day provided industry and government with
a greater awareness and understanding of the GKB people, their culture and their social, economic and
educational achievements and aspirations.
While the Employment and Enterprise Development Agreement is now in place, the GKB’s Strategic Plan has yet
to be endorsed. Typically solid statements of intent such as these form the outcomes from WIP workshops. It
will now be for the GKB community and others who attended this event to help shape it and make its aims and
aspirations a reality. All parties – from the mining and tourism industries, government and non-government
bodies, but critically the GKB people themselves, have given this commitment.
4
Introduction
The Working in Partnership – the Mining Industry and Indigenous Communities Program was launched by the
Australian Government on 3 August 2001. The initiative is administered by the Department of Resources,
Energy and Tourism (DRET) and seeks to promote long-term partnerships between Indigenous communities
and the exploration and mining industry.
In addition to promoting long term partnerships, the program supports and encourages ongoing cultural change
between the exploration and mining industry and Indigenous communities throughout Australia. In so doing, it
builds on relevant research which has been conducted in relation to sustainable mining practices.
Since the program’s inception, the Department has developed an information kit which:

presents selected case studies of successful partnership relationships between mining companies and
Indigenous communities throughout Australia, showing a variety of approaches and outcomes;

reflects the diverse experiences of many of those involved in the partnership process;

illustrates the achievements of particular Indigenous communities and companies; and

provides information on the relevant government and industry programs that may provide support for
partnership initiatives.
Information kits can be accessed by contacting the Department directly or through its Indigenous Partnerships
initiative website, at: http://www.industry.gov.au/indigenouspartnerships.
The program has included a series of regionally based workshops in key areas of mining interest throughout
Australia.
Previous workshops have conducted in the series include:

Alice Springs, Northern Territory

Kalgoorlie, Port Hedland, and Geraldton, Western Australia

Rockhampton, Townsville and Cloncurry, QLD

Muswellbrook, Wollongong, Cobar, Condobolin and Orange, NSW

Gippsland and Horsham, Victoria

Burnie, Tasmania
All workshops have served to bring together interested parties in significant regional centres of mining activity
to discuss local issues to achieve local employment outcomes for Indigenous communities. These forums have
brought together representatives from many Indigenous and industry groups, who had participated in
workshops to formalise regional action planning priorities and actions that could deliver outcomes identified and
agreed upon in those workshops.
5
Gnaala Karla Booja Workshop in Context
The Gnaala Karla Booja (GKB) - Working in Partnership with Industry and Government Workshop was
conducted over 27 -29 March 2012 at the Quay Resort, Mandurah, Western Australia. Unlike previous
workshops in this series, this activity was initiated and jointly funded by the GKB People in collaboration and
partnership with DRET and the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and
Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).
The GKB People were keen to meet with representatives of the mining industry and government agencies within
their region to discuss ways in which to deliver better outcomes in accordance with the Council of Australian
Government’s (COAG) Closing the Gap agenda and the GKB’s Employment and Enterprise Development
Agreement (EEDA).
Toward the latter part of 2011 the GKB, DRET and Fahcsia commenced discussions and agreed that a Working
in Partnership workshop in the South West region of WA would provide opportunities:
for GKB People and government to meet with mining companies and businesses from associated service
industries in the region;
1.
to give industry and government a greater awareness and understanding of the GKB People, their culture
and engagement protocols, and the community’s social, cultural, economic and educational achievements
and future aspirations;
2.
to inform industry of Commonwealth and WA State government programs and partnership arrangements
with the GKB People;
3.
for GKB to engage key Commonwealth and State government agencies in a dialogue with local mining,
tourism and other support industries and to establish long term links with the GKB EEDA;
4.
to establish GKB-specific linkages with the Australian Minerals Council’s Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) on Indigenous Employment and Enterprise Development, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy
Western Australia Indigenous employment and enterprise development initiatives; and the COAG Closing
the Gap initiatives; and
5.
for the GKB People to promote the development of their own strategic plan.
6.
The workshop’s central aim was to provide a neutral environment in which all stakeholders could meet to
discuss problems and issues and consider regional-specific solutions relevant to the development of a regional
multi-industry partnership approach.
Participants were encouraged to:

identify with other stakeholders to gain an understanding of their respective issues and to better
appreciate their aspirations and priorities; and

not try to Close the Gap for Aboriginal Peoples throughout Australia.
Rather, participants were encouraged to move beyond general problems and issues, often discussed in the
national context of Closing the Gap, and focus on the long-term mutual benefits that could be generated
through an effective regional partnership approach specific to the South West region of WA, particularly for the
GKB People.
The workshop initiated a constructive regional-specific dialogue relevant to the region and the main themes of
the Working in Partnership initiative: Employment; Education and Training; Business Opportunities’ Cultural
Awareness; Capacity Building; Economic Empowerment.
6
Methodology
In keeping with the WIP philosophy, the Gnaala Karla Booja Workshop made best use of the time available for
participant discussion of key issues of interest and relevance.
The agenda included the following sessions:
Welcome to Gnaala
Karla
Booja/Country
Working in Partnership Program Overview
Gnaala Karla Booja Demographic Profile
Introduction and
Scene Setting.
Mining Industry Overview – CME and MCA
South West Aboriginal Land Council Overview
Gnaala Karla Booja Elders and Youth Panel –
Problems, Issues and Aspirations
South West WA Mining Company Panel –
Problems, Issues and Aspirations
Support Service and Alternate Industry Panel –
Problems, Issues and Aspirations
Closing the Gap for Gnaala Karla Booja People –
General Discussion
Where To From
Here: Closing the
Gap through the
development of a
Gnaala Karla Booja
People’s Strategic
Plan
Sessions were designed to encourage discussion and debate, both of which were channeled to focus on
achieving the agreed workshop aims. Flexibility was central to this process and strict adherence to the agenda
was never an imperative over the two-day program.
Workshop Participation
Before the workshop, extensive consultation with a broad cross section of industry, government and community
stakeholder groups across South West region of WA was conducted by the DRET’s Coordinator for the Working
in Partnership Program, Mr Michael Tyquin, FaHCSIA’s Field Officer, Mr Michael Carter and Mr Grant Sarra from
Grant Sarra Consultancy Services.
More than 110 participants attended the workshop - A list is provided in Appendix A to this Report.
Purpose of Report
This report provides an overview the GKB Working in Partnership with Industry and Government Workshop, a
summary of presentations and details of actions arising from the workshop.
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Pre-Workshop Cultural Tour – Pinjarra Massacre Site
The Pinjarra Massacre, otherwise known as the Battle of Pinjarra, was one of Western Australia's bloodiest and
darkest days. On 28 October, 1834, a party of men, led by Governor James Stirling, surrounded the camp of the
Bindjareb Bilyidar Nyungars in Pinjarra and opened fired, killing up to 30 tribesmen as they fled for cover.1
The Story of - The Bindjareb Nyungars
At the time of white settlement, the Bilyidar ('river') Bindjareb Nyungars were made up of three family groups
with main camps in what are now the Mandurah, Pinjarra and North Dandalup areas. They were part of a
broader network of Nyungar people who had lived across the Southwest corner of Western Australia from at
least 40,000BC, connected to one another by ceremony, trade and social relationships.
The Bindjareb Nyungars, like their neighbours, were responsible for ritually significant places, rights of access,
knowledge and ceremonial duties within their country. They also had sophisticated land management practices
such as fire-stick farming methods which, together with other hunting and food gathering techniques, enabled
them to maximise their access to a vast range of material resources while ensuring their sustainability. Visitors
to Bindjareb Nyungar boodjar (land) were required to announce their arrival, bring enough daadja (meat),
mereny (food) and goods for exchange for their travels, and to observe local obligations and regulations such as
being introduced to country by their hosts.
With the river at the heart of their country, the Bindjareb Nyungars were accomplished fishing peoples, using
gidgees, nets and mungahs (traps made of stone and wicker), to secure their catches. They hosted an annual
gathering of hundreds of people from surrounding areas, centred around the Barragup fish mungah. Ceremony
and rituals performed in the lead up to each harvest would ensure a plentiful catch. Other ceremonies also
occurred during these gatherings, including the exchange of karla (fire), ‘marriage’ preparation and betrothal
observance, initiation ceremonies, education exchange, recreational activities and other public demonstrations
of etiquette which cemented social bonds and conferred status and responsibility. The Bindjareb Nyungars
would also trade hunting and ceremonial items such as the strong and straight throwing gidgee-borryl (quartz
edged spear).
Due to the abundance of fish and the prolonged periods of social interaction, sites in Bindjareb Nyungar country
were important centres of communication. Message sticks would invariably travel though Bindjareb Nyungar
boodjar on their way to other parts of Nyungar country.2
Further information relating to the Pinjarra Massacre Site can be accessed via: info@pinjarramassacresite.com
or PO BOX 39 PINJARRA WA 6208.
1
2
Source: Http://www.westaustralianvista.com/pinjarra/html
Source: http://www.pinjarramassacresite.com/content/story
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Workshop Overview
Welcome to Country
Mrs Janet Hayden, a respected Gnaala Karla Booja Elder, welcomed participants to country. As part of her
welcome, Mrs Hayden called upon other Noongar Elders to join her in the process.
Mrs Hayden explained that when you get to the age that she, and other Elders were now at, you feel more at
home with the land, you know that it belongs to you and you know that somewhere, it doesn’t matter about the
Wedjellah (white fulla) environment, this is your country, this is your land and that Kep (water) that’s Gnaala
Kep - this is our country, regardless of who owns it now, or say they own it, this is Noongar Booja – and that’s
what it is all about. Noongar Booja consists of fourteen clans, those fourteen clans come under Noongar land –
that’s one country, one tribe, one language, one culture - not 14 tribes - one tribe. The fourteen clans come
under the Noongar headline and all of these clans speak the Noongar language and practice the Noongar
custom.
Noongar custom goes from Esperance almost to Geraldton,
bordering on Yamaji country, bordering on Wongi country
right down past Esperance and you have the whole coastal
area, and within that area the fourteen clans exist – Gnaala
Karla Booja – Gnaala Kep.
Wedjellah and Noongar – we are all here together, this is
our country, Noongar-Wedjellah. We welcome you here to
our country, this is our Moort, you are our Gnaala Moort –
we are family, we are one – that Moort means we are one.
Wedjellah and Noongar – we are all
here together, this is our country,
Noongar-Wedjellah. We welcome you
here to our country, this is our Moort,
you are our Gnaala Moort – we are
family, we are one – that Moort means
we are one.
Mrs Hayden. Senior Gnaala Karla Booja Elder
Mr Harry Nannup, senior Noongar Elder reiterated Mrs Hayden’s sentiment – this country is our country, not
one, not two but all of us that are here today, this is our land and we can be proud of it. As a child, I wondered
all around these waterways with my family, we fished the area, we hunted, we got berries and whatever else we survived where other people couldn’t. We got used to other people coming here from all other country areas
and we fed them with fish because we knew how to catch the fish. We became pretty famous for this and we
still are – we still do it.
Mr Nannup asked people to enjoy their stay and also offered participants a warm and sincere welcome. You are
very welcome, this is my country and I would like to share it with everybody, everybody that is here.
Introductions and Scene Setting
Gerri Hayden, Chairperson, GKB Employment and Economical Development Agreement (EEDA) Working
Group officially welcomed people to the workshop. She explained that the workshop was something that
the GKB People had been working toward and that she was impressed by the amount of people in
attendance. She also acknowledged and thanked previous GKB members for their effort and leading the
way to put GKB People’s issues on the map. This was going to be a special couple of days because the
GKB community was physically able to contribute at the workshop. ‘From my heart - this workshop is all
about Koora (the Past) - the past is there and it will always be with us, but what we must do is walk that
path to now - Geya (Today). And today is where we sit for the next two days to talk about the direction we
want to go as GKB Traditional Owners. Today and tomorrow, we will lay down a pathway for our future
generations of Noongar People and their children.’
9
Working In Partnership Program Overview
Mike Tyquin, Working in Partnership Coordinator, Department of Resources, Energy & Tourism (DRET)
acknowledged the Noongar People of the GKB claim area and in particular, the Bindjareb Clan, whose land
on which the workshop was being conducted.
This was the 22nd such workshop conducted by DRET since the very first event was held in 2002. DRET is a
small department, and in this respect, it focuses on delivering workshops at the local, regional level to
bring key stakeholder groups together.
Mike explained that the workshop would focus on the local regional area and not the broader Noongar
Native Title claim area or national issues of concern around Closing the Gap. The focus was on local issues
relevant to the GKB, the local mining companies and service related industries, including hospitality and
tourism.
Mike acknowledged the GKB EEDU Working Group for their advice, direction and support during the lead
up to the forum. In closing, Mike also thanked the GKB People in attendance in their own language.
Workshop Facilitator, Grant Sarra, outlined the workshop
aims and objectives and emphasised the importance of
being prepared to move beyond fear, denial and blame to
put our nation’s negative past into a balanced modern-day
perspective. We cannot afford to get bogged down in “us
and them” discussions as this will inhibit our capacity to
identify and discuss positive opportunities for future mutual
benefit.
“Today and tomorrow, we will lay
down a pathway for our future
generations of Noongar People and
their children”.
Geri Hayden, Chairperson of GKB Employment and
Economic Development Agreement Working Group.
This is not to say that we should completely dismiss the negative aspects of our history. We need to
acknowledge that our generation did not write the government policies of the past that have resulted in
the oppression of our people. We need to acknowledge that we are part of the solution and in this respect,
we need to make sure that we learn from our past mistakes. As Mrs Hayden and Mr Nannup said in their
warm and sincere welcome – we are one, we are family. We are all part of humanity and as people we are
all unique and special. We need to work together with dignity, humility and integrity if we are going to
truly develop pathways which deliver positive futures for the GKB People.
In previous workshops we have always encouraged participants to embrace the ancient Aboriginal values
of Caring, Sharing and Respect for the land, the people and the environment. These are the most ancient
values known to all human societies and if people truly understood and appreciated their connection and
belonging to their land, their people and their environment in the bigger picture of humanity, we would do
things very differently out of respect for Australia’s First Peoples – one of the oldest continuing cultures in
the world.
Today and tomorrow we will be on Gnaala Karla Booja – let us all embrace these ancient values within this
room over the next two days and beyond and let’s make a positive difference here in this part of the world.
10
Gnaala Karla Booja – Demographics and Statistics
John Styants, Principal Policy & Project Officer, Operations Directorate Department of Indigenous Affairs,
WA commenced proceedings with a demographic profile of the Gnaala Karla Booja region.
John’s presentation focused on statistical data contained in: Employment and Enterprise – A Baseline
Profile for the Gnaala Karla Booja Region, developed in collaboration with the Gnaala Karla Booja Steering
Committee for Employment and Enterprise Development Agreement and the Department of Indigenous
Affairs.
The GKB Steering Committee had determined that in order to be effective, it would need to gather a set of
baseline statistics to understand the setting in which their EEDA Agreement was taking place. The intention
was to analyse data from the 2006 census and compare it with 2011 Census data. This would provide:
some understanding of change, where change had occurred and where change had not occurred. John
explained that the first problem faced in trying to project data for the GKB region was to determine how it
was going to be done. The statistics provided covered the whole of the GKB region – stretching from
Kwinana and Rockingham down to Bunbury and south of Capel across to just north of Konjonup up into
Corrigan in the north east and then back through to the southern metropolitan area to Cockburn and
Rockingham.
To establish a clearer picture of the region it was important to
recognise that a single set of data was not useful. There were
different levels of activity and economic systems operating within and
across the GKB region and these needed to be considered. For
instance, the eastern part of the region is essentially an agrarian
economy, while the western part is more of an industrialised urban
environment which presented different opportunities for people.
“…it is important for the EEDA
to focus activity and distribute
effort in areas where people
actually live.”
John Styants, Principal Policy & Project Officer,
Operations Directorate Department of
Indigenous Affairs, WA.
The 2006 Census indicated that were 8,500 Noongar and/or
Aboriginal people living in the area and based on growth rates (2.6% per annum) it was projected that there
would currently be approximately 9,600 Noongar people now living in this area. This figure will be determined
more accurately by using 2011 census data.
In defining the sub regions, the study classified the statistics for each sub region. As explained by John and
detailed in the document, the statistics gathered were drawn up to reflect the makeup of six main sub regions
within the broader GKB region.
The six sub regions as illustrated in the map below include:

Armadale, Serpentine and Jarrahdale;

Central;

Eastern;

Greater Bunbury;

Mandurah and West Coast; and

Rockingham and Kwinana.
11
Gnaala Karla Booja Sub Regions
Source: Employment and Enterprise – A Baseline Profile for the Gnaala Karla Booja Region - Department of Land Information and
the Australian Bureau of Statistics, p8.
Population Distribution
In terms of population distribution, most Noongar people live in the Rockingham and Kwinana area (2,487)
followed by the Greater Bunbury (2,174), Armadale, Serpentine and Jarrahdale (1,808), Mandurah and West
Coast (1,285), Eastern (555) and Central (75). In this respect,
Given this data, John stressed that it was important for the EEDA to focus its activity and to ensure that it can
distribute effort in areas where people actually live.
Age Distribution
The demographic profile by age indicated that while there was a decided difference between Aboriginal and
mainstream populations there were also some similarities.
Source: Employment and Enterprise – A Baseline Profile for the Gnaala Karla Booja Region, p12.
12
As illustrated above, the working age population the percentage of people in this age group (Aboriginal and
mainstream) among males and females is roughly equivalent. However, in the youth sector of the population
there is a significant increase in the numbers of Aboriginal youth in the community which is coming as a “wave”.
John emphasised that this wave, based on five-year old data, will continue to move through over time. It has to
be addressed to ensure that the opportunities that were not available to the current working age group are
available to the youth sector so that we don’t repeat the
mistakes of the past.
“…the capacity is clearly there, given the
opportunities that this and other regions
With respect to the older age population, John explained
can provide to take many more
that the Wedjellah (white) population clearly have many
Aboriginal
people into employment – it is
more people living longer lives than that demonstrated
not
a
zero
sum game. In other words, to
currently in the Aboriginal population in the area and this
say that there is not the capacity of
is in fact the same, Australia-wide.
Aboriginal people to engage in work in
this area is completely false – there are
With the realisation of where the age population structure
plenty of Aboriginal people that can
is, it will help us to build the systems and ensure that the
participate in employment.”
opportunities for young Aboriginal people in the present
and the future are clearly enhanced in a way that allows
John Styants, Principal Policy & Project Officer, Operations
Directorate Department of Indigenous Affairs, WA.
Aboriginal youth now to transition from good schooling,
training into employment opposed to systems of the past
where Aboriginal people were not afforded the same pathway into employment.
Labour Force Participation across the Gnaala Karla Booja Regions
As illustrated below, labour force participation and the potential for take-up into employment, data indicates a
much higher labour force participation in the mainstream population compared with that of Aboriginal
populations across all GKB sub-regions.
Source: Employment and Enterprise – A Baseline Profile for the Gnaala Karla Booja Region, p16.
In closing, John emphasised that based on the labour force data, the capacity is clearly there, given the
opportunities that this and other regions can provide to take many more Aboriginal people into employment – it
is not a zero sum game. In other words, to say that there is not the capacity of Aboriginal people to engage in
work in this area is completely false – many Aboriginal people can participate in employment.
13
Minerals Council of Australia
Therese Postma, Assistant Director, Social Policy with the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) explained
that the MCA was the peak national industry association representing exploration, mining and minerals
processing companies in Australia. MCA members account for 85% of annual minerals production in
Australia and a slightly higher proportion of mineral exports.
The MCA vision is for a thriving minerals industry working in partnership with Indigenous communities for
the present and future development of mineral resources and the establishment of vibrant, diversified and
sustainable regional economies and Indigenous communities. While government agencies and individual
mining companies are all doing good things independently and all are committed to Aboriginal
employment, the MCA advocates that more could be achieved if we worked more closely together.
In particular, she felt that key stakeholders need to come to the table to discuss joint visions and build on
strengths to facilitate better outcomes together opposed to just doing things by ourselves.
In 2005, the Australian Government and the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) first agreed to a
Memorandum of Understanding on Indigenous Employment and Enterprise Development (the MOU). The
MoU supports the development of self sustaining and prosperous Indigenous communities in mining regions, in
which individuals can create and take up employment and business opportunities.
Key priorities of the MoU are:

Strengthening foundations (through reviewing driver’s licence issues, housing and workforce plans)

Education (through transition to school and then to employment projects)

Skills development and jobs (including functional language, literacy and numeracy skills and development)

Business Entrepreneurship (including building economic diversity in mining regions)

Housing

The establishment of a national indigenous coordinator network (supported by an internal communications
framework).
Key actions are:
“…The MCA’s MoU on Indigenous
Employment and Enterprise Development
demonstrates a strong commitment by the
MCA to support its members in facilitating
Indigenous employment and enterprise
development opportunities and in this
regard, they would be very supportive of
initiatives that might come out of the GKB
EEDA and the GKB Strategic Plan once the
Plan was finalised.”

Engagement of local and regional coordinators

Engagement of a national facilitator
establishing a coordinator network

Evaluating functional language, literacy and
numeracy requirements for entry to the mining
industry

Establishing
Academy

Forging stronger links between employers sand
training and employment providers under the
National Resources Sector Workforce Strategy

Building economic diversity in mining regions

Encouraging Indigenous business opportunities in natural resources management
an
Indigenous
Mining
and
Careers
Therese Postma, Assistant Director, Social Policy
Minerals Council of Australia
14
Actions under the MoU also contribute to the goals of the 2011 Commonwealth Government's Indigenous
Economic Strategy (IEDS) to identify and pursue opportunities that enable Indigenous people to further their
economic development and to create wealth.
The MoU on Indigenous Employment and Enterprise Development demonstrates a strong commitment by the
MCA to support its members in facilitating Indigenous employment and enterprise development opportunities
and in this regard, they would be very supportive of initiatives that might come out of the GKB EEDA and the
GKB Strategic Plan once the Plan was finalised.
Therese advised that the MCA MoU experience had also demonstrated the value of a regional approach that
engaged a range of industry partners beyond the mining industry. She stressed that not every Aboriginal person
wanted to work in the resources sector. In this respect, it was important for other industry groups to come to
the table to discuss other employment and enterprise development opportunities that can and should be made
available to Aboriginal people. In closing, Therese emphasised that the key lesson for the MCA was to determine
how to get further “buy in” to continue to work together to produce joined up outcomes.
Chamber of Minerals and Energy, Western Australia
Nicole Roocke Director, Chamber of Minerals & Energy (CME) of Western Australia provided an overview of
mining activity in Western Australia. She discussed some of the barriers to Aboriginal in the industry which the
Chamber was keen to move beyond in the coming years.
Nicole emphasised that while she, and her colleague Erin Van-Noort, were pleased to attend the workshop and
to deliver a presentation, they were also equally pleased to be able to learn more about the Gnaala Karla Booja
People and to identify and discuss opportunities for moving forward in the region.
Nicole provided the following overview of the CME and the resources sector, particularly in relation to the south
west region.

The CME was created in the goldfields region as a consequence of the gold rush;

It is a State-based organisation (focused primarily on WA) that has been in operation for 100 years;

More than 200 members – approximately 80 of who are mining companies, who account for about 96% of
resources production in WA;

Represents small, mid-tier and large companies – significant membership growth in gold, uranium and
iron ore;

The CME membership brings together not only companies in the mining sector but also service providers,
contractors and the oil and gas sector.

CME portfolio interests include:

Infrastructure (not just resource infrastructure – also interested in social infrastructure to assess the
impact of the resources sector in the regions i.e. on housing and making sure that people living in
the region have appropriate access to housing, health and education services, so that the regions
becomes an attractive place for people to live and work;

Economics;

Environment;

Land Access;

Occupational Safety and Health; and

People Strategies (considering ways to increase the diversity of the resource sector workforce i.e.
how do we engage more Aboriginal people and women;
15
An Overview of the Western Australian Resources Sector
The WA resources sector is broken into number of different regions. Nicole explained that in terms of value and
production, while the Pilbara is a significant region, the south west and goldfield regions are also important to
the State in terms of longevity.
Currently there are about 101, 000 people working in the resources sector across WA:

Heavy Minerals Sands – 2%

Nickel – 10%;

Petroleum – 8%;

Gold – 20%;

Alumina – 12%;

Iron Ore – 33%; and

Other – 15%
Resources in the South West and Peel Regions

Value of resources extracted from South West and Peel regions – approximately $6billion;

Also key energy production and transmission assets in the region along with some value-adding
industries.

Resources sector has been well established in the region for decades and there continues to be
exploration interest in the area.
16
Breakdown of Major Commodities – South West & Peel 2011

Alumina - $3.9 billion (5th largest sector in the State – approximately 20,000 people employed);

Heavy Mineral Sands - $104 million (has been a significant reduction in the value of the sector with
substantial downsizing due to low cost of the Australian Dollar – approximately 1,500 people employed);

Coal - $318 million The South West is the major coal producing region of the State. However, there is a
potential coal project being considered for the Kimberly region – coal produced in the south west
currently fuels approximately 35% toward the State’s power source – approximately 1,000 people
employed);

Tin/Tantalum/Spodumene - $102 million (two mines - Greenbushes and Wodgina in Pilbara have
capacity to produce up to 50- percent of the world tantalum when in full production – approximately
100 people employed);

Gold, Silver and Copper $1.1billion
Approximately $130 million in royalties are paid by companies to the State government as a consequence of
these combined projects.
State Growth Outlook: People
In 2011, the CME conducted research to assess industry expansion projects and to determine the forecast
employment numbers for the industry. The research, particularly for the Pilbara region as a result of the vast
number of expansion projects, highlighted that the industry will require additional 43,000 people – the blue bar
in this diagram highlight the employee requirements during the construction phase. The red bar highlights the
operational numbers that will be required on an ongoing basis to meet demand.
Nicole explained that these figures cause significant concern for the industry.
What the figures highlight for the industry sector is that there is a need to look at how the industry takes on
those who are not currently engaged in the workforce, how does industry engage with people who are not
currently working in the sector and what sort of programs are required to develop people’s skills and capacity to
be competitive for employment within the resources sector.
17
Growth by Regions
As highlighted below, the majority of workforce growth will be required for projects in the Pilbara region given
that it includes major iron ore and oil and gas expansion plans.
The growth forecast for the South
West region is much smaller.
However, the research discovered
that a significant proportion of the
“fly-in, fly-out” workforce” was
being sourced from the South West
regions.
In this respect, while growth was
primarily happening in the Pilbara
region, there would continue to be a
great opportunity for people in the
south of the State to be employed
as “fly-in, fly out” (FIFO) employees.
Around 50% of the resource sector
workforce is classified as FIFO.
Based on forecast demand and
growth it is anticipated that
approximately 80% of the sector’s
FIFO workforce will come from the
Perth and Peel regions.
People for the Future
Based on the forecast figures, there
will be significant increases in the
workforce which highlights a skills shortage, not just a labour shortage (or unskilled people). The challenge for
the industry will be to identify the actual skills that will be required by the industry (i.e. engineers top the list.
Last week alone, 1,498 engineering vacancies were advertised on seek.com in WA and a significant portion of
these were for mining engineers).
Nicole advised that the People for the Future website - sponsored by the CME, Queensland Resources Council
and the Australian Minerals Council, – would be activated on 29 March 2012 - www.peopleforthefuture.com.au.
The website provides details related to employment opportunities and requirements across the Australian
Resource sector.
Indigenous Employment Rates
Nicole felt that there was great opportunity through both
employment and enterprise development in the region for
GKB people.
The industry will continue to work hard to employ more
Aboriginal people (including women) at the entry level. It was
also very committed to increasing the workforce diversity and
progressing Aboriginal people from entry level positions into
management level roles across the industry.
“…in terms of practical solutions to
generate long-term prosperity for
GKB people, it is important that we
move beyond training for training
sake in the region.”
Nicole Roocke Director, Chamber of Minerals & Energy
(CME) of Western Australia
18
Nicole explained that employment would create independence for Aboriginal people and give them the ability to
control their own destiny. We think that there is further opportunity through Aboriginal enterprise development
which then creates a critical mass – this will not only create employment opportunities but also creates wealth
generation opportunities, not only for individuals, but more importantly, for the Aboriginal communities.
The CME and resource sector companies’ supported an Indigenous Summer School initiative with the Curtin
University. It identifies young Aboriginal people (still at school –years 10 and 11) who have interests in the
areas of science and engineering and provides university-based exposure to these areas during a summer camp
to stimulate further interest and the pursuit of future university study among these young Aboriginal people.
In 2012 the Chamber entered into a partnership arrangement with the Australian Institute of Management for
four scholarships. These are designed to take entry level Aboriginal people through supervisory programs and
training to build their skill and capacity to assume future management and decision making roles within the
resources sector.
The Chamber was also keen to continue to learn new ways to increase Aboriginal employment, identifying and
moving beyond the barriers to employment and enhancing the industry’s overall capacity to better engage with
Aboriginal communities across the State.
As illustrated above, in terms of overall Indigenous employment across the National Resources Sector the WA
resource sector was performing well.
In conclusion, Nicole advised that in terms of practical solutions to generate long-term prosperity for GKB
people, it is important that we move beyond training for training sake. The sector is very keen to look at ways
to increase the diversity of its workforce and determine how we can have more Aboriginal people into our
sector. It is important for the industry to determine how to get people work ready, and how do we get people
into training opportunities that actually lead to real job outcomes opposed to the emphasis on training for the
sake of training of the past.
19
Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council
Doc Reynolds, Vice Chair of the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) provided
an outline of the Association’s role and presented a brief overview of Indigenous Tourism companies currently
operating throughout Western Australia.
WAITOC is a peak not-for-profit association which represents Indigenous tourism in Western Australia. It
comprises membership from all regions within Western Australia, is autonomous and provides advice and
information to all relevant State Government agencies as well as the tourism industry sector. It promotes
Indigenous tourism and provides supportive networks for Indigenous tourism operators within Western
Australia.
Doc explained that Indigenous tourism was a unique
industry in that it allowed Indigenous people to participate
at a real and meaningful level while still maintaining and
valuing their cultural heritage.
“Industry-based statistics indicate
that of the 80% of international
tourists genuinely want to have an
authentic Indigenous experience,
only 20%, actually get to achieve
such an experience. – this means that
there is a 60% gap that needs to be
filled”.
WAITOC represents over 50 Aboriginal tourism operators
(see
website:
www.waitoc.com/)
ranging
from
accommodation, traditional dance and dreamtime stories to
contemporary history, safari and bush tours and art. Its
members operated at different levels depending on the
Doc Reynolds, Vice Chair of the Western Australian
Indigenous Tourism Operators Council
season and the length of time they have been in business.
Membership ranges from tourism operators who are firmly
entrenched in the tourism industry to those who expect to become operational within the next 12 months.
WAITOC aspires to promote Indigenous tourism experiences and in doing so foster the development of new,
culturally authentic Indigenous tourism ventures that will attract visitors to Western Australia ensuring that
visitors receive the authentic Indigenous tourism experience they seek. The Indigenous tourism industry is
currently developing at a rapid rate although some operators have been in the industry for years.
Doc explained that international and national tourists wanted to have an authentic Aboriginal experience when
they come to Australia. Industry-based statistics indicate that of the 80% of international tourists genuinely
want to have an authentic Indigenous experience, only 20%, actually get to achieve such an experience. This
shows that there is a 60% gap that needs to be filled. International tourists want to sit down with you – they
want to sit down with you on your country and experience what you do.
In closing Doc explained that tourism had provided him, and many other proud Aboriginal people, with the
opportunity to stay connected to country. Employment in the industry provides our people with freedom and the
opportunity to create our own destiny.
As a Noongar man, and a leader of his own people Doc expressed his philosophy as follows “…if I don’t look
after my country, then country won’t look after me”. It only takes a snowflake to start an avalanche, it only
takes a raindrop to start a flood, it only takes a spark to start a fire, and it only takes you to make a difference.
South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council
Glen Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, South West Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) provided an overview of the
Land Council’s experience and dealings with the mining industry and highlighted the potential opportunities that
could be developed for Noongar People in the South West region. SWALSC is a Native Title Representative Body
which works in the interests of the Noongar People. SWALSC also works to strengthen Noongar, culture,
heritage and society by close engagement with the community on a wide variety of projects and initiatives.
20
Glen acknowledged the welcome to country from the Elders and paid tribute to the efforts of the GKB People for
bringing about the working in partnership workshop. This workshop was a break through as it has been a long
time in the making. One of the reasons for this, from a representative body point of view, is that we don’t really
have that much of influence in the resources sector in the South West of WA. We don’t have negotiation rights
like those that exist in other parts of WA.
In Glen’s own words, he explained that in the past, they would walk into a company, introduce themselves as
SWALSC, the Native Title Representative Body for the South West, and the response generally received - was
like that of truck being put into reverse going beep, beep - as it backed out the door. While this may sound
flippant, it has basically been our experience over the last seven or so years. In this respect, to actually gather
the people that are here today, from different industry sectors and the community represents a significant
breakthrough for this region - this is the first time we have been able to get people together like this in the one
room.
Glen advised that from SWALSC’s point of view, what they were most interested in talking about in the South
West was employment, not necessarily Native Title. Another thing that interests SWALSC in terms of GKB
country is that this region is the economic powerhouse of Noongar country. We often ask how is it that we can
get over the barrier for getting people actually employed with the companies in this area. We recognise that not
everyone wants to work in the mining industry, but this is where the major centres of Mandurah, Rockingham,
Kwinana and Bunbury become important. In these locations there is a whole range of other industries and
opportunities that can become available and these opportunities are extraordinary – it is just a matter of trying
to get through that door to make it happen.
Glen reiterated the importance of the statement made earlier
by Doc Reynolds in his presentation - employment gives
people freedom and provides an opportunity to create your
own destiny. There were several hundred Noongar people
who were working on FIFO shifts in the mining industry and
during a recent discussion that he had with a Noongar
gentleman on FIFO shift, this point was reinforced.
“…to actually gather the people that
are here today from different
industry sectors and the community
represents a significant breakthrough
for this region”.
Glen Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, South West Land and
Sea Council
The gentleman in question made it very clear that the job provided him with a freedom that he never previously
had. Glen explained that there had been a perception among some members of the Noongar community – that
to have a job, meant somehow, that it was like you had become assimilated and therefore left your culture
behind. This particular gentleman, however, made some very important points: ‘this job provides me with
money, I can pay for my own cultural stuff, I can buy my own four wheel drive, I can go out on my country
whenever I like – I don’t need you.’ In closing, Glen explained that there was still hesitation within industry to
become involved as evidenced by the companies that pulled out of this workshop as it came closer. By the same
token, there are a lot of people who are here, and in this respect, we have made a great start and we need to
work from this.
We have many Noongar people working in the industry (hundreds working FIFO) across the State. We have got
skills - we have plant operators, truck drivers, laboratory technicians, shift bosses and contractors with high
level skills and a lot of these people want to come home to work on their country. These people are asking why
is it that we can’t have the same opportunities in the operations here that we have in other parts of WA. This is
the egg that we really want to crack. In terms of challenges, we need to make the opportunities work - we
want real commitment. While there are many employment strategies and these strategies are fantastic, we
want these strategies to come to life. When people, across government, mining and other sectors make a
commitment, the really important thing to acknowledge is that you are not on your own. Hopefully we can come
away from this workshop with some really strong commitments and start to explore some of the support
mechanisms that are really important so that people can walk away feeling as though they are going to
21
succeed. We need to also spread the word to other companies that operate in this part of Noongar country and
encourage them to see that this regional partnership approach is worthwhile, this is something that needs to
happen – open your doors.
Overview of Australian Government in the South West WA Region
Richard Aspinall State Manager, FaHCSIA, WA provided an overview of current programs and initiatives
available and or currently in progress through his department.
In the context of mining companies engaging with Indigenous communities and in terms of Closing the Gap
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, Richard advised that many people were doing some
remarkable things more broadly across Australia and felt that it was worthwhile reflecting on this effort during
the course of this workshop.
“…we are looking towards partnerships
with the community to improve both the
programs that it delivers, the processes its
targets and in a greater sense, supporting
leaders in communities who stand up and
work with us around co-designing the
types of programs that go forward in the
future. We look forward to talking more
broadly about this initiative over the next
two days and in the future.
Richard Aspinall, State Manager, FaHCSIA, Western Australia
The Australian government has strong investment in
the GKB region. We are working closely with other key
government
agencies,
Indigenous
community
members, families and service providers, particularly in
Kwinanin where we are involved in an initiative called
Building Australia’s Future Workforce Package. This
initiative looks at better ways to connect with young
people, single parent families, long-term unemployed,
people with disabilities and older workers to provide the
supports which allow them to transition out of the
social conditions that they are in (including welfare) to
lead into jobs. The destination for a lot of these people
will be quite exciting over the next few years.
FaHCSIA also recently launched an Indigenous Economic Development Strategy – Engaging Today, Building
Tomorrow’s Framework which puts jobs and real economic activity at the centre of the efforts to Closing the
Gap. It is about looking what people need to make that leap to get some independence and to create that
pathway. Among other things, FaHCSIA is working with families across Western Australia more broadly through
parenting programs, family programs, working with disabled people, people with mental illness and carers –
further information about these, and a range of other programs offered by the department can be accessed via:
www.FaHCSIA.gov.au.
In closing, Richard advised that FaHCSIA was doing a lot work in partnership with the non-government sector
and the State government in delivering programs which relate directly to individuals and families. In terms of
social housing investment in WA, there has been a significant injection into both the community and the public
housing sectors. Richard informed participants that he was privileged to visit the 200th house that had been
refurbished in the South West by an Indigenous owned and operated housing company which had done major
renovations across WA to improve social housing that people currently access.
At FaCHSIA, we are looking towards partnerships with the community to improve both the programs that it
delivers, the processes its targets and in a greater sense, supporting leaders in communities who stand up and
work with us around co-designing the types of programs that go forward in the future. We look forward to
talking more broadly about this initiative over the next two days and in the future.
22
Gnaala Karla Booja - Our land, Our people and Our environment
This session was designed to provide government and industry participants with the opportunity to meet
GKB Elders and young people and to hear of their issues, concerns and aspirations. In accordance with
GKB traditional lore and custom, where a crime or breach of lore had been committed and left unresolved,
it would create an imbalance and disharmony among the people until such time it was resolved. Where this
occurred in our past, Aboriginal Elders acknowledged the problem, assessed the issues and severity and
determined and initiated the appropriate level and form of punishment as soon as possible.
This practice and process was acknowledged and respected by Elders across all family groups as it allowed
balance and harmony to be restored quickly among people so they could resume their lives. It also
ensured that the lore was deeply respected and honoured with absolute integrity by people. GKB Elders and
youth were encouraged to re-embrace this ancient and proven method to assess the modern-day problems and
issues that cause imbalance and disharmony among their people and across the community and consider
solutions that would be required to close the gap, and restore balance and harmony. The following represents a
summary of collective reflections and ideas:
Noongar Problems, issues and challenges that cause imbalance and disharmony
Grandparents and Parents
Alcohol and Drugs
We have greater pressure and responsibilities
than Wadjella’s (white people) i.e. 200 plus family
with real issues to deal with each day.
Needs to be addressed first.
As Elders we will be accountable and make a
stand.
Old Missions need to be refurbished/maintained and
developed i.e. projects – build hope/skills.
Elders will invite the West Australian Police
Commissioner and key directors within the GKB
area to meet and discuss the issues and
strategies.
Wandering Mission – Training Centre – close to
Boddington Mine.
Increased funds are needed for the Stolen
Generation to deal with issues that created the
situation.
Drugs – our kids selling to each other.
We need to tell government what the Closing the
Gap means to us as Noongars.
Not all our people are doing “wrong” when they
break the law i.e. helping family, car seats etc.
Kids need to be accountable; kids need to be
respectful within the home and family.
Kids need to show respect to Elders and not
smash things i.e. windows etc as they don’t
understand the consequences- when angry.
Elders Court – how can we do this to deal with
licensing issues?
Agricultural Centre – Noongars should be accessing
this and deliver training i.e. sheering and others
Noongar Support Centre – Noongar staff helping to
overcome issues.
Families to be accountable – make kids take
responsibility.
We are accountable as Elders – make a stand as
Elders.
Name and shame-confidential.
Police “Law” white-washing the issue – need support
from the police and the law.
We want equality and representation in all areas –
not just the crappy jobs.
Law
Education
Drivers Licences and un-paid fines.
Year 12 Noongar licences before leaving school.
Employee could write covering support letters.
LLN (Literacy, Learning and Numeracy).
The use of direct debit as an option.
Computer skills.
23
Promote responsible attitudes to driving.
Driver Education.
Criminal records.
Programs exist – need to access them.
Discriminatory (Not all Aboriginal people have
criminal records).
Parents/Grandparents – onus on parents - needs to
be
individual
responsibilities
(show
some
responsibility).
Kids need to finish high school.
Health
Art, Culture and Heritage
Diabetes - Aboriginal Counselors - use our Elders
to mentor leaders and young people.
Healing through recording and creating art, music,
film and crafts - Reviving Noongar language.
Scholarships for nurses, Doctors, Researchers,
Bush Medics.
Preserving sacred sites and traditional boundaries.
Employ GKB orderlies and liaison officers in
hospital and emergency departments.
Old sites, heritage and culture e.g. Bowerlling –
boundaries that exist/mining companies – how are
they dealing this issue.
Aboriginal people on health board representation
in ALL Sectors.
Being pushed into having pockets of sites when the
whole area is sacred.
Housing
Aged people’s Home – GKB Armidale/Mt Lawley
Need to give up there houses once employed –
change the means test - “Three strikes and you
are out” policy has to go -Housing - HomesWest is
not fair to Aboriginal people - Need Aboriginal
Liaison Officers in HomeWest - “Noongar Home
Maker assistance to communicate issues.
“Other” people (newcomers to the region) are
given priority over GKB people for employment
Family Rehabilitation Centre, Community Centre,
Youth Accommodation, Men’s Refuge Centre
required.
Government
Respect Structures under the MOU between MCA,
and the Australian Government to promote
Indigenous Business and Employment Opportunities.
Issues outside and within – collaboration.
GKB Strategic Plan will need to link into government
plans.
Create Employment Pathways.
Need partnerships with Local Governments/State
Government Services.
ABC Television/ pressure on Minister i.e.
HomeWest gave seven days’ notice on caravan
with broken windows.
Employment
strategies
Government
Agencies/Mining/Local Government/Health: e.g.
Maternity/Mid-Wifery
Services/Relationship
Counselling (Maternity Teams).
24
Noongar Solutions Designed to Restore Balance and Harmony
General Strategies
Community Group
Ensure support and training for work readiness,
Noongar School of Excellence.
Training - appropriate training, targeted training
with actual placement leading to sustainable jobs.
Pathway to all employment and training.
Employment Strategies – local/regional i.e. GKB
specific.
Include procurement strategies, engagement and
implementation.
Support to Aboriginal Business Groups e.g. labour
hire.
Governance and leadership at local and State
government.
Language and culture.
Culture and heritage.
Licences – regional licence program.
Healing Centre (Grief and Loss) (Mental Health
Mobile Clinics).
Aboriginal Health Centre (Wheatbelt Region i.e.
Narrogin, Brookton and Pingelly.
Trust Funds – Own Enterprise, Self Sufficient.
Tourism Venture in all regional centres.
Advisory Reference Group i.e. Moorditj Foundation.
Noongars to construct businesses on Noongar
country – Moorditj Foundation i.e. Building GKB
Economies. To endorse and act on Noongar peoples
business and employment in joint-management.
Cultural Heritage Management Plan
industries, government and NGOS.
Community Service Providers
from
all
Industry and Service Providers
Work Readiness.
Work Readiness – Joined-Up Approach – Pathways.
Allow time, developing a work culture.
Cultural Security.
Meaningful work – getting paid and appreciating
the value of work (Attitude).
Retention/Housing- Industry and Government.
Addressing the barriers within the workforce.
Licences – return of industry and government NGOs.
Support Network Groups.
Employee/Employer, Schools to Work Transition
(Retention, Cultural Awareness, Cohesiveness,
Simplicity).
Procurement – How to identify and plan for in a
competitive environment, pre-qualify, timeframes,
link programs to what is happening on mines sites
such carbon capture.
Policy.
National Resource Management (NRM) and Heritage.
Local Government, State Government, Industry
Whollistic approach – Noongar people for Noongar
solutions.
Government
coordination.
Mentoring with community input-on and off the job.
programs
and
linkages
and
25
Mining
Government and Schools
Civil Construction.
Schools must shape their teaching to include
Noongar participation and learning to help them into
employment.
Mentoring (Noongar).
Driver training.
Life skills.
Drug and alcohol testing.
Career pathways.
Numeracy and literacy.
Pathways – development
continuing monitoring.
and
employment,
Scholarships.
Traineeships.
Macro Business – No “Band Aid treatment”, look
at our Noongar race with respect (Sovereignty).
Noongar language and Aboriginal studies.
Leadership Program around healing, preparing
young leaders into the workforce.
Training Parents in parenting skills and culture –
start to reinstall family and cultural values.
Catch-up learning, Seven Oak College Cannington.
Mining Sector Panel
This session was designed to provide the GKB people, government agencies and service providers with the
opportunity to meet mining industry representatives and to hear of their aspirations, concerns and issues.
The mining industry panel included:
Chris Godfrey, Human Resources Manager - Griffin Coal, Collie; Kelvyn Eglinton, Regional Manager, Social
Responsibility - Newmont Asia Pacific; Geoff Blackford, Manager Customer and Community Relations - Premier
Coal and Therese Postma, Assistant Director, Social Policy with the Minerals Council of Australia.
The following represents a brief summary of collective reflections and ideas based on available workshop video
footage.3
Chris Godfrey, Griffin Coal
Our objectives align with GBK objective in that we want good employees that become long standing employees
with the company.
We want employees that are work ready – hopefully by working together we can start to see some positive
mutual outcomes.
We have a commitment at Griffin Coal to work with the GKB – by working together we hope to see some real
outcomes.
Hopefully we can get a percentage of Indigenous employment that is reflective of the amount of Indigenous
people that live in the community and having them become valued members and family at Griffin Coal.
A change in the perception of the wider community toward Indigenous people in terms of their acceptance of
Indigenous people and their real ability to contribute as part of the mining industry.
In terms of mentors, I would sooner have them come from Indigenous people within the company as they are
already aware of what our industry is about.
We are not adverse to employing Indigenous people, we want to know who those people are so if you can let
us know who they are we are keen to sit down and talk with them. We want Indigenous people to become
part of our workforce for the next twenty years. We would like to provide local jobs for local Indigenous
people.
3
Workshop video footage of this presentation was limited.
26
We need to work with the leaders and I haven’t done that as yet. To be honest, I wasn’t aware of who to
contact but as a result of this (workshop) I know now who to contact so we can now move this forward.
Kelvin Eglinton, Newmont Asia Pacific
It has been really interesting listening to the Elders – what came through loud and clear is the opportunity that
sits in the GKB region, but also the frustrations they have had with the numbers of different services they have
to go through, the amount of training that they have been offered and the fact there as been a lack of a
coordinated effort by businesses, corporates, mining companies and governments to actually deliver the
outcomes.
It is not all bad news, 50% of GKB people are already employed so we need to look at ways in which to get
that other 50% of GKB people employed and have this lined up with the services available.
Newmont Boddington Gold has had a Community Partnership Agreement with GKB since 2006. When we
started this we didn’t really know – we focused our efforts education, employment and training and this was
quite broad and we were doing anything we could to fill the gaps.
Now that GKB are developing their own Strategic Plan we need to sit down with Elders, SWALSC and the Plan
and start to determine what we really need to do in terms of education, employment and training and what
the support services are required to deliver real outcomes at the local level.
In terms of GKB community and business improvement, we need to determine what the business opportunities
are for Indigenous people and what Indigenous businesses already exist? We can then put this on a business
register and then start working toward what opportunities are available.
It really comes back to employment, education and training.
Geoff Blackford, Premier Coal
Premier Coal, operating in Collie, Western Australia, has recognised for some time the importance and value to
their business of a strong partnership with the local Indigenous community. In consultation with the Noongar
people and the South West Land and Sea Council, Premier Coal has established an Aboriginal Policy. The policy
emphasises the significance of Aboriginal culture, history and relationship to ‘country’ and recognises that
Aboriginal affairs are an integral component of working effectively in the mining industry.
With very low employment turnover, Premier Coal looked for opportunities to engage their local Aboriginal
community other than through the establishment of employment targets. Since establishing its Aboriginal
policy, Premier Coal has initiated cultural competency training for its managers and senior staff; it has engaged
an Indigenous apprentice from the local community; and it has also implemented an aquaculture project which
has the potential to offer sustainable solutions to both the business and the local community.
Premier Coal has worked with Curtin University and the local Aboriginal community to establish the Ngalang
Boodja Aquaculture project. Premier Coal is providing financial and in-kind support to assist in the
rehabilitation of expired mine sites through the establishment of marron ponds operated by the local
community. A pilot phase has already been undertaken with six ponds farming marron. A feasibility study is
now underway with a further 22 ponds in operation. During this phase, up to 15 local Indigenous people are
training towards a Certificate III in Aquaculture and Land Management. The vision is for up to 100 ponds
within 4 to 5 years and the business expanding into raising perch. The water processing required for marron
farming slowly improves the quality of the water in the mine void. This project provides tangible benefits for
the environment and for the local Indigenous community, by providing employment opportunities on the
marron farm. For Premier Coal, the project contributes to the business’ goal of rehabilitating mine sites to
eventually hand back to the government with a sustainable plan for land use and improving water quality.
Premier Coal continues to develop and grow its relationship with the local community.
Developing a long term percentage number of total workforce.
 Investigating use of Nyungar mentor to assist overall program.
 Continue support for Ngalang Boodja Enterprises.

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Work with Local Nyungar community to gain the best agreed mine rehabilitation outcomes
 Continue cultural awareness sessions to all employees at Premier Coal.

Industry Service Related Sector Panel
This session was designed to provide the GKB people, mining industry, government agencies and service
providers with the opportunity to meet other service related sector representatives and to hear of their
aspirations, concerns and issues.
The industry service related panel included: Christine Keep, HR Manager, BEM, Contract Management Company;
Wendy Dawson, Diversity Manager, Sodexo, International Facilities Management, Technical and Food Services;
and Helen Cox, General Manager, Tourism Division, Department of Resources Energy and Resources.
The following represents a summary of collective reflections and ideas:
Christine Keep, BEM
Its not just about educating our employees, it is also about educating our supervisors and our management.
All good intentions start at the top. Management commit to an Indigenous employment practice or program
but when it gets out on to the work front we have supervisors on the ground who are hampered by
production targets or financial constraints and they are not as tolerant or committed to the cause.
There needs to be not only a focus on cultural awareness and the difficulties that Aboriginal people face in
the work front, but not seeing them as different to other employees. We need to provide Aboriginal people
with equal treatment with empathy – not sympathy on the challenges they face and understanding what
barriers we need to break down. This is about developing a performance management system that is fair
and equitable to all employees and setting clear guidelines up front, being honest in the communication
process without fear of discrimination and communicating this early in the process.
We have decided to provide a collaboration model where Aboriginal employees have input into their
employment and how our Indigenous Employment Strategy will work. This is about giving Aboriginal people
ownership in order to succeed by developing support groups and committees and running workshops
through the recruitment process – show photos, take them to site to see what it is like, let the talk to other
Aboriginal employees on site and hopefully this will have a flow on affect in growth in numbers.
We can’t do this without stakeholder engagement – this is about our clients understanding what we need to
achieve as a small company and financially this does come at a cost. We are in a world where in the
resources, mining and construction sectors we are constantly asked to reduce our tender prices, get our
prices lower so that we can win the work.
If we are to meet our commitments to Indigenous employment and have an affect on community
sustainability – this comes at a price.
We need to work closely with our clients and develop business partnerships with like-minded organisations
where we can learn from others and realise that, yes, it is about production, but it is also about corporate
social responsibility.
We are a young company, we have a long way to go, we are at the beginning of our journey compared to
others in the room and as previous speakers have said we have to work together for a common goal. That
is why workshops such as these are beneficial so we can learn from each other, learn from our mistakes,
and find out information about where we can access information assistance.
More importantly, it does take a collective approach to change perception and culture - and as a small
organisation with the best intentions – we can’t do this alone.
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Our desired outcome, other than achieving outcomes and targets and breaking down the barriers, is to have
a clear way forward for small organisations like ours (and others) about the alliances that we can form with
people so that we can determine where we need to go to be on the same path.
Wendy Dawson, Sodexo
Wendy acknowledged the Noongar Elders and explained that she was a proud descendent of the Wiradjuri
People in South West NSW and also had connections with the Eora Nation in Redfern, NSW.
Sodexo is about catering, hospitality, facilities management and on-site solutions in the resources sector
across WA including remote sites on shore and off shore.
On-site solutions – includes chefs, plumbers, managers, kitchen hands, domestic and industrial cleaners,
bus drivers, security officers, airport attendants, gardeners, maintenance and administration officer – much
more than a catering company.
Globally, we operate in 81 countries with close to 390,000 employees. In Australia, our remote site business
includes the operation of 30 villages in WA, QLD, NT, VIC and SA with approximately 2,500 employees.
Our jobs are the same across the world – they are very physically demanding, manually laborious,
unglamorous and they are performed in harsh conditions over long hours – fitness is very important to
enable our employees to reduce the risk of injury.
We primarily have FIFO roles, but we are also lucky to have a Drive-in-Drive-Out (DIDO) role at our
Boddington site. In Noongar country we operate villages at two sites – Boddington and Ravensthorpe and
we have a very proactive participation with the GKB Employment and Economic Development Steering
Committee.
Sodexo was founded by Pierre Bellon in 1996 in France. Pierre who is 85 years old and still comes to work
everyday. The vision he developed in 1996 was: To improve the quality of the daily life of the people we
serve in the communities in which we operate. Sodexo has three guiding principles – Team Spirit, Service
Spirit and Spirit of Progress. But really, it about caring for each, taking pride in our work, when sometimes
we’re not viewed very highly on site, and adapting our practices to meet the changing needs of our
communities and our clients.
We have a philosophy that we don’t own the land, we a really passing through and we want to leave a
lasting legacy for the communities in which we operate.
We decided to give our Indigenous Strategy some structure and in so doing, developed a Reconciliation
Action Plan (RAP) as a tool – using Reconciliation Australia’s three core pillars to guide us – Relationships,
Respect and Opportunities. In 2009 we started talking, listening and planning our RAP – we further
confirmed our intentions by writing a Statement of Commitment and lodging this with Reconciliation
Australia. This made us responsible and accountable for our actions that we said we were going to
implement. It was also important for us to have sound governance and adequate resources. Sodexo has an
Indigenous Steering Committee, chaired by the CEO, who ensures, through his performance management
agreement, that we do meet everything that we say we are going to meet.
There are many things that we could be doing but we have had to be focused and therefore narrowed our
activities down to four priority streams: Jobs (direct employment); Businesses (supporting and developing
Aboriginal-owned small business enterprises); Education and Training; Sports, Arts and Culture. Under each
of these four streams, 23 actions were identified that we would deliver on as part of our RAP.
We aim to create 800 jobs for Aboriginal people at a rate of 80/year. Our Aboriginal workforce has grown:
from 2009 - 40; 2010 - 90; 2011 - 180 and to date, in 2012 - 208. Of our 208 Aboriginal employees, 68 are
people from the Noongar Nation. We have 6 managers working across the country (one of which is a
Noongar man who manages one entire site in the Pilbara), 3 Chefs, 2 Plumbers, 4 Apprentices and 2
School-based trainees. At Boddington of the 121 Sodexo employees, 10 are local Aboriginal people and at
Ravensthorpe of the 24 Sodexo staff, 8 are local Aboriginal people.
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Sodexo is proud of its achievements – Celebrated career advancement of 20% of our finest Indigenous
employees to other opportunities within the broader mining sector. This is our positive way of showing that
we do such a great job with training, supporting and helping our Aboriginal employees to grow that we
actually lose 20% of our employees to other clients and contractors within the industry. Instead of being
disappointed, we celebrate this as we know that people are going on to better opportunities, better pay and
career opportunities.
In terms of business enterprise and community sustainability, Sodexo is a very proud supporter of BYAC
Contractors (an Indigenous owned and operated firm which provides training, skills development and job
placement in the mining and construction industries to Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees). BYAC
provides waste management services and also labour hire to some of our sites in WA. This shows a
diversity of other businesses that Sodexo help to grow across the country. This particular stream is one that
we would like to invite and encourage much more from the Noongar community – we would like to see
many more opportunities developed in Noongar country.
In terms of Education and Training Sodexo has worked with Aboriginal children to take ownership f their
own XO Laptops and we will expand our commitment in 2012.
We have developed an Indigenous Health Work Ready Program in response to the need for all of employees
to be very fit and healthy – we have a customised six week program to assist Aboriginal people who may
have been knocked back the first round of employment so that they have a second chance to improve their
fitness levels and nutrition advice.
We have Aboriginal trainee receptionists in all of our Head Offices around Australia, a School-based
Traineeship Program, apprenticeships in commercial cooking, plumbing and gas, fund a school cook at the
Wiluna remote community school and also provide the bread and butter for their breakfast program. The
cook was funded as part of Sodexo’s involvement in the Wiluna Partnership Agreement.
We raised $25,000 in November/December 2011 for the Karrartha Education and Support Centre, a centre
for children with special needs, to provide a sensory room. We are also the sole funders of the Vitamin D
Project in collaboration with Princess Margaret Hospital.
In terms of sports, art and culture we are doing a lot of work with the Noongar community in Boddington
and Narrogin – we see this as a way to continue to develop our relationship with our Noongar communities.
Sodexo is also a very proud sponsor of the National Deadlys Award.
Lessons we have learnt – we are nearing the end of our first RAP and we have already written and made a
commitment to 20 actions in our second RAP. It is all about sharing responsibility and resources, bringing
like-minded people together, and recognising and embracing the fact that every Aboriginal community has
its own engagement protocol and their own needs and aspirations and acknowledging that it is possible to
develop and agreement and action plan together – to maintain the momentum of positive results, we want
to share the stories as much as we can about showing Aboriginal people that they can be, can do or achieve
anything they set out to achieve. The main lessons for Sodexo are: listen carefully to show interest, remain
enthusiastic to show passion, work together to show equality, and keep your word to earn respect.
Helen Cox, Tourism Division, DRET
Helen explained that the reason she was at the workshop, is that her colleague, Chris Stanford (Resources
Division) had met with the Secretary of the Department who asked: ‘If the Working in Partnership program
was working in the resources sector, could we not apply it to the tourism sector? There are some
relationships there that we can harness to increase employment in tourism, particularly in the regional areas
and in areas where there are Indigenous populations who are seeking work.’
I don’t pretend that we know the answer to this question, and I have come to the workshop to learn and
listen rather than proffer solutions but I am really happy to talk with people who have any ideas or would
like discuss anything.
30
When I was asked to come to the workshop I was enthusiastic, but I struggled to know what I would say. I
decided that I would at least provide a little context and a picture and the tourism in Australia and where
Indigenous tourism fits in – and then Doc (Reynolds) stole my thunder.
Doc told us that only 20% of international visitors have an Indigenous experience when they come to
Australia and about 80% of them express of desire to have such and experience.
Clearly there is a strong demand, particularly in the international market, for an Indigenous tourism
experience. In our department we accept that an Indigenous tourism experience can only be delivered by
Indigenous people.
Aligned with this, and perhaps exacerbated by a high demand for labour and skills in the resources sector,
there are significant labour and skills shortages in the tourism sector as well. One of the reason for this is
that wages in the resources sector are very high and not so high in the tourism industry, although Doc did
highlight how much more enjoyable it is to work in the tourism sector.
Clearly there is strong demand for more Indigenous product in Australia and that demand is not being met.
Much of the research that we have done suggests that there is Indigenous product out there, but there isn’t
enough. And much of what is out there is not genuinely international market-ready.
It is important to recognise that engagement in tourism doesn’t always mean running your own Indigenous
business. It can also mean working in an Indigenous tourism business or more likely working in the various
elements of tourism including: hospitality, accommodation, transport, tour operators or working in the
tourism industry for another employer. These are all pathways which provide avenues for Indigenous people
to tell their story to tourists and this adds to the richness and diversity of the tourism experience for
international visitors.
International tourists really value the Indigenous tourism experience and they particularly value the personal
contact. I think this is one of the really special elements of Indigenous product that I have experienced - it
is basically, hearing a story and being able to talk to people about their story.
With respect to yesterday’s visit to the Pinjarra Massacre Site – we had a walk along the river, the actual
site of the massacre, and this was aided by a really brilliant and very moving audio presentation for which
we used Ipods. It was a terrific presentation, it was extremely moving – it was not a sophisticated or
polished experience, it was a real experience. We also saw a terrific movie and some amazing Indigenous
paintings which told the stories of this area and other areas and we had some damper which was also great.
These kinds of experience - simple but real – are what international tourists talk about. They are really
enriching and are added to by the contact that you have with people. Sometimes more polished products
might be enjoyable but the thing that sticks in your mind is the real experiences, real people talking about
their own stories - that is kind the kind of product that we lack in this country and we really need more of it.
One of the things that tourism offers that some other industries may not, is that it gives people the
opportunity to stay on country and that is really important. It also gives the opportunities to sustain culture.
You can sustain culture through providing a tourism experience that actually funds the lifestyle and funds
the maintenance culture – this is a very positive and happy coincidence of events. There are many tourism
operators who can tell you how meaningful this experience is and how they have been able to develop a
lifestyle that suits their culture and helps to maintain their culture. From our point of view, we are really
happy to be involved in supporting these kinds of businesses.
Robert Taylor, Forte Quay Resort, Mandurah
I have been in business, on this property for six years, but 15 years in other properties down south.
When people come into resorts that I have managed, they genuinely want to have an Indigenous
experience – let’s gets some of that product (that Doc spoke about earlier) out there.
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We would like to have some of those Indigenous tourism products packaged up so that when people come
to our resort, rather than them have to look to book a tour, we can be seen to offer them tours as part of
their booking – there is not a lot available at the moment so it would be great if we could develop up more
options.
We have been talking a lot about getting jobs for the mining industry, but for me, the mining industry
actually poaches all of my staff. We lose Chefs everyday to go to the mines to get more money. To me
tourism is a lifestyle, it is not for everyone, it is hard work, but it is all about the fun of meeting people.
Everyone can become a waiter, they get a fairly good wage, but they don’t really need to be that skilled and
they don’t really need a lot of training to be employed in this field. I would like to see more Indigenous
people wanting to work in this area. When you get off a plane, or in taxi, you don’t really see any of our
people involved – it would be nice to see people who know a bit more about the local area.
My dream is to see Indigenous people everywhere, so that when tourists land they get to see us. When you
go to the airport today you see a lot of signs relating to mining and that is great, but wouldn’t it be nice to
get off a plane here and be greeted by an Indigenous person.
Ultimately I would like to see more Indigenous people involved in tourism in this area.
Questions/Comments to the Panel
Doc Reynolds – When I considered some of the problems we had back on my home country, my old people
were asking me to do some things to stop stirring up our country – we had no money, government had no
money but we had the problem. What I did under the instruction of my old people was to approach BHP.
They had a mine at Ravensthorpe and I went to see their community development people to discuss our
problem. I explained that we needed some help, we needed some of their smart people to work with our
people to help us fix our problem. BHP asked what we needed to do and how much we needed - they put
the spanner back to us to come up with a proposal. This was one of the most significant Men’s sites on
country and we had to divert people away from this and other significant sites but still allow people to go
out and see some of the most significant rock art in the South West. A lot of mining companies have what is
known as community funding but they need to get on and do what they have do – that is how they make
money. What you have to do is be organised - go and see mining companies and work with them. BHP gave
us $40,000 then another group matched this amount to pay our old people (as consultants on $500/day) to
do research for our site. You need to put the onus back on to them (mining companies) to work with you –
you can say that is alright for you to do (mine) over there, but you also need to recognise that we need to
do stuff (protect our sites) over here. When BHP made the decision to close Ravensthorpe the Community
Funding Program that had been established gave us $250,000 to continue work on our country for young
fullas on country.
When we did our presentation to BHP to thank them for their contribution we showed them how we had
turned every dollar into six – they have since provided us with an additional $300,000 for the next three
years to do work on country. Don’t worry about government, they will tell you all the reasons why you don’t
want them. Mining may not appear to be receptive, but they will assist you if you are organised around
what it is that you want to do.
Question to Wendy Dawson, Sodexo - With Noongar in the South West, how should they prepare
themselves to approach your company if they want to do business with you?
Wendy’s Response - The requirement for all employees are the same and these are determined by the
clients (mining companies). The main three requirements are: 1. National Police Clearance – but this is not
seen as major deterrent as we look at every applicant individually. 2. Medical and Fitness levels need to be
fairly high however we now have a program in place so that we can work with people to have them improve
in this area. And 3. Driver’s Licences. Literacy and numeracy is not that big a deal for us although this will
depend on the client.
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If you can demonstrate a really healthy outlook on life and a positive attitude to work, and a willingness to
come on board you no need technical skills - we try and have a policy that we will employ first and then we
train second. If an individual can demonstrate that they are willing to make a go of it – we would be very
interested.
With respect to Noongar people wanting to do business with Sodexo, if an Aboriginal person, or a family
group or community has a desire to develop, and or do a business they need to relate this to us. Their
business, and or business idea, needs to relate to our core business i.e. cleaning, waste management,
laundry etc, and they to have experience or a willingness to grow in their business area. As an example, we
had an Aboriginal woman who worked as a domestic cleaner on one of our mine sites in a remote town and
she wanted to start up her own business and provide local opportunities for people to get some benefit from
the mining boom. Sodexo worked with her, one of our major clients and one of our smaller not-for-profit
organisations to form a partnership to help this woman establish her business – we established this business
from the ground. This woman bought her community networks, ability and experience, the not-for-profit
organisation helped with the governance, contract and all of the administration that was required and
Sodexo came up with money for uniforms, training on site and we also gifted a vehicle to allow her to go to
and from sites – this demonstrated the power of relationship.
Question to Wendy - Can we supply your company with dish cloths – we can supply uniforms, but if your
market is dish cloths we can supply deadly dish cloths that can be for multiple use or throw away.
Wendy’s Response - Dish cloths are one of the key tools of our trade – with a large company with a
corporate responsibility we would be happy to look at this. We are doing something similar with another site
around soap – so dish cloths are something that would not be out of the question and we would be happy
to look at this.
Question to Sodexo and general Mining – Licences are a big issue. I don’t believe that you need a licence to
clean out a donger on site. Most of our people don’t have licences because they have huge fines and they
can’t pay – so the cycle keeps going round. Why can’t mining companies take on these people with an
agreement to take a fee out of their pay to help so that they can ay their fines off while they are working?
Response from Chris Godfrey, Griffin Coal – there is no actual requirement to have a licence on our mine
site but you do need one off site when travelling on any roads.
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Government Sector Panel
This session was designed to provide the GKB people, mining industry and service providers with the
opportunity to meet government sector representatives and to hear of their aspirations, concerns and
issues.
The government sector panel related panel included: Peter Donovan WA Department of Indigenous Affairs; Paul
Bowers, WA Department of Environment; and David Pedler, FaHCSIA Metro Office, WA.
The following represents a summary of collective reflections and ideas based on available workshop video
footage:
Peter Donovan, WA Department of Indigenous Affairs
Our business directory will be important – search engines will include: by industry, by region, by product and
services provided.
State Procurement Officers will only be able to go to the Aboriginal businesses that are actually registered on
this directory in terms of direct purchase. The reason for this is that one of the requirements to register on the
directory – 50% will be validated so that companies know that the business they are dealing with is an
Aboriginal business.
The directory won’t vouch for or provide a warrant for the services and goods that will be up to the procurer to
get due diligence.
Home ownership will also be another priority for the agency. This was also an issue for the Elders and it is a
major barrier to attaining and or retaining a job. This also particularly problematic for some groups who are
living in public housing whose incomes exceed the allowable income threshold?
The reason why housing is important – around public housing there is no way that government will ever be
able to meet the demand for housing and we need to provide alternatives for Aboriginal people to get into the
housing market.
From the State’s perspective, my agencies and most State agencies have a rigorous cross cultural training
program. In the context of broader community awareness, there is no general education for the broader
community and recent statistics indicate that 1000 people/week migrate into WA and this presents a big
challenge in terms of raising cross cultural awareness across the broader.
The Department of Indigenous Affairs WA the Indigenous employment rate is about 37%.
Paul Bowers, WA Department of Environment
From a Commonwealth perspective we are working toward an Indigenous Engagement Strategy across the
department. This not necessarily specific to Gnaala Karla Booja, but it is a strategy that will try to educate
departmental staff about what it is like to be an Aboriginal person living in Australia and how to negotiate
some of the issues that are faced by Aboriginal people and communities.
With respect to carbon farming initiative the government realises that this can’t happen without assistance.
How do we reverse the trend in terms of carbon farming – the Liberal Policy talks about a Green Army i.e.
extension of the Wildlife Corridor Program? Regardless of which way the Liberal Party decides to go, there will
still be a requirement to sequest carbon. The South West of WA has been identified as the second most
important area in Australia to sequest carbon through vegetation systems. In other areas like the Pilbara it is
more about soil carbon which is a much longer term proposition. You would have to take ten years from day
one, once you register your property as a sequesting operation, so if it is soil, it takes ten years to build a
baseline. In terms of the South West opportunities, you put the system in day one and then in year or two,
you can go back and measure the girth and the species, measure how much carbon you have sequested and
then receive certificates at $23/Ton. Over a five to fifteen year period you start to get quite a big return for the
carbon sequested and you can then trade this on the open market.
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The government is aware that Aboriginal Australia is a difficult space in which to work in so we are putting
together these strategies to help us work through this.
David Pedler, FaHCSIA Metro Office, WA
For every Commonwealth agency it would be safe to say that cross cultural awareness training is part of the
orientation process. Most people would not get a start if they don’t have this type of training.
Most agencies also have whole range of initiatives including Aboriginal participation programs, Reconciliation
Plans and certainly from FaHCSIA’s we put out quite a bit of money for public awareness programs including
NAIDOC events.
FaHCSIA covers a broad range of affairs, but in terms of Aboriginal affairs, it gives us a mandate to walk all
over everyone else’s area in the interests of Aboriginal people.
There are a whole range of programs available through FaHCSIA’s and there is also the process whereby the
Commonwealth distributes funds through to the States and we have some role in these processes and they are
certainly extensive and complex.
In terms of our local role there is a number of components: 1. FaHCSIA’s mainstream programs – one of the
issues is to ensure Indigenous access to such programs; 2. Engaging effectively with Indigenous communities
and other key stakeholders – we have a mandate to add value and to bring people together, similar to this
workshop in the context of the MCA MoU. In terms of governance, at the State level we have a WA Reference
Group that has representatives from the Commonwealth and the State to address some of the problems that
are seen to be systemic i.e. drivers Licences.
Myself, and my staff are trying to have a greater presence in the South West of the State.
Garry Clark, Chief Executive Officer, Shire of Brookton
I didn’t really come here to speak, I really came to listen.
I wanting to hear what sought of solutions we were going to come up with as I think by doing the same things
over and over again are not really going to change anything.
The Shire of Brookton only has a workforce of twenty five people so if I were to employ two Indigenous people
then my employment quota is done. I not really interested in that, if I have a job vacancy I am looking for
someone that can actually do that job.
What we do struggle with (because we are small) is don’t have the capacity to train people right from scratch
– we need people who have already got an education and some skills. I was hoping to hear about certain
programs that help get Aboriginal people’s to a certain skill level so that they are job ready for us to employ
them.
There are lots of little Shires (approximately forty-four) out in the Wheatbelt area, all with small populations
around a thousand people operating with small workforces. I was aware of a program that ran for around
three months that would people those skills and get them transitioned to be able to work five days a week. If
there were those sorts of programs which allowed people to come out the other side with skills to be able to
work in our office or on road crews I would be happy to employ them.
I find that if we employ local people they are likely to hang around, whereas if they are from somewhere else
they tend to stay for a while and then take off.
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Launch of the GKB Employment and Enterprise Development Agreement
At the completion of day one the GKB EEDA was officially launched. Gerri Hayden thanked all parties that had
been involved in the development of the Agreement, in particular the GKB Steering Committee, Newmont,
SWALSC, the WA State Government and the Commonwealth Government.
Gerri also acknowledged the importance of the Agreement to the Moorditch Foundation, GKB organisations,
Elders and GKB people in general - this Agreement is for you. This Agreement is also for our service providers
and our partners as it helps us to work together to open up pathways through partnership. We need to meet
each other half way, we are not going to sit back or sit down anymore – we are going to stand up and say, if
this is a partnership for us, then we are going to make it work for Noongar People in the South West.
On behalf of industry, Kelvin Eglinton explained that from Newmont’s point of view, what has been achieved so
far is modest, but the intent is good. What this Agreement does at a wider regional level in bringing the key
parties together is the first step in the alignment of what we want to do at site level. It allows us to know all the
services that are provided that can be bought to the table. This is actually quite significant as we can now go to
all of you and invite you to be part of this Agreement as we now have the backing of some quite key players.
Newmont is currently the only industry party to the Agreement. Kelvin acknowledged the efforts of Bryn
Roberts, Peter Ryan and David Pedler and Graham-Ellis-Smith for moving the Agreement forward.
The Agreement includes a number of projects which are really exciting. It will provide opportunities for all
parties to be involved with Newmont Boddington to come up with tangible solutions here in the next three years
and we hope that other industry players also become involved.
Glen Kelly (SWALSC) explained the EEDA is an effort to coordinate industry, Commonwealth and State
government and the different sectors and resources. When the process was started six years ago it was very
obvious that there was a need to come up with something to coordinate people and resources.
The first struggle we had was to get people to operate on the claim-type boundary and that took a couple of
years. There were a number of reforms that we worked through to bring about this Agreement. It is about
coordinating resources, giving the GKB People the ability to come up with their priorities and driving them but
also allowing them to talk with government agencies and industries about aligning their programs and resources
to meet their priorities – how do we make your priorities meet with our priorities.
On behalf of the Commonwealth Government, Richard Aspinall advised that it was an absolute privilege to be
involved in the partnership Agreement. It is really important for people locally to find solutions to the issues that
confront them and by co-designing the way we do business you will get great outcomes because people are
engaged, we finds solutions to problems that exist and we have a real conversation and that is what this
Agreement is about – having a real conversation and adjusting as we go. FAHCSIA are very proud to partners
and we look forward to being involved on behalf of the Australian Government.
Peter Donovan on behalf of the WA State Government advised that they were also committed to supporting the
MCA and Commonwealth Agreement. We were party to this Agreement in its first version and we are very
pleased to continue this relationship in version two. We are keen to see some real tangible outcomes being
delivered. Like the Commonwealth, we are very keen, and will be coordinating all of the State agencies that are
required and are needed to have input into the projects and strategies in the document. We look forward to a
very productive Agreement period and to see some very productive tangible outcomes.
36
Additional Presentations
During the two days of the workshop several impromptu presentations were delivered. This section provides a
summary of those presentations.
Acknowledgement of Legends
Two of Australian Football’s Aboriginal legends in attendance at the workshop, were acknowledged and invited
to share their personal stories of success and offer key messages for Noongar youth.
Sydney Jackson: Born Leonora 1944-07-01, V/AFL Clubs - Carlton, V/AFL Games - 136, V/AFL Career
- 1969-76, V/AFL Goals - 165, Brownlow Votes - 24, WAFL Clubs - East Perth, SANFL Clubs – Glenelg.
Premierships – Carlton 1970, 1972; Life Membership – South Bunbury Football Club, East Perth
Football Club and Carlton Football Club; Team of the Century – South Bunbury Football Club (Centre),
East Perth Football Club (Centre); Carlton Football Club Hall of Fame 2006.
Originally from South Bunbury, Syd Jackson had already won two Hayward Medals as the fairest and best
player in the South West National Football League by the time he arrived at East Perth as a nineteen year
old in 1963. Before long, he had acquired a reputation as one of the finest attacking centremen in the
game, and, at the end of his debut season with the Royals, he finished joint first in the Sandover Medal
voting. However, having incurred a suspension earlier in the season, he was ruled ineligible. Voted his club’s
fairest and best player in 1966, Jackson was in the club’s losing grand final teams both that year and in
1967. However, as early as 1965 he had been attracting attention from VFL clubs, most notably North
Melbourne and Carlton. In the end it was the persuasive talking of Carlton coach Ron Barassi which settled
the issue, and Jackson duly signed for the Blues in time for the 1968 season. Given that Jackson had given
them more than 100 games service (104 to be precise), the East Perth hierarchy was prepared to clear him,
but his VFL debut was delayed by twelve months because the WANFL clearance board refused to endorse
the move.
Jackson went on to give Carlton eight seasons of fine service, mainly as a half forward flanker, before
rounding off his career with a season at Glenelg. Syd Jackson represented Western Australia once, against
South Australia at Subiaco Oval in 1967 when he was one of the best players on view in the home state’s
crushing win. In June 2006 he was named in the centre in East Perth’s official ‘Team of the Century 1945 to
2005’. Sources: http://Australianfootball.com/players; Full Points Footy's WA Football Companion; and http://aiatis.gov.au
Key Messages from Mr Sid Jackson

I was born in Leonora but didn’t really get to know much about it or really live there, as was the sad
case at that time, we were taken away as children.

As a member of the Stolen Generation and having been bought up on Roelands Mission, football
provided me with an opportunity to get away from the Mission and to make a difference in my life.

We had one football in the Mission and about twenty of us as kids we would all compete for a kick of
the footy. The South Bunbury Football Club saw us and some of went on to play with the club - this was
how my football career started.

Carlton Football Club played against South Bunbury and a fellow called Ron Barassi decided that he
would take me to play with Carlton – played with Carlton for ten years.

I got out of the Mission, completed a five-year apprenticeship in carpentry and joinery and worked in
the WA State Public Service and Canberra.
37
Stephen Michael: Born Wagin Western Australia, 15 March 1956 - Inducted 1999 to the Australian
Football League’s Hall of Fame.
As a home-grown player, Stephen Michael achieved almost everything possible in Western Australian
football. An athletic ruckman with tremendous courage and commitment, he was rated among the best WA
footballers never to venture to Victoria. Michael won two Sandover medals (1980-81) as the best player in
the strong WA Football League, with a 12-vote margin in a record second year tally. He won the Tassie
Medal for the best player in the 1983 Australian carnival after leading WA to victory over Victoria and South
Australia; plus the All Australian captaincy and the Simpson Medal as the best player against SA.
Michael won South Fremantle’s fairest and best award five times, 1977,78,79, 81 and 1983 adding a
premiership medallion in 1980, when he was among the team’s best players.
Born in Wagin, in WA’s Great Southern, Michael moved with his family to nearby Kojonup, where he
developed his football skills, and was judged the best player in the district before joining South Fremantle in
1974, starting in the reserves. The next year he played two reserves matches and on 12 April 1975, he
graduated to the league team and went on to play 243 senior club games before injury forced a premature
retirement at age 29, in 1985. The first 212 games were played consecutively.
An Aboriginal fiercely proud of his race and with unswerving loyalty to his family and friends, Michael never
used his colour as an excuse or a reason for his career and achievements; he regarded all people as equal.
His 1999 induction into the Australian Football League’s Hall of Fame was confirmation of his sporting
prowess.
Source: Western Australian Institute of Sport - http://www.wais.org.au
Key Messages from Mr Stephen Michael

I am pretty fortunate through what I achieved in life. I worked hard for what I had achieved - no-one
gave it to me.

I had very good parents in Mum and Dad and when I look at life, no-one gives you nothing for nothing –
you have to really earn it.

When I look at work, we need to stay focused, when things get you down you need to regroup (just like
when you get an injury in football) - I have been at Westfarmers now for 24 years.

We need to bite the bullet and work together. Look at footy clubs in the AFL at the moment. Businesses
and companies need to have at look at what these clubs are doing and take a leaf out of there book.
They really help young Indigenous people - they have mentors, good role models and people who
understand.

I am not being rude to companies – but, you have to come down on the same level as some of these
footy clubs. At Westfarmers we have kids who have come through that couldn’t sell themselves but with
the appropriate mentoring, understanding and support they have successfully moved on with their lives.

I think that the door is open now, and it is very good to see so many people here today working
together - the only way we can move forward is by working together.
38
Woolkabunning Kiaka Inc (WKI) - Roelands Mission
Les Wallam from Woolkabunning Kiaka Inc (WKI) provided a brief history of the Roelands Mission and an
overview of its Strategic Plan 2020 – Strong Proud and Building for Future Generations. Established in 1932,
Roelands Mission, originally known as Roelands Native Mission, was one of 27 missions run under the auspices
of the Native Welfare Department.
It is estimated that 500 children, who were removed from their families, resided at the mission over the period
of 30 years (1940-1970). Many of these children had been taken thousands of kilometers from their homelands.
In 1975, the Churches of Christ Federal Aborigines Board bought the property and changed the name to
Roelands Village. In 2004, the Indigenous Lands Council bought the property on behalf of the Woolkabunning
Kiaka Association, representing the former residents.
OUR VISION:
To provide opportunities for guests and visitors to Roelands to interact with and learn about our story,
Aboriginal culture and heritage; whilst providing opportunities for Aboriginal people to take responsibility for our
future.
We will:

Promote the overall development of the community

Contribute to the self support of the community by the development of economic projects

Promotes education, health services, employment and housing for the Community

Encourage and develop mutual trust and friendly relations between community and the general
community.
Our Priorities and Objectives are:
4

Leadership and Governance – To meet our legal, moral and leadership obligations for a sustainable future.

Environment – To heal, restore, preserve and create opportunities to sustain our environment.

Heritage and Culture – Gather, preserve and share our cultural heritage.

Education, Training and Employment – Support education, training and employment opportunities for WKI
and the broader Aboriginal community.

Economic Projects and Sustainability – Build economic sustainability through WKI business-enterprise
projects.

Health and Well-Being – Support the physical, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual well-being of the
WKI and broader Aboriginal community.

Engaging our Community, Partners and Stakeholders – Build strong, lasting and mutually beneficial
relationships and activities with our Community, Partners and Stakeholders.4
Source: Woolkabunning Kiaka Inc Strategic Plan 2020 – Strong Proud and Building for Future Generations
39
Break-Out Group Discussions
On day two of the workshop, participants were allocated to groups to define the priorities for their respective
groups.
Grant encouraged participants to define what it was that they wanted to address and to be clear about what it
would actually look like if the problem was addressed. For instance, licences and unpaid fines were problems
that were identified, but this could be resolved tomorrow through another government program i.e. bring your
unpaid fines to me and I will pay them for you - that can solve the problem of unpaid fines tomorrow, or does it
solve the real problem?. Unless those same people are prepared to take responsibility for their own thinking,
feeling, behaviour and driving those same people are just as likely to turn up again next month with more
unpaid fines – this does not solve the problem. At the end of the day, the one person who has to sort out their
problems with fines, yarndi, grog or whatever - is me. I need to take responsibility for my own thinking, feeling
and behaviour and I need to have a more positive view of my life. Richard (Aspinall) also spoke about the need
to create pathways – what journey needs to taken to make sure that these pathways are solid. There are a lot
of problems that will affect our capacity to develop that solid pathway. We also have a lot of cross industry
opportunities in tourism, civil construction, hospitality, aviation and so on so we need to get it out of our heads
that mining is the only industry with potential opportunities. We also need to not to see the mining industry as a
fourth level of government. There are many opportunities available we just need to be clear about what our
priorities are.
The following presents a summary of discussions from each group based on available workshop video footage.
Elders Group

Grandparents and parenting – responsibility has been removed from us and we are going to take it back
to put the onus back onto our children and grandchildren.

Licensing – we want our children to be accountable and take responsibility for their driving.

Unpaid fines – hat is their responsibility and we need to give this problem back to them.

Enter into agreements with employers across industries.

Young people must take responsibility for their own lives – a lot of our young people have criminal records
and as Elders we want them to be more responsible.

Alcohol and drugs – too many drugs are being fed into our communities – we want our little kids to be
drug free. To stop drugs and drug pushers among our own mob, it starts with us as Elders and us as
families – we need to take responsibility.

Education – we are trying to encourage our children to go from year eight to year twelve.

We would like to encourage our children to learn how to drive while at school.

We need more of our parents to become involved with the schools and the education of their children.

We need our kids and parents to be involved in voluntary work at schools.

We need Aboriginal parents and their children to build healthy and happy relationships as family.

Diabetes is a big problem for our people – we need to have Aboriginal Counselors (not necessarily
qualified, it could be any responsible and mature Aboriginal person) to work with our parents and to
promote healthy living.

We need scholarship for nurses, doctors, researchers and general employment in hospitals.
40
Industry Group

Work readiness is of critical importance.

Mentoring needs to have community input – it is the Noongar community must help to design what
mentoring will actually look like.

Return of licences - industry can be supportive by being flexible on site i.e. you don’t necessarily need a
licence while on site. Aboriginal people who come for jobs may not have a licence but industry can
promote responsible driving while on site and encourage responsible approaches to driving off site.

Need to establish cohesive government program linkages with industry opportunities.

Opportunity to develop employment policies and business contracts that are directed just at Aboriginal
people and businesses.

How do we identify and plan for these opportunities – we need to give Aboriginal people time to prepare
themselves that they can be ready to take up business contracts. We should also try to make our
contracts more understandable for Aboriginal people.

Natural Resources need to be aligned and collaboration needs to happen between government, industry
and the Aboriginal community to protect cultural heritage.

Working strategically is really important and ensuring appropriate programs and training fit with
opportunities that lead to sustainable jobs for local Aboriginal people.

Employment strategies need to be local, but also regional-focused targeting Aboriginal people.

We need to ensure that there is support for Aboriginal businesses to ensure success.

We need to have a partnership agreement you need to have the participation of the mining sector, other
industries and really good support from the government sector, but most importantly, we need to have
the active participation of the Gnaala Karla Booja People in the process.
Government Services Group

You can’t talk about employment and readiness of people to become employed unless you talk also about
education as a factor – the same as training becomes a factor.

Fundamentally our ability to deal with (problems associated with employment, work readiness and
training) rests on our ability to handle a whole lot of other things that are affecting Aboriginal people and
communities so we have to put some of those things to bed.

That’s the thing - we are never going to put those things to bed and we have to deal with that. As
agencies we need to acknowledge that, we need to step through that as a process.

In terms of housing, some of these issues are imbedded i.e. the moment you put people into employment
they are basically denied social housing.

Home ownership was mentioned as an issue by the Elders and it is a major barrier to attain, and in many
instances, retain a job.

We need to acknowledge the commitment of industry toward employment and create pathways through
to employment.

One of the reasons that we are very pleased with this conversation is that it actually starts the
conversation. It starts to understand where the Aboriginal community sits in terms of its aspirations, its
needs, wants and directions as well as the mining industry that is genuine in wanting more Aboriginal
people as employees.

Part of what we (government) need to do is to make these pathways a lot clearer and we have to
understand what is stopping people from getting into jobs.
41
Community Service Providers Group

As Noongar people we need to create a balance between our work and our culture.

We (South West Aboriginal Workforce Development Centre) can offer practical assistance to employers to
increase the pool of Aboriginal applicants for the positions – that is what we are set up to do. If Aboriginal
people need help with covering letters or resumes we can help them too. We encourage employers and
job applicants to work with us.

We need to get bums on seats in the mining industry to secure long term futures for young people.

We should have a partnership where there is lot of input from Noongar people. There are so many things
that are happening – we need to start planning for the next twenty years.

This workshop has provided the start of a process that can become long term and sustainable.
Community Group

School of Excellence/Training Centre for Aboriginal people to create pathways from training through to
employment. We need to have this bought down into our region - stop re-inventing the wheel.

Governance leadership and coordination between all levels of government. We want government to be
involved in a two-way communication with the community.

Preservation of Noongar language, arts, culture and heritage – including Cultural Heritage Management
Plans from all industry, government and non-government organisations.

Licensing Program/Strategy to actually address the problems associated with licensing and unpaid fines.

Healing Centre to deal with psychological trauma, grief, loss and mental health mobile clinic.

Aboriginal Health Centres across the Wheatbelt region.

Establish GKB Trust Funds that help us invest in our futures – we want to determine our own futures.

Establish a GKB Advisory Body (e.g. the Moorditch Foundation) to discuss employment and business
opportunities across GKB country.

Ensure that we can take advantage of mining and other industry opportunities.

Driver training and licensing – we can set up our own driver training school to train our people.

Ensure ongoing Aboriginal workforce development. We want to compete for bigger business opportunities.

Training Centres - All we have heard is that our people have to be trained. We want a training farm –
Wandering Mission has a big piece of land. Those mining companies who want our people to be trained
must realise that the environments in which our people are trained are often too overwhelming for our
young people. We need to take it back on country and get the old people to tell them so that the youth
can show respect again for the old people and the Wadjella people.

No band-aid treatments - Noongar leadership programs - Mentoring by Noongar people. Schools can
employ Noongar people within the system to improve performance.

We need to put time and resources into parenting programs to help parents take responsibility. We need
to re-educate the parents and get them back into culture – don’t pick on the youth all the time, get onto
parents who are lazy and let their kids get away with things.

It is time for us to empower our youth to take on the challenges and take on the opportunities. Once it
(economic participation) gets going it will have a roll-on effect. The Noongar People will become self
sufficient, they will be more proud of themselves and they will become role models for their own kids.

Socially we will change and better ourselves in wealth creation to know what it is all about and our next
generation will come along and there will be a flow-on effect to our children.

We are not just talking about career pathways – we are talking establishing an economic base within our
communities, when people get jobs they buy houses, when they pass on their children have equity to be
able to build on – so we are talking about breaking the long-term poverty cycles not just employment and
training.
42
Workshop Summary and Close - Where to from here?
Grant Sarra explained that this workshop, like others, presented a whole range of opportunities for future
discussion and action. In the context of Closing the Gap, if we are to move forward in this particular region of
Australia it is important that we don’t get confused by the negative things that are happening among Aboriginal
people and communities from across Australia. We need to be able to identify key priorities and strategies that
focus on delivering of tangible outcomes in the South West of WA.
We need to stay focused on what needs to be done and how it will be done in this region. Learn from good
examples from other regions but stay totally focused on this region – you don’t have to close the gap for
Aboriginal people across Australia, you can contribute to this by closing the gap for Aboriginal here in Gnaala
Karla Booja.
When you have identified what the broad priorities for people are in this region and defined what things will
look like when they are achieved, the questions of what, how (on an annual basis) when and by whom will be
dealt with by you via an effective partnership process at the local level. This is where the GKB Strategic Plan will
be of critical importance. This plan should clearly articulate the Vision of the GKB People and what the broad
priorities and desired outcomes will be. The implementation and ultimate success of this plan, once it has been
developed, will be determined by each of you here at the regional level.
In concluding the workshop, Chris Stamford General Manager, Minerals Division, Department of Resources,
Energy & Tourism acknowledged the GKB Elders and People for their warm welcome and active participation
and contribution to the workshop. Chris specifically thanked the Elders for providing the opportunity for
participants to come together as part of the workshop to learn and work with them – I hope that you have
found this workshop as useful as what we as participants have.
What is the perspective that I can bring to this process. 204 Billion dollars worth of minerals and energy
commodities will be exported from this country in 2011-12. Australia is now the world’s most successful
exporter of mineral commodities. There is no other country on earth that does it as well as we do, or as
successfully or who makes as much money as Australia does – we want to continue that.
There are two big issues that sit at the back of making sure that this happens. The first is infrastructure – if we
are to maintain our presence as a minerals exporter in the global market, which is beginning to understand
exactly how vulnerable and valuable that process is, we need to be able to get minerals to ports, get them out
of ports and into the markets and get them there cheaper and more effectively than anybody else.
The second issue is people - we have an employment shortage in this country and we have a skills shortage.
Industry and government realise that we need to work in partnership with our Aboriginal communities and we
need something to lean on in order to deliver outcomes.
The GKB Strategic Plan, and the EEDA, which forms part of this plan, will provide the short-term and long-term
ideas to move forward. If the Strategic Plan tells your story and explains your priorities then the most important
commitment that was made in this room over the last two days is that industry and government will be guided
by this plan in their relationship with you.
Get that plan right, and industry and government has said that they will be guided by it in their relationship with
you. There are opportunities in this region but we will need the GKB, government and industry to work together
to get us there and here is a willingness in this room to be guided by your plan.
43
In closing the workshop, Geri Hayden thanked all the people who were involved in the organisation of the
workshop and the participants who turned up at the workshop. Our theme is walking together – let’s not stop.
We want to keep walking, our journey started in the last two days – as Noongar People, as Wadjella People as
industries, non-government organisations and government agencies.
Geri thanked her Elders for their contribution over the two days and the other Noongar working party members
for their contributions. We hope that you can take things away from this workshop that you have seen to help
your own working parties to let them know that they too can work in partnership with GKB. I think when we as
Noongar People start working together we will achieve much more. If we are going to achieve positive
outcomes and we want industry and government to see what we are about then we as Noongar People must
start by working in partnership with each other. We know we can do this, we have proven this over the last two
days and please our Noongar People – don’t stop. I am going to work and work until I have achieved what I
have set out to achieve and that is working with my own GKB People, and working in my own job that I have to
achieve outcomes for our younger people, our future generations, and working alongside our Elders and our old
people with the knowledge.
44
Appendix A - Workshop Participants
Abraham, Jock
Abraham, Mervyn
Arkwright, David
Regional Development Coordinator
Peel Development Commission
Aspinall, Richard
State Manager
FaHCSIA
Banks, Margaret
Local Employment Coordinator
c/- Joanna Tokarczyk DEEWR
Barton, Steve
Manager, Organisational Development
City of Mandurah
Bennell, Mathew
General Manager
BYAC Contractors
Blackford, Geoff
Manager, Customer & Community Relations
Premier Coal
Bowers, Paul
Australian Government NRM Officer
WA Department of Environment
Camons, Russell
Project Officer, Community Services
Jobs South West Community Services
Carter, Michael
Regional Officer, Perth Indigenous
Coordination Centre
FaHCSIA
Clark, Garry
Chief Executive Officer
Shire of Brookton
Bennell, Lera
Bynder, Wayne
Cole, Shannon
Community First
Collard, Murray
Colley, Adrian
Director
Red Ochre Consulting
Cummins, Paula
Employment Coach
Community First
Cooke, Wendy
Industry and Education Community Liaison
Officer
Kwinana Industries Council
Cox, Helen
General Manager, Tourism Division
Dept Resources, Energy & Tourism
Curtis, James
Principal Policy Officer, Intergovernmental
Unit
Department of Indigenous Affairs
Dawson, Wendy
Diversity Manager
Sodexo
Donovan, Peter
Director, Economic Development
WA Department of Indigenous Affairs
Donovan, Than
Board Member
WAITOC Association Ltd
Dorman, Veronica
Executive Officer
Skill Hire - JSA
Eglinton, Kelvyn
Regional Manager, Social Responsibility
Newmont Asia Pacific
Ellis-Smith, Graham
MCA MoU Coordinator
MCA MoU Partners
Evans, Loius
CEO
Gnaala Boodja Council Aboriginal
Corporation
Councillor, Barbara
Flugge, Kelvyn
Dept Agriculture & Food WA
Ford, Jonathon
Garlett, Garry
Garlett, Betty
Godfrey, Chris
Human Resources Manager
Griffin Coal, Collie
45
Gooding, Pip
Senior Regional officer
Wheatbelt Development Commission
Haigh, Simon
Principal Advisor Economic Development,
Community & Indigenous Affairs
BHP Billiton
Halfpenny, Paul
Media & Communications Manager
SWALSC
Community Liaison
DEC
Hansen, Janet
Harding, Matt
Hart, Ted
Hayden, Geri
Chair, EEDA Working Group
Hayden, Charne
Hayden, Janet
Haywood, Norm
Chairperson
Ngalang Booja Aboriginal Corporation
Director, Service Delivery Strategy
WA Dept of Training & Workforce Dev
Haywood, Shirley
Ho, Karen
Humphreys, Kim
Jerrard, Sue-Ellen
Skill Hire Pty Ltd
Community Relations Superintendent
BHP Billiton Worsley Alumina
Training & Business Development Mgr
Community Arts Network WA Inc
Keep, Christine
HR Manager
BEM
Kelly, Glen
Chief Executive Officer
South West Land and Sea Council
Kluken, Jennifer
Senior Advisor Indigenous Economic
Opportunity, Community & Indigenous Affairs
BHP Billiton
Kasat, Pilar
Manager Director
CANWA
Lambrecht, John
Executive Officer
Regional Development Australia, Peel
Lawry, Bill
CEO
SWALSC
Lewis, Georgia
Manager
Goomburrup Aboriginal Corporation
McAllister, Justin
SW Native Title Coordinator
DEC
May, Lynne
Company Manager
PEEDAC
Meade, Lisa
Senior HR Officer
Bunbury Port Authority
Miles, Lee
Education, Skills and Jobs Coordinator
DEEWR
Montgomery, Scott
Project Manager Tenure & Native Title
WA Department of Mines & Petroleum
Nannup, Franklin
Chairperson
Murray Districts Aboriginal Association
Community Development Officer - GKB
South West Land and Sea Council
Khan, James
Kane, Monica
Kearing, Shannon
McIntyre, John
Michael, Peter
Nannup, Harry
Narkle, Harry
Nelson Cox, Michelle
Northover, Joseph
46
O'Kelly, Claire
Business Development/Partnerships
Woolkabunning Kiaka Inc.
Oades, Anna
Chief Executive Officer
South West Development Commission
Ord, Duncan
Deputy Director General
WA Dept of Indigenous Affairs
Pedler, David
Manager, Metro Office
FaHCSIA
Postma, Therese
Assistant Director, Social Policy
Minerals Council of Australia
Reynolds, Doc
Vice Chair
WAITOC Association Ltd
Reynolds, Robyne
Tourism Operator
WAITOC Association Ltd
Roberts, Bryn
MCA MoU Facilitator
Roocke, Nicole
Director
Chamber of Minerals & Energy (WA)
Sarra, Grant
Workshop Coordinator
RET Consultant
Slater, Arthur
08 96421231
Seabrook Aboriginal Corporation
Slater, Fay
08 96421231
Seabrook Aboriginal Corporation
Stamford, Chris
General Manager, Minerals Division
Dept Resources, Energy & Tourism
Styants, John
Principal Policy & Project Officer
Department of Indigenous Affairs
Taylor, Robert
Manager
Forte Quay Resort, Mandurah
Tyquin, Michael
WIP Coordinator
RET
Van Noort, Erin
Executive Officer, SW Region
Chamber of Minerals & Energy (WA)
Wilde, Mike
Manager,C44 Tenure and Native Title
WA Department of Mines & Petroleum
Whittaker, Jason
CEO
Shire of Collie
Thorne, Greg
Thorne, Michael
Yarran, Reg
Wallam, Les
47
Appendix B - Participant Evaluations
Gnaala Karla Booja - Working in Partnership with Industry and Government
The following is a table of results from participants’ evaluation sheets about the workshop. There were 29 respondents. Not all
respondents answered all the questions
Strongl
y
Agree
Workshop
Objectives
Working
with others
Organisatio
n & format
Workshop
conclusions
%
Agree
%
>
Neutral
Neutral
%
Disagree
%
Strongly
Disagree
%
%
The objectives of the
workshop were clear to
me and relevant to my
role in my organisation
13
69
14
36.8
9
23.7
The
structure
and
format of the workshop
allowed the objectives
to be achieved
4
31
25
65.8
8
21
As a result of the
workshop, I have a
better understanding of
the things other groups
see as important in
developing partnerships
12
31.5
23
60
3
7.9
12
I met a number of
people at the workshop
that I will probably
contact or deal with
again
13
34.2
16
42.1
9
23.7
13
The information kit
(case studies) provided
will
be
useful
in
demonstrating
to
others some of the
examples of mining
companies working in
partnership
with
Indigenous
communities
11
29
26
68.4
2
5.7
11
The workshop was well
organised and the time
spent
on
each
session/topic was about
right.
10
26
24
63
2
5.7
The time allowed for
meeting
with
and
talking to others was
about right
6
15.8
8
21
24
63.1
The
facilitators(Grant
Sarra and Mike Tyquin)
encouraged discussion
and the sharing of
ideas
24
63.1
13
43.2
The social function was
worthwhile and a good
chance to network with
others*
-
24
63.1
7
The results of the
workshop
are
something I will be able
to talk to others about
and use to build
partnerships in the
future
17
17
44.7
4
44.7
2
5
13
1
2
2.6
4
5.7
10
6
1
1
2.6
2.6
24
-
-
10.5
17
Total
* Not all participants attended this function. Where participants did not tick a category, this study has assumed a ‘neutral’ response.
48
Appendix C - Participant Comments


“Same cause! People and organisations are here for a better future and engagement.”
”Needs grassroots follow-up”

“People need to know what has /is being done.”

“Mentors are very important”

“Working in partnership means negotiating, not demanding.”

“Keep the connection, don’t break the link.”

“Thank you for giving us the opportunity to develop the partnership bridge to mining sector.”

“Great to be introduced to new contacts”

“GKB has the prospects of being a massively strategic and successful organisation. We all
need to ensure that this is recognized and happens.”
49