Celebrating Indigenous engagement in Qld mining

Rio Tinto’s newly operational $2.6 billion Amrun bauxite mine has won the Best Company Indigenous Procurement Initiative Award at the 2019 Queensland Resources Council Indigenous Awards. Rio Tinto was recognised for creating sustainable Indigenous procurement and employment opportunities through its Amrun Project Local and Indigenous Participation Strategy with a long-term approach to Indigenous participation beyond the construction phase of the project into operations. Rio Tinto Weipa Operations general manager Daniel van der Westhuizen said the project ethos had always been to employ local, buy local and grow local business. "Amrun will continue to work in partnership with Traditional Owners to ensure local Aboriginal people play a strong role in our business and to position the broader Western Cape region for a sustainable future.” Key actions implemented under the strategy included Rio Tinto developing a North Queensland Indigenous Business Directory to enhance visibility of Indigenous business capability in the region and the requirement for all work package bidders over $1 million to complete Local and Indigenous Participation Plans (LIPP) to ensure the inclusion of Indigenous companies in the award of contracts. It was among the many industry achievements recognised at the QRC Indigenous Awards - now in its sixth year. Ian Macfarlane. Queensland Resources Council (QRC) chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the three individual prizes were awarded to three very talented Indigenous women. “Dee Clarke from BHP’s Maintenance Centre of Excellence was this year’s Indigenous Advocacy recipient. By delivering above and beyond expectations through advocacy work Dee has shown exceptional leadership which has contributed to an increase in Indigenous participation in the sector,” Mr Macfarlane said. “BHP engineer Nyah Teiotu took out the Exceptional Indigenous Person after demonstrating aptitude, enthusiasm and an ability to build strong relationships with employees on site and is always willing to provide training and coaching to her peers.Lydia Taylor from Moura State High School triumphed in the Exceptional Indigenous Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) student award. BHP and QCoal were joint winners in the Best Company Indigenous Employment and Training Initiative category while Black Cat Civil was named Exceptional Indigenous Business. "No other industry, other than the public service, has our record on workforce participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders," Mr Macfarlane said. "We are proud, as an industry, that 4 per cent of our workforce are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and that is the same proportion of Queensland’s population. “Another milestone is Indigenous women in resources who represent 26 percent of the Indigenous workforce which is close to twice the non-Indigenous rate." Full list of award winners: BEST COMPANY INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING INITIATIVE JOINT WINNERS Indigenous Leadership Programs, BHP and Thida Bullaroo ‘One Foot After the Other’, QCoal HIGHLY COMMENDED Bowen Basin Trainee Program, Peabody BEST COMPANY INDIGENOUS PROCUREMENT INITIATIVE WINNER Amrun Project Local and Indigenous Participation Strategy and Implementation, Rio Tinto RUNNER UP Team Work between Procurement and Project Management Creates Opportunities, Origin HIGHLY COMMENDED Indigenous Business Breakfast, Thiess EXCEPTIONAL INDIGENOUS BUSINESS WINNER Black Cat Civil RUNNER UP ONABAC HIGHLY COMMENDED Indigenous Beverages Australia EXCEPTIONAL INDIGENOUS QMEA STUDENT WINNER Lydia Taylor, Moura State High School RUNNER UP Tristan Evans, Kirwan State High School HIGHLY COMMENDED Willow Sing, Dysart State High School EXCEPTIONAL INDIGENOUS PERSON WINNER Nyah Teiotu, Mining Engineer, BHP RUNNER UP Darryl Parker, Supply Superintendent, Glencore HIGHLY COMMENDED Brandon Bulter, Operator, Middlemount South INDIGENOUS ADVOCACY AWARD WINNER Dee Clarke, Maintenance Centre of Excellence, BHP RUNNER UP Colin McLennan, Managing Director and Owner, Jangga Operations UP AND COMER Florence Drummond, Founder, Indigenous Women in Mining and Resources Australia https://www.i-q.net.au/main/bhp-women-shine-in-qrc-indigenous-awards

Celebrating Indigenous engagement in Qld mining

Industry Queensland

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