BHP women shine in QRC Indigenous awards

Two pioneering BHP women are among the recipients of the 2019 Queensland Resources Council Indigenous Awards, announced in Brisbane this week. Wemba Wemba woman Nyah Teiotu was named this year’s QRC Exceptional Indigenous Person in Queensland Resources, in recognition of her trailblazing work as the first Indigenous female engineer to enter BHP. Employed at Blackwater, Ms Teitou holds degrees in civil and mining engineering and plans to complete an MBA. She is involved in a number of BHP’s Inclusion and Diversity committees, STEM pathway programs and volunteers at various Indigenous student events and summer camps at University of Queensland. “It is great that these awards recognise the many career opportunities for young people in the mining industry and I hope I can use my award to attract even more young people, especially women, to pursue them,” Nyah said. The QRC Indigenous Advocacy Award, which recognises individuals who have demonstrated an outstanding effort to encourage, promote and advocate for increasing Indigenous participation within the resources sector, was awarded to Dee Clarke, based at BHP's Maintenance Centre of Excellence in Brisbane. BHP and QCoal were joint winners in the Best Company Indigenous Employment and Training Initiative category. BHP has committed to a leadership parity target of three per cent Indigenous representation at manager level and above by 2028. The Indigenous Development Program and Indigenous Leadership Program support the capability and progression of Indigenous employees within the business with leadership skills that are also valuable within community settings. BMA Asset President James Palmer said the mining industry was working to provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people but more needed to be done to build economic empowerment, social development and cultural wellbeing. “It is abundantly clear that by providing sustainable opportunities in education, employment and business for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the benefits flow both ways,” he said. Award winner Dee Clarke (Image created by Applegum Studios). Full list of award winners: BEST COMPANY INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING INITIATIVE JOINT WINNERSIndigenous Leadership Programs, BHP Thida Bullaroo ‘One Foot After the Other’, QCoalHIGHLY COMMENDEDBowen Basin Trainee Program, Peabody BEST COMPANY INDIGENOUS PROCUREMENT INITIATIVE WINNERAmrun Project Local and Indigenous Participation Strategy and Implementation, Rio TintoRUNNER UPTeam Work between Procurement and Project Management Creates Opportunities, OriginHIGHLY COMMENDEDIndigenous Business Breakfast, Thiess EXCEPTIONAL INDIGENOUS BUSINESS WINNERBlack Cat CivilRUNNER UPONABACHIGHLY COMMENDEDIndigenous Beverages Australia EXCEPTIONAL INDIGENOUS QMEA STUDENT WINNERLydia Taylor, Moura State High SchoolRUNNER UPTristan Evans, Kirwan State High SchoolHIGHLY COMMENDEDWillow Sing, Dysart State High School EXCEPTIONAL INDIGENOUS PERSON WINNERNyah Teiotu, Mining Engineer, BHPRUNNER UPDarryl Parker, Supply Superintendent, GlencoreHIGHLY COMMENDEDBrandon Bulter, Operator, Middlemount South INDIGENOUS ADVOCACY AWARD WINNERDee Clarke, Maintenance Centre of Excellence, BHPRUNNER UPColin McLennan, Managing Director and Owner, Jangga OperationsUP AND COMERFlorence Drummond, Founder, Indigenous Women in Mining and Resources Australia

BHP women shine in QRC Indigenous awards

Industry Queensland

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