Double distinction as Indigenous talent takes spotlight

Inspiring individuals from South32's Cannington mine and Glencore's Mount Isa operations have been named joint winners of this year’s Exceptional Indigenous Person in Queensland Resources Award. Danielle Kyle, a Birri-Gubba, Bwgcolman woman and Indigenous liaison officer at Cannington, took the honours alongside Kalkadoon man Matthew Body, a plant technical operator with Glencore Queensland Metals. Raised on Palm Island, Ms Kyle has been working in Queensland’s resources sector since 2007 with South32 - becoming a fierce advocate to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous people and women.. “Being a strong role model to other Indigenous people at Cannington mine and more broadly in the industry and community is incredibly important to me," she said. "I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given to grow as a leader, advocate and mentor with South32, and I will work to give these same opportunities to other Indigenous people in our industry.” During her time with South32, she has established Cannington mine’s Indigenous Work Experience Program (IWEP) and Indigenous Networking Group (ING). Her employer said Ms Kyle had used her cultural knowledge and experience to build culturally appropriate programs, support networks, cultural awareness training and mentoring at Cannington mine, which had led to an uplift in Indigenous participation in the past 12 months. Mr Body has worked at the copper smelter in Mount Isa for the past 17 years. Employer Glencore said the award recognised his leadership and dedication to team safety initiatives and key projects, like the copper smelter rebrick in 2022. The father of five hopes to inspire the next generation to follow a similar path, to become the best versions of themselves and consider a career in the mining industry. Mr Body and Ms Kyle received their awards at the Queensland Resources Council’s 2023 Indigenous Awards in Brisbane last night. Image at top of page: Exceptional Indigenous Person in Queensland Resources Award winners Danielle Kyle and Matthew Body with QRC Indigenous Affairs Committee chair Rob Jackson from South32 (at left) and sponsor Stanmore Resources' general manager operations Jason Greig. QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane congratulated all award winners as leading examples of the workforce behind Queensland’s resources sector that contributed $94.6 billion to the state economy in 2021/22. The QRC’s latest figures show that in 2020-21, First Nations people represented 5.3 per cent of the resources sector workforce compared to 4.6 per cent of the population. The average wage paid to Indigenous employees has risen 42 per cent to reach $172,000, reflecting the increased skill level of Indigenous workers and the number now in leadership roles. “The resources sector is proudly the largest private employer of Indigenous men and women in Queensland, and we hope these awards will inspire more First Nations’ people into one of the many rewarding careers available,” Mr Macfarlane said. The 2023 QRC Indigenous Awards winners are: Joint Winners, Exceptional Indigenous Person in Queensland ResourcesDanielle Kyle (South32) and Matthew Body (Glencore Qld Metals) Winner, Indigenous Advocacy in Queensland ResourcesChandel Eyre (Petros Solutions Australia) Winner, Indigenous Rising Star in Queensland ResourcesAlex Dyball (Thiess) Winner, Exceptional Indigenous Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) StudentMalachi Munns (School Captain of Good Shepherd Catholic College in Mount Isa) Winner, Best Company Indigenous InitiativeShell QGC – Waalitj Indigenous Scholarship Program Winner, Exceptional Indigenous Business in Queensland ResourcesBudbySmith Group - owned by Graham Budby and Jade Smith

Double distinction as Indigenous talent takes spotlight

Industry Queensland

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