The first of its kids for a major Australian Government infrastructure project, the plan will drive Aboriginal engagement opportunities in business, education and employment and help shape the airport’s scope and operation.
Aboriginal firm Enable, headed by AFL legend, former Sydney Swan star Michael O’Loughlin, has been announced as the provider of the plan by Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population Alan Tudge.
“Michael O’Loughlin and his team will ensure that Aboriginal people get maximum opportunities out of the massive investment in Western Sydney,” Mr Tudge said.
“The new airport will generate tens of thousands of jobs and we want Aboriginal people to be part of it.”
As part of the airport’s employment targets, Indigenous workers will make up at least 2.4 per cent of the total construction workforce.
A minimum of three per cent of all contracts during the construction of the airport will be with Indigenous firms.
Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann said Enable would be tasked with coordinating Aboriginal engagement across the business and the community, from cultural heritage to employment, education and training.
“The Aboriginal Engagement Plan will ensure local Indigenous communities are involved and supported through this significant project,” Mr Cormann said.
“It will be an important part of the plan for the airport and surrounding Western Sydney Parkland delivering hundreds of thousands of jobs and business opportunities to all Western Sydney residents.”
Enable managing director, Michael O’Loughlin, said the company was focused on delivering meaningful engagement with Indigenous Australians, including developing and implementing a Reconciliation Action Plan.
“Western Sydney Airport has embarked on an ambitious plan and we are excited to be part of the journey,” Mr O’Loughlin said.
“By developing a broad-reaching, highly-inclusive Aboriginal Engagement Plan, Western Sydney Airport will raise the bar on all future engagements of this type, setting the standard for how Aboriginal Australians are engaged.
“We will work with local Aboriginal communities and stakeholders to inform the Engagement Plan and the local Darug people will obviously play a big part in our program as well as other Aboriginal stakeholders, local communities and our partners at Western Sydney Airport.”
Western Sydney Airport’s partnership with Enable and its commitment to continuing indigenous participation in the project aims to build on existing relationships and deepen Aboriginal engagement.
Greater Western Sydney has the highest concentration of Aboriginal people of any single region in Australia.
According to the 2016 Census, of the more than 1,024,000 people living in the council areas that form the Western Parkland City, approximately 26,000 identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
