Central Land Council

 

Tanami Regional Partnership Agreement signals a new era of Aboriginal businesses

Embargoed until Monday 27 October 2008

The Central Land Council says a new agreement between the CLC, Newmont Asia Pacific, the Australian Government, Northern Territory Government, Victoria Daly and Central Desert Shires will make a significant difference to Aboriginal people who live in the Tanami region, north west of Alice Springs.

The Tanami Regional Partnership Agreement (TRPA), which initially involves Yuendumu, Lajamanu and Kalkaringi, seeks to create opportunities for employment in the mining industry, improve education, develop Aboriginal businesses and build the capacity of local communities.

CLC Director David Ross said the TRPA builds on the hard work done by the CLC and Newmont over many years.

“Our partnership with Newmont to get Aboriginal people into employment and training has set a national example and I congratulate them: many Warlpiri people already have taken the step out of welfare and become valuable skilled workers,” Mr Ross said.

“The TRPA takes that successful relationship a step further – for the last year we have been talking to Warlpiri people about their ideas for business enterprises.

“This has been extraordinarily successful and a number of Warlpiri people have approached us about businesses they would like to set up like vehicle recovery and repair businesses, campgrounds, market gardens, bakeries, earth moving businesses, mustering companies, and housing maintenance companies” he said.

“Our job is to assess the ideas, develop business plans if they look feasible, and assist them to get the business up and running in a sustainable way so that they can truly participate in the economy of the Tanami.

“Some of these ideas are building on already successful businesses, some are new. We already have some tangible outcomes: JW Ringers in Kalkaringi is already up and running and employing three men at Wave Hill station. A fencing contract for Newmont by people from Kalkaringi was done in record time. Business plans are being done for small Aboriginal organisations gearing up to contract to the mining industry.

“We have engaged all three levels of government to come on board to deliver services, education, access to government programs, coordination of government services and infrastructure.

“We are linking in the Warlpiri Education and Training Trust which Warlpiri people have set up with their own royalty money to achieve educational outcomes that the community wants,” he said.

Mr Ross said Aboriginal people are increasingly keen to engage and utilise the opportunities presented to them in the mainstream economy .

Contact Central Land Council: Jane Hodson 0417877579 0889516217

27 October 2008

www.clc.org.au