The document summarizes the Indigenous and Community Development Program implemented on the Moonamang Joint Venture project in Kununurra, Western Australia. Key aspects of the program included: 1) Establishing employment and business engagement targets for local Indigenous people and implementing intensive support strategies to help achieve these, such as assistance with housing, health, training and childcare. 2) Creating dedicated implementation teams to provide pre-employment support and ongoing mentoring to Indigenous employees. Over 40 Indigenous people were employed on the project on average. 3) Supporting the establishment of 3 Indigenous businesses and town-based employment opportunities beyond the project. 4) Transitioning responsibility for continuing the program to the local Indigenous organization to

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Moonamang JV Moonamang JV
Indigenous & Community Development Program Indigenous & Community Development Program
 Moonamang Joint Venture – partnership between Leighton Contractors &
Indigenous Business Australia
 Background to Native Title Agreement and the Project
 Key Indigenous Employment & Business Engagement Challenges
 Implementing strategies to address these challenges
 Success
 Key messages for implementing Indigenous Engagement Strategy
Native Title Agreement Native Title Agreement
 Ord Stage 1 in 1960’s and 70’s was seen as a major economic
development, however no consideration was given to the impacts  2005 – The Ord Final Agreement
upon Aboriginal people
 MG People – rights to land and funding to support economic and
 Traditional lands flooded and social improvement
Kununurra was developed which
 State – development opportunities including Ord Stage 2
p pp g g
further displaced local
Traditional Owners  Formation of Yawoorroong Miriuwung Gajerrong Yirrgeb Noong
Dawang Aboriginal Corporation (MG Corporation)
 In 2003 State Govt commenced
negotiations on Ord Stage 2  In 2009 the Aboriginal Development Package was implemented to
assist with MG employment and businesses
 TOs did not wish to enter into
negotiations until the impact of  ADP purpose to transition MG people from fringes to full engagement
Ord Stage 1 had been in the economy
addressed
Project Scope Indigenous & Community
Construction Phase 1 Development Program
 19km of irrigation channel (Goomig Dawang Channel)
 More than a construction project
 14km road
 Project must deliver social and economic outcomes
 8 control structures
 Project is a failure if these outcomes are not delivered
 Drains
 State Government & LandCorp developed a new contracting model
for Indigenous outcomes
 50% contract weighting against
Indigenous outcomes
 Dedicated team and budget
assigned to deliver outcomes
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Indigenous Social & Economic Services to be Delivered
Outcomes
 Moonamang set targets to achieve
 Employment on OIEP  Support Miriuwung and Gajerrong (MG)
people’s participation in the opportunities
 20% target associated with the Ord Expansion Project
 25% stretch
 Provide assistance for training, personal
 30% ground breaking development and business development
 Business on OIEP  Provide an opportunity for people to shift
from the fringes to full participation in the
 Engage 3 Indigenous business
economy
 Other Employment
 Provide sustainable employment beyond
 Implement town based employment the Ord Project
strategy for Indigenous people
Kununurra Community Key Employment Challenges
 Competing Against Welfare
 1,500 Miriuwung and Gajerrong people (approx. 7,300 in SWEK)
 Overcrowded Housing
 81.7% Indigenous people in East Kimberley not engaged in
 Alcohol and Drug Abuse
employment (4.3% non-Indigenous)
Violence in the East Kimberley is normal
 Inadequate Nutrition behaviour.....for the past 30 years it has
 No MG person graduating year 10, 11 or 12 in 2011 – 2013 been overwhelmingly black on black, and
 Relationship Dysfunction male on female, usually accompanied by
 364 arrests per 1,000 people (24 per 1,000 non-Indigenous) alcohol, often done in front of others,
including children.
 Violence and Abuse
 98% court appearances are Indigenous people
Ex Magistrate Catherine Crawford
 Attendance and Retention
 Life expectancy 47 years (78 non-Indigenous)
 Drivers Licence
 Birth rate – 21.9 per 1,000 (12.3 non-Indigenous)
 Lack of Identification & Birth Certificates
 11 suicides in Kimberley between December 2010 – March 2011
 Wet Season Employment
Key Business Challenges Implementation Structure
 Unique model in the construction
 Availability of loans due to work and industry
financial history
 Whole of community approach
 Lack of entrepreneurial vision to start a developed
business
 Working with all employers
 Realistic business development plans –  Dedicated access to Indigenous
not prepared to wait development funds
 Comprehension of impact of investment  Dedicated team separate to the
decisions construction team
 Lack of financial understanding  Work in conjunction with MG Corp’s
Aboriginal Development Package
 Knowledge of tendering and marketing
 Commenced with 5 employees and
processes
grew to a “mini government”
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Program Teams How Did We Do It
Addressing the Challenges
DEVELOPMENT TEAM IMPLEMENTATION TEAM
 Intensive Case Management – transport, counselling & support, advice
 24/7
PRE - EMPLOYMENT POST - EMPLOYMENT
 Meal vouchers & nutrition education
Birth certificates, TFN, ID’s, bank accounts, licences,
accommodation, previous work experience, developing Mentoring and supporting people in  Housing assistance
partnerships with JSAs and finding other support work. Training, transport, development
networks, making clients aware of the importance of of skills, finding/creating vacancies,
routine and the hours involve, induction – being fit, and placing people into suitable posts,  3 tier support system
ready for work, Transport (take to centrelink etc), developing relations with business,
Housing – overcrowding, social issues, Health – substance government etc for posts. Developing  Flexible working hours
abuse, drugs, emotional, physical, mental, numeracy, partnerships with JSAs and finding
literacy, education, babysitting, childcare, training, other support networks.
lifestyle, legal issues ‐ court etc,  Flexibility for individual approach
 “Whatever It Takes” mentality
Continuous Support & Engagement with Individual
Phase 1 Employment Town Based Employment
 28 in town based employment
 Monthly Average – 44 Indigenous
Employees or 38.89% of total workforce  Range of local businesses
 20.48% of total workforce MG  Cater Care
 Dept. of Youth, Sport & Rec
 Peak – 62 in September
 St Joseph’s Primary
 62.5% previously welfare dependant  Community Housing
 82.07% average attendance  Dept. of Water
 Kununurra Security
 Create work friendly Monday – Friday
roster  Greater focus on town based
employment moving forward
Training & Development Courses Indigenous Business
Broader than Construction Training Development
 Construction Upskilling  Drug Abusers Collectors
 Money Matters Financial Mgmt  Personal Development
 3 business assisted to establish or grow
 Drivers Licence / HR Learners  Leadership
 Hospitality Customer Service  Computing
 Favourable payment terms
 Cultural Awareness Training  Numeracy & Literacy
 Strong Mind Strong Spirit Strong Journey
Mind, Spirit,  Business Development
 Preferential contract negotiations
P f i l i i
 Support through contracting process
 Assistance with strategic business plan
development
Building Indigenous
Business Opportunities
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The Kimberley Legacy Take Home Message
Building a Better Future Implementing Your RAP
 Transition of ICDP to MG Corp for long-term sustainability of program  Become part of the community
 Made ourselves redundant  Strategic Relationships
 Implementation of Housing Assistance Program  Generations required for outcomes to become ingrained
 Work Clinic – dedicated course to prepare individuals for employment  Don’t become discouraged
 Construction Fundamentals Program – discrete non critical path  Do not inflict anything on anyone – TO’s must be part of the journey
Take Home Message
Implementing Your RAP
 Deliver what you promise in your RAP – if
you can’t do it don’t promise it
 Requires full commitment by contractor,
client and community
 People are the secret to your success –
have people who are committed and
passionate
 Indigenous Participation Strategies must be
implemented at all levels It does not matter what the project is....
 Continual evaluation and refinement
You give people hope, change, and the
“With Aboriginal people when you give your word that’s it”
Edna O’Malley – MG Corp (OFA Negotiations) opportunity to make a difference
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