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Funding will support Indigenous leadership in mining

Feb 21, 2022

Statement from Tania Constable, Chief Executive Officer

The Australian Government’s $21.9 million investment in current and future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders will pay strong dividends for mining regions and business.

The Indigenous Leaderships and Governance package will support First Nations people to further apply their skills and knowledge and help achieve the vision set out in the National Roadmap on Indigenous Jobs, Skills and Wealth Creation.

Funding for more Indigenous Australians to undertake company directors courses also recognises the importance of increasing their representation in business leadership roles.

This includes in the minerals industry, which is working to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in mining engineering, professional and leadership positions.

Currently, Indigenous Australians make up 3.7 per cent of Australia’s overall workforce – and up to 20 per cent at some mine sites – and about 10 per cent of industry apprentices and trainees. Mining also became the largest employer of Indigenous Australian men in remote areas in 2016.

Mining has a strong track record of supporting Indigenous businesses, with Indigenous business owner managers accounting for double the share of non-Indigenous owner managers in the sector.

Building on decades of growth in the Indigenous mining equipment, technology and services sector, Aboriginal-owned mines and projects are also emerging. These include Yolngu-owned Gulkula bauxite mine and Anindilyakwa-owned minerals project in the Northern Territory.

The funding package includes $6.7 million to enable the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations to develop tailored governance training materials for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.

The MCA has long-advocated for increased and stable government funding and support for Traditional Owner representative organisations to establish foundations and develop community-led economic development initiatives.

The new funding will also help Indigenous entrepreneurs to grow and develop their businesses.

The Australian minerals industry will look for opportunities to complement these initiatives as part of its work to support implementation of the National Roadmap on Indigenous Jobs, Skills and Wealth Creation.