Indigenous Engagement

With extensive experience working in regional and remote areas and within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, our organisation’s policies, plans, initiatives and training programs reflect our commitment to equal opportunity and we are proud of our diverse workforce and their contribution to our business.

As well as BMD’s existing commitment to Indigenous engagement and participation, we have developed a working group to begin formally establishing our commitment to reconciliation through a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP will document what BMD does in its sphere of influence to contribute to reconciliation in Australia. It will outline practical actions we will take to build strong relationships and enhanced respect between ATSI people and other Australians. The plan will also include BMD’s plans to drive greater equality by pursuing sustainable opportunities.

Our working group will also consider the issues that affect reconciliation and what can be done by BMD and our companies to make a positive contribution through building relationships, gaining greater understanding of ATSI culture and contributions and opportunities to increase ATSI participation in our workforce.

Upon commencement of the Tully Alliance project, the Alliance adopted BMD’s culture of “supporting the local communities in which we operate” by engaging 80 plant hire and earth moving operators, 33 subcontractors and their staff and 41 material and service providers from the Tully region.

The implementation of training for Indigenous employees on the Tully Alliance project was so successful that the Girringun Aboriginal Corporation recommended the model of engagement be used as a template for engagement of traditional owners for all future construction projects.

The Girringun Aboriginal Corporation stated that the Tully Alliance had contributed to the self-esteem and self-worth of our Indigenous employees, that wearing the Alliance shirt had instilled in our guys a sense of pride and achievement and recommended that the Tully Alliance experience be carried forward to develop a best practice model.