In March 2010, six representatives of the Mulga Queen and Mount Margaret Indigenous communities in Western Australia’s Laverton region visited Downer Mining’s operations
at AngloGold Ashanti’s Sunrise Dam gold mine. With enthusiastic support from the project team, the site visit comprised an induction, dump-truck ride and visit to the accommodation camp. As a direct result, four local Indigenous people from those communities commenced employment at the mine in April.
Further north, four new Indigenous recruits joined Downer Mining’s Paraburdoo iron ore mine Indigenous training program, as a result of a recruitment drive in the Murchison Gascoyne region early in the year. These new recruits contributed to Downer Mining’s achievement of its annual Indigenous employment target, with 46 Indigenous people employed in 2009-2010
against a target of 40.
In addition, Downer Mining has continued to develop commercial partnerships with Indigenous businesses. For example, since 1996, Downer Mining has worked continuously with Indigenous-owned mining contractor, Carey Mining, at Western Australian gold mining operations, including Sunrise Dam. This association will be further strengthened at Fortescue Metals Group’s Christmas Creek project in the East Pilbara, at which Carey Mining is one of four leading Indigenous companies with whom Downer Mining has formed “Teaming Agreements” for the supply of plant and people.