❓ Question regarding job and business opportunities created for Indigenous people of the East Kimberley due to the Ord-East Kimberley expansion project. The Minister outlines specific examples of Indigenous employment and business development.
AnsweredQoN 678Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ORD–EAST
KIMBERLEY EXPANSION PROJECT
678. Mr
V.A. CATANIA to
the Minister for Regional Development:
As the minister knows, construction of the 31-kilometre
irrigation channel, plus new sealed public roads in the Ord–East
Kimberley expansion project, is nearing completion. Can the minister outline
the job and business opportunities that have been created for the Indigenous
people of the East Kimberley as a result of this nation-building project led by
the Liberal–National government?
KIMBERLEY EXPANSION PROJECT
678. Mr
V.A. CATANIA to
the Minister for Regional Development:
As the minister knows, construction of the 31-kilometre
irrigation channel, plus new sealed public roads in the Ord–East
Kimberley expansion project, is nearing completion. Can the minister outline
the job and business opportunities that have been created for the Indigenous
people of the East Kimberley as a result of this nation-building project led by
the Liberal–National government?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for North West for the question and for
his real interest in providing opportunities for Indigenous people. He had
brought a really strong focus to the Liberal–National government on
making sure that we do more than just construct things and that we try to tie
in Indigenous opportunity. The member for North West's constituents in
the seat of North West, and in the whole of the north west, can be very, very
grateful for his involvement in the Liberal–National government to
deliver these projects.
As the member for North West talked about, there has been a
major construction project going on in the East Kimberley, with 31 kilometres
of main irrigation face channel, secondary channels, drains and flood
protection levees, and more than 40 kilometres of sealed public roads. I think
I talked yesterday about how it has been 1 505 days since we came to
government. So, in 1 506 days, we are nearly to full completion of this
life-changing project for the East Kimberley. The government has also
constructed Garrjang Village, which provides accommodation for 252 workers on
this project and was a vital resource in the evacuation of the Warmun community
when it was devastated by floods in the East Kimberley.
The expansion of the irrigation scheme is providing major
opportunities for the traditional owners of the East Kimberley. A key component
of the investment is to leave a strong legacy of social change for some of the
most disadvantaged people in Western Australia and take them forward into real
jobs and business partnerships. The traditional owners have taken up their full
land entitlement under the Ord Final Agreement, which was signed in 2005, and
that will flow into further opportunities for the Miriuwung and Gajerrong
people in the future.
There are currently, member for North West, 91 Indigenous
workers employed on the construction site direct with Leighton Contractors and
subcontractors. Many of them are getting a job for the first time. Among the
businesses that have been created since the beginning of the construction
period there is a great example, a business called WannaWork, which is an
Indigenous labour hire business with over 25 employees. The director, Donald
Chulung, is an inspirational male leader who last year won Aboriginal Person of
the Year at the East Kimberley Aboriginal Achievement Awards. When I attended
the onsite joint venture signing between WannaWork and Leighton Contractors in
July this year, invited guests were treated to a lunch by the newly formed
Indigenous catering company, Marls Catering, and they were bussed to the site
by an Indigenous transport company, Gerdan Tours. WannaWork, which now has 25
employees, has also recently acquired a major piece of earthmoving machinery, a
grader, which it is using for road and civil construction to further expand its
business, and that is a business that will continue long after the construction
of the irrigation channel is completed. Zena Contractors, owned by Daniel
Chulung, is an Indigenous construction company that has been contracted by
Leighton to build concrete and steel structures for the channel and road
project. Zena Contractors has approximately six staff. DMW CAMS, which has
eight employees, has four trucks operating on the construction site, assisting
with dust suppression during the channel and road construction.
So, for many people, they are not only getting their first
opportunity in the workforce on the Ord–East Kimberley project, but
also they are starting up small businesses that will give them and their
families a new outlook on life, totally changing the face of the Indigenous
community in the East Kimberley. I think that when we look at the way in which
the Liberal–National government has run this project in the Ord–East
Kimberley, and refer back to what the Premier said on the ABC program Q&A on Monday night when he was
talking about the development of James Price Point and the very strong focus on
Indigenous engagement and opportunity through that project at James Price
Point, we can see that rather than just talk about it, in the East Kimberley,
the government is doing it, and the traditional owners are getting involved in
the project, getting jobs for the first time, starting up small businesses and
looking at opportunities post the construction project.
The Liberal–National government wants to do exactly
the same thing in the West Kimberley, through an even bigger project—a
multi-billion dollar project at James Price Point. That is why the Liberal–National
government is so determined to drive through the naysayers of this project and
deliver that once-in-a-generation opportunity for the West Kimberley. I note
that the Leader of the Opposition opposes the Ord project in the East
Kimberley. Alannah MacTiernan, a former Labor member, said on Q&A that she opposes James Price
Point. So the two projects that can have a —
Several members interjected.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : If members opposite were watching the same program that I was,
she said that the gas should be piped to the south. So, can the Leader of the
Opposition say categorically that he wants to see the gas come onshore at James
Price Point?
Several members interjected.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : So the Leader of the Opposition wants to see the gas come
onshore at James Price Point?
Several members interjected.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : So the Leader of the Opposition supports the project?
Mr
M. McGowan : Absolutely.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : How many times do you want to talk about Browse? Move a motion
and we will talk about Browse!
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I do not need to hear you yelling in
this place. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for
Regional Development, it was a reasonably straightforward question; you have been
on your feet for five minutes. I am expecting a conclusion to your answer very
shortly.
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the second
and third time today. If you want to stay in this place, I ask you to remain
silent.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : We just saw it again from the member for Warnbro; fatally
opposed to delivering opportunities for Indigenous people in the Kimberley
region of Western Australia. They lost the Inpex project, they opposed the Ord
project, and we can have no confidence that they would be able to deliver the
James Price Point project, and that is why the people of the Kimberley are glad
that the Liberal–National government is governing from this side of the
Parliament.
his real interest in providing opportunities for Indigenous people. He had
brought a really strong focus to the Liberal–National government on
making sure that we do more than just construct things and that we try to tie
in Indigenous opportunity. The member for North West's constituents in
the seat of North West, and in the whole of the north west, can be very, very
grateful for his involvement in the Liberal–National government to
deliver these projects.
As the member for North West talked about, there has been a
major construction project going on in the East Kimberley, with 31 kilometres
of main irrigation face channel, secondary channels, drains and flood
protection levees, and more than 40 kilometres of sealed public roads. I think
I talked yesterday about how it has been 1 505 days since we came to
government. So, in 1 506 days, we are nearly to full completion of this
life-changing project for the East Kimberley. The government has also
constructed Garrjang Village, which provides accommodation for 252 workers on
this project and was a vital resource in the evacuation of the Warmun community
when it was devastated by floods in the East Kimberley.
The expansion of the irrigation scheme is providing major
opportunities for the traditional owners of the East Kimberley. A key component
of the investment is to leave a strong legacy of social change for some of the
most disadvantaged people in Western Australia and take them forward into real
jobs and business partnerships. The traditional owners have taken up their full
land entitlement under the Ord Final Agreement, which was signed in 2005, and
that will flow into further opportunities for the Miriuwung and Gajerrong
people in the future.
There are currently, member for North West, 91 Indigenous
workers employed on the construction site direct with Leighton Contractors and
subcontractors. Many of them are getting a job for the first time. Among the
businesses that have been created since the beginning of the construction
period there is a great example, a business called WannaWork, which is an
Indigenous labour hire business with over 25 employees. The director, Donald
Chulung, is an inspirational male leader who last year won Aboriginal Person of
the Year at the East Kimberley Aboriginal Achievement Awards. When I attended
the onsite joint venture signing between WannaWork and Leighton Contractors in
July this year, invited guests were treated to a lunch by the newly formed
Indigenous catering company, Marls Catering, and they were bussed to the site
by an Indigenous transport company, Gerdan Tours. WannaWork, which now has 25
employees, has also recently acquired a major piece of earthmoving machinery, a
grader, which it is using for road and civil construction to further expand its
business, and that is a business that will continue long after the construction
of the irrigation channel is completed. Zena Contractors, owned by Daniel
Chulung, is an Indigenous construction company that has been contracted by
Leighton to build concrete and steel structures for the channel and road
project. Zena Contractors has approximately six staff. DMW CAMS, which has
eight employees, has four trucks operating on the construction site, assisting
with dust suppression during the channel and road construction.
So, for many people, they are not only getting their first
opportunity in the workforce on the Ord–East Kimberley project, but
also they are starting up small businesses that will give them and their
families a new outlook on life, totally changing the face of the Indigenous
community in the East Kimberley. I think that when we look at the way in which
the Liberal–National government has run this project in the Ord–East
Kimberley, and refer back to what the Premier said on the ABC program Q&A on Monday night when he was
talking about the development of James Price Point and the very strong focus on
Indigenous engagement and opportunity through that project at James Price
Point, we can see that rather than just talk about it, in the East Kimberley,
the government is doing it, and the traditional owners are getting involved in
the project, getting jobs for the first time, starting up small businesses and
looking at opportunities post the construction project.
The Liberal–National government wants to do exactly
the same thing in the West Kimberley, through an even bigger project—a
multi-billion dollar project at James Price Point. That is why the Liberal–National
government is so determined to drive through the naysayers of this project and
deliver that once-in-a-generation opportunity for the West Kimberley. I note
that the Leader of the Opposition opposes the Ord project in the East
Kimberley. Alannah MacTiernan, a former Labor member, said on Q&A that she opposes James Price
Point. So the two projects that can have a —
Several members interjected.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : If members opposite were watching the same program that I was,
she said that the gas should be piped to the south. So, can the Leader of the
Opposition say categorically that he wants to see the gas come onshore at James
Price Point?
Several members interjected.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : So the Leader of the Opposition wants to see the gas come
onshore at James Price Point?
Several members interjected.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : So the Leader of the Opposition supports the project?
Mr
M. McGowan : Absolutely.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : How many times do you want to talk about Browse? Move a motion
and we will talk about Browse!
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I do not need to hear you yelling in
this place. I formally call you to order for the first time today. Minister for
Regional Development, it was a reasonably straightforward question; you have been
on your feet for five minutes. I am expecting a conclusion to your answer very
shortly.
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the second
and third time today. If you want to stay in this place, I ask you to remain
silent.
Mr
B.J. GRYLLS : We just saw it again from the member for Warnbro; fatally
opposed to delivering opportunities for Indigenous people in the Kimberley
region of Western Australia. They lost the Inpex project, they opposed the Ord
project, and we can have no confidence that they would be able to deliver the
James Price Point project, and that is why the people of the Kimberley are glad
that the Liberal–National government is governing from this side of the
Parliament.
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