Before main works begin for the Morley-Ellenbrook Line, in January Noongar Whadjuk elders Marion Collard and Greg Ugle provided a Welcome to Country with a traditional wanna (digging) stick and a smoking ceremony to establish a safe pathway for the project workforce.
This activity is part of METRONET’s commitments to Aboriginal Engagement, the Gnarla Biddi Strategy, which aims to create positive outcomes for Aboriginal people through cultural recognition and procurement and employment opportunities.
The Gnarla Biddi Strategy includes a target to award three per cent of METRONET contracts valued at more than $50,000 to registered Aboriginal businesses.
The Morley-Ellenbrook Line is already taking steps to meet and exceed this target, with a number of Aboriginal suppliers already on board, including:
- Spartan First (pre-employment medicals)
- Country Man (supplier of uniforms and PPE)
- Jatu Clothing (supplier of uniforms and PPE)
- IES (office cleaning and cleaning supply)
- Moodjar (ceremonial services)
- DK Kaartdijin (labour hire)
- Kany Bidi (traffic management)
MELconnx Senior Indigenous Affairs Advisor Amanda Inman said IES was awarded the office cleaning contract after witnessing the company’s successful contract on another project.
“The team at IES responded very well to the changing climate of the pandemic last year and provided a previous project with a flexible team that is both skilled and well prepared for the changing needs of the project environment,” she said.
“It’s been great watching IES’s capability grow. We needed to source a cleaning team for our MELconnx office in a short space of time and it’s been pleasing to see how well IES have responded to this request and set up a very capable and locally based Aboriginal team to service the office cleaning requirements.”
Aboriginal business interested in working on METRONET projects can sign up to the Construction Business Register.