Great Northern Highway upgrade to Wyndham delivers Aboriginal jobs

• Work is underway upgrading Great Northern Highway into Wyndham
• Aboriginal people make up about 50 per cent of the project's workforce 

With construction commencing on the Great Northern Highway upgrade (Maggie Creek to Wyndham), about 40 jobs have been created for Aboriginal people in the east Kimberley.

Design and construction contractor, WBHO Infrastructure teamed up with east Kimberley Aboriginal business, Dadaru Holding to achieve its Aboriginal engagement target commitments on the joint State-Commonwealth project.

Local Aboriginal businesses have been engaged to provide labour supply, traffic control, site preparation and accommodation at an estimated value of $5.8 million.

About 50 per cent of the onsite workforce consists of Aboriginal people, which exceeds the contract target of 45 per cent.

WBHO have engaged two Aboriginal trainees and identified another four in the surveying, administration, project management and construction management fields. They will also engage up to six Aboriginal prisoners from the Wyndham Work Camp for upskilling, helping ready them for re-entry to the workforce.

Nearly 28 kilometres of highway will be upgraded, including the reconstruction and realignment of the six-kilometre section known as Maggie's Jump Up, and the addition of a northbound passing lane.

Also included in the project is the replacement of a bridge on Weaber Plain Road, north of Kununurra, which will increase load carrying capacity and is funded by the Roads to Recovery program.

The project is expected to be complete in late 2018.

Comments attributed to Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt:

"An important part of the upgrade project is Aboriginal job creation, achieved by setting contract requirements for minimum total hours worked by Aboriginal people.

"It is pleasing to see projects exceed these requirements and employ a greater number of Aboriginal people than stipulated in the contract. It shows the benefit of working in partnership with Aboriginal-owned businesses

"Workers on the site will be in a good position to forge careers in the construction industry with trainee positions offered in surveying, administration, project management and construction management.

"This results in a major step forward in improving the welfare of Aboriginal people and communities."

Minister's office - 6552 5900