WBHO-I has a strong, genuine focus on Aboriginal Participation in our projects, with a focus on directly involving local Aboriginal people and businesses in the delivery of our projects. Our commitment to Aboriginal Participation is demonstrated by the outstanding outcomes and results that we have consistently achieved across our projects.
WBHO-I respects Aboriginal peoples’ cultural diversity, aspirations for self-sufficiency and that we deliver projects on their lands. Our key objectives are to foster sustainable working relationships between Aboriginal people and businesses and to offer them a wide range of employment, career and business opportunities. Our focus to achieve these objectives is to continually increase the number of Aboriginal employees and businesses participating in our projects, by implementing a consistent, overarching Aboriginal participation strategy which enables ongoing continuity across all of our projects.
WBHO-I also recognises and respects that the local communities and Traditional Owner’s continued connection to their land, waters and culture. An objective for each of our projects is to maximise the participation of local Aboriginal people and businesses.
Through over two decades of working in urban, rural and remote areas throughout WA, WBHO-I brings tried, tested and refined strategies for engaging with Aboriginal people and businesses, and a track record of achieving targets and delivering meaningful outcomes for Aboriginal employment, procurement and supply chain participation in our projects.
3-Stage Aboriginal Participation Strategy
WBHO-I’s is currently implementing a ‘3 Stage – 3 Year Strategy’, which is founded on the fact that, due to range of cultural and social factors, Aboriginal people generally prefer to be employed by Aboriginal businesses; and therefore the most effective way to achieve long-tern sustainable Aboriginal employment is by developing and growing Aboriginal businesses to a point where they can become long-term sustainable employers in their own right.
The Strategy therefore recognises and responds to three critical factors:
- The need to develop the capability and capacity of Aboriginal contracting businesses;
- The need to provide continuity across projects and sufficient time in which to be able to develop the capability and capacity of Aboriginal contracting businesses, whilst also providing personal career paths and realising the aspirations of their employees; and
- The need for the long-term commitment of all key stakeholders, including WBHO-I, Aboriginal contractors and our clients.
The 3 Stages of the Strategy are:
- Establishment: Successful establishment of working relationships with Aboriginal contractors in WBHO-I’s operating areas.
- Development: Support and mentor development of those Aboriginal contractors and partner with them for delivery of WBHO-I projects on their country.
- Continuity: Continue to support and mentor development of those Aboriginal contractors for them to have accredited systems and be capable of independently tender for and delivering projects.
Case study
GNH – Maggie Creek to Wyndham
WBHO Infrastructure, in collaboration with Main Roads Western Australia were awarded the CCF WA Earth Award for Excellence in Civil Construction, Project Value $30m – $75m for the Great Northern Highway Upgrade Maggie Creek to Wyndham.
Importantly, WBHO-I achieved a 33% Aboriginal participation outcome based on man-hours worked on the Project. As part of this initiative, nine low risk inmates from the local Wyndham Work Camp were employed on the Project on a day release basis, with three becoming full-time employees upon their release. The judges noted that this project was an outstanding example of a considered and structured approach that delivered positive outcomes for Aboriginal employment.
