Mark Bishop (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Many years ago, sometime in the mid to late nineties, I received a briefing from Rio in Melbourne. In attendance, from memory, were both Mr Emerson and Mr Ferguson, currently cabinet ministers in the government. The briefing was about Rio's then strategy, plans and perspectives over the forthcoming quarter century in remote Australia where they had a major presence in mining and the like.

One of the central points of the briefing was that their research showed comprehensive difficulties in recruiting and retaining labour at nearly all levels in parts of Australia north of the 26th parallel. Their concerns applied equally to unskilled labour, semi-skilled labour, tradespeople and technical staff—in fact, at all points as you go up the value chain. In that context they were considering plans for a heavy emphasis on Indigenous employment, particularly in their mine sites right across northern Australia. This meant work in schools, attraction of graduating high school students, more attention to cultural paradigms, skilling of Indigenous boys and girls and the attraction of Indigenous people generally into the mining industry at all levels. They were clearly of the view that there would be insufficient European labour offering itself for ongoing heavy, hard, difficult and tough work in the mining industry.

Over time, they and other major mining companies have moved to implement a lot of those plans. As a consequence, one of the ancillary benefits of the more recent mining boom has been the welcoming of large numbers of Indigenous people into well-paid employment in parts of Western Australia. A most welcome development, clearly, and one that will be a major contribution to the breaking of chains of the affliction of generational welfare dependency.

With that background in mind, I was recently briefed on the work of the NUDJ Plumbing Services in the north-west of my home state. This company has nine full-time plumbers and provides contract services. What makes it so special is that all the plumbers are Indigenous and all have completed their apprenticeship.

The story of this company is startling in its simplicity. At the outset the objective was to provide plumbing services to Indigenous communities; not just household maintenance but also sanitation and water management—the types of services we expect in our regional towns and our cities but which often are not readily available in remote communities. So where do we start when a shortage of tradespeople is almost universal?

There are many willing to have a go in the Pilbara and the Kimberley but they are drawn to the large resource projects not only because of the high wages but also because you fly in, do your job and then fly out. So finding a solution to the chronic shortage of tradespeople obviously means you have to put in place a training program for the people who live in those regions. Therein lies the problem. How do you motivate and mentor young people who have to travel long distances to participate in vocational education? How do you maintain the links to community that will lead them home? And when they get their trade ticket who is going to give them a job?

Back in 2004 the plumbing union's answer to the first question was the establishment of an Indigenous apprenticeship program. It was developed in partnership with the Jarlmadangah Burru Aboriginal Corporation, the Nirrumbuk Aboriginal Corporation and the Victorian branch of the plumbers union. Over time this partnership has evolved to encompass a number of initiatives. The first being the development of a sponsorship program that supports and mentors trainees throughout their apprenticeship. This is a very necessary feature as the training is conducted in Victoria. However, training so far from home is a vital component in the success of the program. In order to be considered for sponsorship, apprentices are asked to commit to an intensive training regime. They must travel to the other side of the country and live in an environment far removed from their homelands. Most will have no extended family or friends for support.

Despite these hurdles the program has worked and has been overwhelmingly successful. To date around 20 young Indigenous men and women have participated in or completed the program. The first intake have graduated and are fully qualified plumbers. They headed home and into the job market eager to put their new skills to work. Now they hit the final hurdle. Many young people will tell you that getting their first job is the hardest. Everyone wants experience, but where do you get it if no-one will give you a go? I think we all recognise that it is much harder when you are young, Aboriginal and live in a remote region. Having a policy of positive discrimination which actively seeks suitably qualified local people is a very useful start. I applaud those companies which have offered a commitment to Indigenous employment targets. Nevertheless, targets are just that and success can only be measured in jobs. This is where NUDJ stands out. It is a not-for-profit plumbing company servicing remote communities. Its employees are Indigenous and they all live locally.

The model is working and NUDJ now has contracts as diverse as for the Beagle Bay community housing upgrade, with B&J steel for the plumbing maintenance and fit-outs of new transportables for remote communities, with Reed Constructions at Broome Airport, with Pindan Constructions at the Kununurra Airport redevelopment, with Kimberley TAFE and with the Department of Housing for maintenance. It is early days but you would have to say it is an impressive start.

The Aboriginal corporations and the Victorian branch of the plumbers union have worked diligently, methodically and with well-articulated goals. At each stumbling block they have remained committed and innovative and worked hard to build community partnerships. They have developed a model which shows a clear way forward in tackling disadvantage in remote communities. They have provided opportunities for young people to learn new skills and to benefit from the dignity that is inherent in ongoing work, to say nothing of the improvements to their communities, which will have an enduring impact on their families, friends and homes.

As I have said, NUDJ Plumbing Services is a simple solution to a set of complex problems. The company operates only in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia. That is not to make light of any of its achievements. It has taken years of commitment and dedication by a great many people. Replicating the model in other remote communities is now the goal for the corporation as it seeks to grow, expand and spread. To do that they need: firstly, funding for mentoring; secondly, training facility dedicated to Indigenous training; and, thirdly, more stringent procurement processes to ensure that Indigenous companies and local community involvement is guaranteed and assured going forward because that is really the heart of the success of the corporation and the program. I submit that these are goals worthy of our support.