❓ Premier Carpenter addresses Indigenous unemployment in WA, highlighting a landmark $300 million contract between BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining as a significant step forward. He emphasises the importance of private sector involvement and government encouragement in creating opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians.
AnsweredQoN 446Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
INDIGENOUS UNEMPLOYMENT
Can the Premier please advise the house of the latest progress in addressing Indigenous unemployment in Western Australia? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
Can the Premier please advise the house of the latest progress in addressing Indigenous unemployment in Western Australia? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kimberley for the question. Before I answer the question, let me say, lest I not get the opportunity to get to my feet again today, that yesterday I asserted my belief that the member for Nedlands had supported a piece of legislation from the government. I have now been shown demonstratively that that was not the case, and I unreservedly apologise. Ms S.E. Walker : Thank you. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for Kimberley for the question. Before I answer the question, let me say, lest I not get the opportunity to get to my feet again today, that yesterday I asserted my belief that the member for Nedlands had supported a piece of legislation from the government. I have now been shown demonstratively that that was not the case, and I unreservedly apologise. Ms S.E. Walker : Thank you. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
I thank the member for Kimberley for the question. Before I answer the question, let me say, lest I not get the opportunity to get to my feet again today, that yesterday I asserted my belief that the member for Nedlands had supported a piece of legislation from the government. I have now been shown demonstratively that that was not the case, and I unreservedly apologise. Ms S.E. Walker : Thank you. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Ms S.E. Walker : Thank you. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for Kimberley for the question. Before I answer the question, let me say, lest I not get the opportunity to get to my feet again today, that yesterday I asserted my belief that the member for Nedlands had supported a piece of legislation from the government. I have now been shown demonstratively that that was not the case, and I unreservedly apologise. Ms S.E. Walker : Thank you. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
I thank the member for Kimberley for the question. Before I answer the question, let me say, lest I not get the opportunity to get to my feet again today, that yesterday I asserted my belief that the member for Nedlands had supported a piece of legislation from the government. I have now been shown demonstratively that that was not the case, and I unreservedly apologise. Ms S.E. Walker : Thank you. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Ms S.E. Walker : Thank you. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : As I said I would. Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Mr R.F. Johnson : But you did not have to pull that face! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is the one I was born with. It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
It is my view, and I think it is a view shared by many people, that more Indigenous Western Australians need to be engaged more successfully and more sustainably in our powerhouse Western Australian economy. If ever there was the opportunity to fundamentally change the outlook for Indigenous people in Western Australia, it is now. On Monday, the President of the People’s Republic of China came to this state and demonstrated that the long-term future of Western Australia’s economy is very, very strong. We need to take the opportunities that have arisen because of our shortage of skilled labour, the massive number of projects in this state, and the scale of the projects that are in development, to ensure that Indigenous Western Australians get a fair go - a fair crack - at the success and opportunities that many other people in our community have had access to for some time. Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
Therefore, it was extremely pleasing this morning to be witness to the announcement of a landmark contract. That was announced here in Parliament in the Aboriginal People’s Room. There is a lot of significance in that very fact. That landmark contract is between BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining Pty Ltd. It is the largest contract ever to be awarded to an Indigenous company in Australia. It is, in fact, a $300 million, five-year contract. That contract has been signed by Ngarda for work to be undertaken on behalf of BHP Billiton in running the Yarri mine, which is about 200 kilometres east of Port Hedland as a going concern, and also as a training opportunity for Indigenous employees. I heartily congratulate Mr Ian Ashby from BHP Billiton for this initiative. It is a brilliant initiative, and BHP Billiton, and Mr Ashby in particular, I believe should be commended for it. I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
I also congratulate Mr Taylor of Ngarda Civil and Mining. Barry Taylor is an outstanding Western Australian. He has already demonstrated that across a range of areas. The story of the development of his company is a great story. He started out in 2001 with half a dozen lawnmowers and whipper snippers, doing minor contracts for mining companies around Port Hedland. He has now built that company into an outfit worth hundreds of millions of dollars, as we can see from this agreement with BHP. I anticipate there is more to come. We have as a government challenged, encouraged, cajoled and prodded companies in Western Australia in the resource industry to do this sort of thing for several years now. For Mr Ian Ashby and BHP Billiton, the biggest mining company in the world, to take up this challenge is a great thing for Western Australia and something that BHP Billiton should be commended for. Great education and training opportunities and long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australia are about to unfold. It is not just the government that is driving this agenda. Private enterprise is stepping forward and saying that it wants to do this. These companies have economic imperatives, good corporate citizenship and a desire to do these sorts of things. The challenge is now there for other companies to step forward and do similar things. It complements the Western Australian government’s efforts to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous Western Australians. I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
I look forward to more initiatives of this kind being outlined and presented at the major forum to tackle Indigenous employment in Western Australia that I announced last week. Ngarda Civil and Mining aims to achieve an increasing Indigenous employment at Yarri mine each year, with 70 per cent at the end of the five-year contract. It will bring in people to work on a functional mine that produces profits for BHP Billiton. It will then allow those people who have been skilled up in that operation to move into other areas, at every level of expertise and employment that mining operations allow. BHP Billiton already has more than 600 Indigenous employees in its workforce; it has a target of 12 to 14 per cent of its workforce. Again, I wholeheartedly congratulate BHP Billiton and Ngarda Civil and Mining for this initiative.
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