27/10/2015 Mining Matters: July-September 2015 1.74 MB

J U LY – S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5
FEATURED
FROM THE CEO
OTRACO’S
CHRISTMAS CREEK
TEAM HITS MAJOR
SAFETY MILESTONE
02
02
2 FOR 20 ACHIEVES
$100 MILLION
IN BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENTS
03
COMMODORE
GOES OFF-GRID
04
BROOKE TRAIL
– OPERATOR,
MEANDU MINE
05
MORE THAN JUST
THE MINE INSPIRES
ARTISTS DURING
VISIT TO MEANDU
06
PARTNERSHIP
WITH BBMC
PUTS INDUSTRY
RELATIONSHIPS
IN FOCUS
06
CHRISTMAS CREEK
TRAINEES JOIN
INDUSTRY-FIRST
APPRENTICE
PROGRAM
07
WOMEN INSPIRING
WOMEN
08
HEALTH AWARD TRIFECTA
O
ur industry-leading Enhancing Workforce
Health Program has received two further
accolades, winning the People Category in the
Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western
Australia (CMEWA) 2015 Safety and Health
Innovation Awards in July and the NSW
Minerals Council Health Excellence Award
in August. The program previously took out
the 2014 Queensland Mining Industry Health
Program Award.
The CMEWA Award recognised the
effectiveness of Enhancing Workforce Health,
which is a structured, holistic occupational
health program based on the risks that poor
health poses to employee safety. Through
Pictured at the NSW award ceremony are (from
left): Idemitsu Boggabri Coal General Manager
Operations Ray Balks with Downer Mining’s
General Manager Operations – South East Peter
Cory, Health, Safety & Training Manager – Mining
East Barry Morssinkhof, Regional Health Advisor
Natasha Palethorpe, Boggabri Health & Safety
Superintendent Jason Chapman and Group
Manager Health Shaun Smith.
a commercial research partnership with
Queensland University of Technology’s Institute
of Health and Biomedical Innovation, we have
been able to work with internationally recognised
experts to develop a diversified, continuousimprovement approach to managing our
priority health risk areas: obesity and nutrition,
musculoskeletal disorder and mental health.
Continued on page 3
TWO NEW CONTRACTS AWARDED AT BLACKWATER
I
n August we were awarded two further contracts by BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) at
the Blackwater coal mine in the Bowen Basin, Central Queensland.
The first new contract is for the provision of mining and maintenance services. It is for two
years (with a one-year option) and is valued at approximately $150 million. The scope of work
includes the load and haul of pre-strip material using BMA-owned plant and equipment, as well
as maintenance of BMA-owned plant and equipment.
The second contract was awarded to our blasting business, DBS. It is valued at approximately
$75 million and has a term of three years. The scope of work includes the management and
provision of drilling and blasting services, including some down-the-hole loading services.
We have been providing mining services to BMA at Blackwater since May 2012. In June this
year, this initial contract – which includes the load and haul of pre-strip material – was renewed
for a two-year term (with a one-year option). The works included in the two new contracts are
over and above the scope of this contract.
FROM THE CEO
I
n August, we released our FY15
annual results, and I’m pleased to
report that yet again we achieved
another record low TRFIR – 3.16, down
from 4.1 in FY14. Although our total
revenue decreased to $1.59 billion, our
EBIT margin remained high at 10.5%.
For me, FY15 highlights for
the business included: achieving
excellent results at Boggabri with a
very successful ramp-up; a positive
completion to Stockton; receiving
our Letter of Award from Adani for the Carmichael Project; the award of the CSA
contract at Cobar; the expansion of our contract at Christmas Creek; the renewal of
our contract at Blackwater; and our new asset management contracts at Peak Downs
and Saraji.
Additionally, our continued focus on operational excellence delivered increased
plant utilisation, which is integral to the great performance across our projects.
Like the start of any new financial year, it’s been a very busy past few months.
I’ve had the opportunity to travel to various sites, allowing me to not only engage
with more of our people, but also to explore the possible expansion of our overseas
presence through meetings with mine operators in Chile.
I also visited Christmas Creek with Chief Operating Officer (COO) Mining – West
Mike Sutton in September. We had the opportunity to celebrate with the Otraco team
the achievement of their 10,000 incident-free tyre changes. This milestone is a clear
demonstration of what can be achieved through teamwork and a constant focus on safety.
In another clear demonstration of our commitment to living our Zero Harm value, we
have won our third health award of the year. This means we have now been recognised
for our efforts in improving employee health in Queensland, Western Australia and New
South Wales. It is great to be recognised as a leader in such an important field.
FY16 is shaping up to be a year that yet again holds many opportunities for our
business. The mining industry is continuing to grow and, as long as we maintain our
focus on continually improving our performance and championing positive change in
the sector, I am confident that we will have a valuable role to play in that growth.
David Overall
Chief Executive Officer
Pictured from left at
Christmas Creek are
Otraco Site Manager
Brent Blacker, COO
Mining West – Mike
Sutton, Mark Cardosa,
Ashly Jefferies, Fabricio
Santana, CEO David
Overall, Alternate
Project Manager Kris
Oliver and Chris Young.
Absent Otraco team
members were Steven
Johnston, Leo Barnes,
Chris Mackenzie, Steven
Livsey, Karl Hogan,
Matthew Coles, Kristian
Rule, Daniel Tetuhi,
Laith Henare, Fabian
Morrell and Boehe
Kersting.
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OTRACO’S CHRISTMAS
CREEK TEAM HITS MAJOR
SAFETY MILESTONE
I
n August, Otraco’s Christmas Creek team
celebrated 10,000 earthmover tyre changes
without an incident. This is an extraordinary
achievement given that, with 159 pieces
of equipment, our Christmas Creek team
performs the most tyre changes per tyre fitter
per month of any site in the West Pilbara region
and possibly in all Australia.
Site Manager Brent Blacker said: “The
high-risk nature of the work we do is widely
acknowledged, and we’re extremely proud of
our safety culture, as well as all the procedures,
processes, controls and training that we have
in place that enable our people to consistently
work safely.
“Innovations, such as the elevated work
platform, tyre-pad controller system and
upgrades to the current Otraco tyre bay
infrastructure and procedures, have also all
been instrumental in helping us meet this
milestone. However, we couldn’t have achieved
it without the hard work of our people, past and
present.
“Thank you to all our employees at
Christmas Creek who, through great teamwork
and focus on working safely, have ensured that
everyone has gone home safe every day since
the first tyre change back in August 2010,”
Brent said.
“With outstanding team
work comes success.”
Otraco Christmas Creek Site Manager
Brent Blacker
ZERO HARM & INNOVATION
Regional Health Advisor Donna Viner (centre) accepting the People Category
award from Sue Crook of FIFO Life and CME President, Brian Reilly.
SUBMIT
YOUR
INNOVATIONS
NOW
2 FOR 20 ACHIEVES $100
MILLION IN BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENTS
By Mark Johannessen,
Group Risk Manager
T
HEALTH AWARD TRIFECTA
Our third State award – the NSW
award – was more specifically linked to a
site-specific campaign run at Boggabri,
and was due to the enthusiasm and
commitment shown by our Boggabri
team to adopting a healthier lifestyle.
When we first began developing our
Enhancing Workplace Health program in
2008 in collaboration with Queensland
University of Technology, obesity
and weight management ranked with
musculoskeletal disorders as two of the
top health risks faced by employees.
A review conducted at Boggabri
in 2013 showed that while there had
been some really positive gains in
terms of raising awareness of these
key health issues, there was still much
that could be done. The Boggabri team
volunteered to pilot a program to show
exactly what could be achieved through
sheer determination and a willingness
to change.
“It’s important for any sort of
intervention that you have the buy-in of
your employees,” said Group Manager
Health Shaun Smith.
“The guys wanted their families
involved, so we held a family health day
at the mine. One of the highlights of this
was the DEXA scanner – a bone density
and body composition scanner – which
we used as an innovative way to create
greater awareness around obesity
Continued from page 1
and pinpoint the areas on which each
individual could focus.
“To get the horsepower that we
needed into the program, we also hired a
full-time Lifestyle Program Coordinator
who was based on site.”
While the program was open to all, 20
volunteers participated in a confidential
12-week trial. They were each supplied
with a heart rate monitor and food
journal, and had access to a nutritionist
and exercise physiologist. Using a webbased portal, they tracked their daily
dietary and exercise data. At the end of
the trial, all participants’ eating habits
had changed significantly, their exercise
tolerance had increased and the average
body fat loss across the group was nine
per cent.
“We’re now looking at the key
learnings from the trial to see how we can
broadly implement them on other sites
experiencing the same issues,” said Shaun.
“For example, a fantastic outcome
at Boggabri is that some people have
volunteered as Health Ambassadors
to encourage their workmates on the
journey to better health and fitness.
“We also get some other great
benefits, such as lower injury rates and
better productivity, but the main goal is
improving workforce health, and that’s
something we want across the whole
industry.”
wo years ago in October, we launched
our 2 for 20 program as an initiative to
better enable our employees to contribute
to the success of our organisation through
sharing their ideas and expertise.
Over the past two years, more than
400 ideas have been submitted, and these
have contributed to around $50 million of
measurable business improvements each
year. These improvements will support
the mining business going forward, having
brought us efficiencies that will ensure that
we stay competitive in the current difficult
mining environment. Numerous other
initiatives designed to support our people
have provided benefits over and above
these measurable financial gains.
The Plant and Procurement teams
have been particularly active in the 2 for
20 campaign, and should be applauded
for their great contributions. But the
most pleasing aspect of the program has
been the contributions from individual
employees, from site-based Operations
and Maintenance employees to officebased staff, who have exercised their minds
not only in relation to their own areas of
responsibility but to the broader business
as well. Clearly, Downer Mining has great
people who are passionate about the
success of their business.
2 for 20 feeds into the broaderbased Downer Fit4Business program,
which continues to deliver savings
and efficiencies across the Downer
organisation. It has recently been
supplemented by Downer Group’s “Future
Box” innovation competition. These
initiatives are, of course, over and above
the many local business and continuous
improvement programs in place across
projects and offices.
So please keep sending in your 2 for
20s. Whether they be about helping keep
your colleagues safe, saving money or
enabling something to be done smarter,
they all contribute to Downer Mining’s
sustainable future.
miningmatters
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ZERO HARM & INNOVATION
COMMODORE
GOES OFF-GRID
A
new off-grid power system at Commodore
coal mine has the potential to reduce costs,
diesel consumption and CO2 emissions – each by
up to a staggering 80%. And, as an added bonus,
the savings will pay off the system in less than
five years.
This was the challenge issued to Queenslandbased energy-solutions provider, LC Energy…
Our 20 field staff at Commodore work out
of demountable buildings, which are constantly
being moved around as mining progresses. Power
to the demountables has always been supplied by
diesel generators, as grid-connected electricity
just hasn’t been practical. We need a renewable
energy system that will decrease our dependency
on diesel fuel and reduce associated carbon
emissions. It also needs to be reliable, easy to
install, relocatable and compliant with stringent
safety requirements.
With the support of the Australian
Government’s AusIndustry Clean Technology
Innovation Program, LC Energy developed an
off-grid power system that comprises six solar
panel banks connected to a containerised battery
bank. During sunlight hours, the solar panels
supply power and charge the battery bank, so that
at night, the stored energy in the batteries can
be used. If the stored energy runs out, a dieselpowered generator kicks in until the solar panels
start to generate energy again. Generally though,
the generator only has to run for a couple of hours
a night. An extra plus is that the system can be
monitored and controlled remotely.
With all the boxes ticked, the system is now up
and running at Commodore, providing a cleaner,
cheaper, uninterrupted power supply, and we will
now be looking for opportunities to deploy this
great technology at other sites.
Relay for Life Patron Carl Rackemann presented
Meandu Project Manager Dayne Somers, HR
Superintendent Chrys McDuffie and Stanwell’s
Jim Young with a thank you gift.
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Pictured at the Toolkit for Schoolkids workshop are (back row, from left) Downer Mining’s Jay Leeson,
QMEA’s Kym Frost, TAFE’s Keith Pattindale, Nanango SHS’s Brendan McDonald and Rio Tinto’s John Tomsen
with (front row, from left) Nanango SHS students Thomas Springate, Joe Early, Kathryn Kidman and Taj Jones.
SUPPING WITH SPORTING GREATS
SUPPORTS SEARCH FOR A CURE
R
ugby league’s Darren Lockyer, tennis star Evonne Goolagong Cawley and
four-time Paralympian Brendan Burkett were championing cancer research
at this year’s South Burnett Relay for Life’s ‘Dinner with the Captains’ in July, and
once again we were a proud sponsor of this very important event on Kingaroy‘s
social calendar.
Another sporting great, former Australian fast bowler Carl Rackemann, is the
patron of the local Relay for Life charity that raises money for the Cancer Council
Queensland. Carl has been involved with the charity for more than 10 years,
during which time it has raised close to $1 million, helping to ensure that the
Cancer Council can continue to conduct research in Queensland and support
those affected by cancer in the local region.
Around 460 people attended the event at the Kingaroy Town Hall.
PEOPLE DIVERSITY & COMMUNITY
FUTURE TRADIES
LEARN FROM OUR
EXPERTS
N
ever missing an opportunity
to impart our knowledge
to youngsters keen to work in
the mining industry, we recently
participated in a Toolkit for
Schoolkids workshop run by
our corporate partners, the
Queensland Minerals and Energy
Academy (QMEA) at TAFE
Queensland Skillstech’s campus
in Brisbane.
Twenty-five Year 10 students
from a number of South East
Queensland schools came along
to gain an insight into the life of
a tradesperson working in the
resources sector.
The students participated
in various practical activities
throughout the day, and also
had the opportunity to interview
some of our people about their
own career journeys. Meandu
HST Coordinator Charles Curran,
Regional Plant Superintendent
Jay Leeson and Senior
Organisational Development
Advisor Pia Cappiello all shared
their unique experiences.
GOING THE
DISTANCE
F
or most people, getting
up at the crack of dawn
on a Sunday is a marathon in
itself, let alone then running
10km. However, this was the
challenge for a group of Brisbane
employees and their family and
friends as they took part in
the Bridge to Brisbane run on
28 August.
Over 30,000 people took part
in the 2015 race event, helping
to raise over $700,000 for 326
different charities.
Operator Brooke Trail and Trainee Operator Zoe Uren (centre) during filming by German TV station, ZDF.
BROOKE TRAIL – OPERATOR, MEANDU MINE
O
ur work to increase female participation in
the mining industry has been recognised
in rather an unusual way. Earlier this year,
we were approached by German television
broadcaster Zweites Deutches Fernsehen (ZDF)
who wanted to film a segment on women in
mining, which apparently is unheard of in many
European countries.
As one of our female operators for a diverse
range of equipment, we asked Meandu Mine’s
Brooke Trail if she would like to be involved,
allowing the crew to follow her around and
document her work and home life for three days, to
which she (thankfully) agreed. Brooke will soon be
an international sensation, with the documentary
to be broadcast on television screens across
Europe later this year. Unfortunately it won’t be
airing on Australian TV, but here’s a snippet of
Brooke’s story:
Brooke knew from a young age that she wanted
to work with big trucks. Growing up on her family’s
farm, she was used to being around big machines.
After spending many years working for her
family’s contract mowing business, Brooke moved
to Kingaroy and began work at an accountancy
firm, working her way up from a junior office clerk
to the Personal Assistant to the company’s CEO.
In 2008, Brooke’s husband Shane, a diesel fitter,
moved to Western Australia (WA) to get into the
mining industry. After six months, Brooke followed
him over and began to pursue her own career in
the mining industry as an operator.
“I’ve always enjoyed being out on the machines,
so being able to work with machines as a full-time
career seemed like a bonus to me.”
Brooke started her mining career with
Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) at one of its iron
ore mines in WA.
“When I started with FMG, there was a huge
demand for operators in the west. FMG had
developed a set training program for new operators
and, not long after I was successful with my
application, I was on my way to learning to drive the
big trucks.”
Brooke underwent the intense two-week
training course in Perth before being flown to site.
“Similar to training that is undertaken today, the
courses entailed simulation training of the different
trucks and also practice in a controlled training
ground facility, which allowed me to have my first
drive of a haul truck, and I just loved it.”
Brooke remained with FMG for four-and-half
years before she and her husband relocated back
to Kingaroy and beginning her career at Meandu
Mine in 2012.
“At Meandu I operate the haul trucks, water
carts, wheel dozers and track dozers. I am also one
of the Trainer Assessors for the site, which means
I get to mentor and encourage the trainees, which
has been a very rewarding experience.”
Brooke is keen to continue improving her skills
as an operator and learn to operate other pieces of
machinery at the Meandu site, becoming what she
calls an “all-rounder” operator.
When she’s not at work, Brooke’s world revolves
around horses. She lives on a 278 acre farm on the
outskirts of Kingaroy.
“I really enjoy playing polocrosse (a combination
of polo and lacrosse). In winter there is a polocrosse
carnival just about every weekend, which we travel
on average up to three hours to attend.”
Brooke encourages women to pursue work in
the mining industry. She says that she has seen the
industry go through many changes during the past
ten years and women shouldn’t been intimidated to
work at a mine site.
“Be prepared to work hard, don’t give up, and be
willing to listen and learn.
“I push myself to make sure that whatever
I’m doing, it’s just as good, if not better, than the
blokes, and that is one of my main motivations to
keep achieving new things within this industry.”
miningmatters
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CELEBRATING
NAIDOC WEEK
CHRISTMAS CREEK
STYLE
O
ur Christmas Creek team was
invited by FMG to take part in
their whole-of-site NAIDOC Week
celebrations from 5-12 July.
This year’s theme was We All Stand
on Sacred Grounds: Learn, Respect
and Celebrate, which highlighted the
strong spiritual and cultural connection
that Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander (ATSI) people have to the land
and sea.
There was a huge array of
activities held at the site, including
a Master Chef-inspired challenge,
“Contractors’ Cook-up,” using
traditional ingredients such as
kangaroo, emu, barramundi and
crocodile.
NAIDOC celebrations are held
across Australia each year in the
first week of July, and celebrate the
history, culture and achievements of
ATSI people.
MORE THAN JUST THE MINE INSPIRES
ARTISTS DURING VISIT TO MEANDU
M
eandu Mine featured prominently in a
unique arts exhibition in Murgon in July.
The “Dual Arts” project saw local artist Lee
Porter and photographer Sherianne Talon
painting and photographing iconic South
Burnett scenes to settle the age-old debate
about whether photography is really art.
The sites chosen to feature in the exhibition
were nominated by local residents, and then
shortlisted to 20 by Lee and Sherianne, with
Meandu Mine and Tarong Power Station both
making the cut.
Extract from the South Burnett Times
6 July 2015
Ms Porter’s painting placed the mine and
Tarong Power Station in one image, and
used different coloured soils collected
from the spoilings (sic) to depict the mine’s
depth and layers.
But Ms Talon was limited to what she could
fit within her lens.
The image that confronted her from behind
the camera was a surprise.
Stanwell Community & Indigenous Relations
Manager John Carey said that Dual Arts
Coordinator Sandy Hoffman had accompanied
Lee and Sherianne on their visits to both sites
and both artists had been really surprised by
what they had seen.
“I expected to go to a black mine with
everything dusty and dirty and filthy,”
she said.
“Sandy recalled just how impacted the
artists were. She said they talked about
the environment and infrastructure a little,
but for weeks they mostly talked about the
people and how proud they are to work at
Stanwell,” John said.
“Meandu Mine was the most wonderful,
overwhelming place I’ve ever been to in
Australia,” she said.
Ms Porter said the sites provided
unexpectedly wonderful landscapes.
“The people, the place, the work ethic.
“They are all so proud to work there.”
Maintenance Contract Manager Mick Carr (far left) and COO – Open Cut East
Kurt Baumgart (far right) with Mick Forday from All Earthmoving Rental and
Russel Soper from COR Cooling at the BBMC meeting in Emerald in September.
PARTNERSHIP WITH BBMC PUTS INDUSTRY
RELATIONSHIPS IN FOCUS
T
Brenden Forster and Shane Thomas from
Christmas Creek whipping up a tasty meal as
part of the NAIDOC Week “Contractors’ Cookup” challenge.
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aking the opportunity to build our relationships with our stakeholders, we have become the new
Principal Sponsor of the Bowen Basin Mining Club (BBMC).
Regarded as an important information conduit by its 5,000 members and sponsors, the BBMC
provides industry news and networking opportunities to those in the resources sector, and hosts bimonthly events throughout Queensland’s Bowen Basin region.
Our COO – Open Cut East Kurt Baumgart said: “It’s great to be involved with an organisation like
the BBMC because of its proactivity in building strong relationships within the resources sector and
also the community at large.
“At Downer, our customers and community stakeholders are at the forefront of everything that we
do, and it’s our relationships with them that enable us to deliver shared successes.
“An important part of our business is to understand and predict our customer needs, and utilise
innovative thinking and technologies to transform these into reality,” he said.
“The BBMC provides a great forum to learn about new developments in the industry and to
share ideas.”
PEOPLE DIVERSITY & COMMUNITY
Photographer Sherianne Talon, Stanwell Community & Indigenous
Relations Manager John Carey, and artist Lee Porter pictured with
Sherianne’s photograph and Lee’s painting (behind).
CHRISTMAS CREEK TRAINEES
JOIN INDUSTRY-FIRST
APPRENTICE PROGRAM
A
t Downer Mining, we have implemented a range of
strategies to address the under-representation of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people in
the Australian workforce. In the past financial year, this
resulted in an increase in our ATSI participation rate of
10% to 4.8%; well above the current estimated industry
average of 2.6%.
Last month, we formally joined with our customer
FMG and its other key contracting partners in its
innovative apprenticeship program, known as “Trade Up”,
which will increase the number of qualified Aboriginal
tradespeople in the workforce across its Pilbara sites.
Trade Up is an industry first in both its scale and
potential impact.
Up to 40 Aboriginal employees will be selected
annually to start a 12-month traineeship, which will
provide a pathway to a four-year apprenticeship
program. Four of our Christmas Creek employees have
been selected for the first intake.
The Hon. Liza Harvey MLA WA Minister for Police,
Road Safety, Training and Workforce Development and
Women’s Interests joined FMG Chief Executive Officer
Nev Power to officially launch Trade Up.
Mr Power said: “We’re proud to be leading the
way in training for guaranteed jobs for Aboriginal
people. The Trade Up program will open up the lifechanging opportunity of a trade qualification for up to
40 Aboriginal employees every year.
“We particularly welcome the support and
collaboration of our key contracting partners in this
innovative program, which sets a new benchmark for
industry-led Aboriginal apprenticeship schemes. All of
the participating contractors will provide opportunities
for work in a range of businesses and different trades
for the successful applicants, ensuring the success of
the program.”
Pictured at the Trade-Up launch are (from left): trainee Terrence Miller, COO Mining – West Mike Sutton, Indigenous Affairs Advisor Chantelle Gregory, Maintenance Training
Superintendent Andre Scudds, WA Minister for Police, Road Safety, Training and Workforce Development and Women’s Interests Hon. Liza Harvey MLA, trainee Justin Gray,
trainee Marika Councillor, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Affairs Advisor Joanne Taylor and Indigenous Affairs Superintendent Bevan Whitby.
miningmatters
7
Pictured from left
are Yanna Wilson,
Jessica McNamara,
Gabby Wooler,
Rebekah Kapernick,
Natasha Mason,
Keitta McAninaly,
CEO of QRRRWN Ms
Angelique Ettia, Kiara
Dorse, Kourtney Mead
and (front of frame)
Kayleen Freeman.
WOMEN INSPIRING WOMEN
W
e realise that if we’re to meet our
target of 18% female participation at
Downer Mining by 2020, we need to ensure
that young women are empowered to make
decisions relating to their future.
With this in mind, we were happy to
provide $3,000 in funding to enable six
female students from the South Burnett
region (home to Meandu Mine) to attend
the Queensland Rural, Regional and
Remote Women’s Network (QRRRWN)
State Conference in Biloela in September.
The QRRRWN is an organisation that
participates in a number of business,
community and volunteer programs to build
stronger communities and enhance female
leadership.
The girls’ attendance was part of an
Aspiration and Resilience program being
driven by Nanango State High School
teacher Kayleen Freeman, who believes that
it will expose them to the qualities and skills
necessary to prosper in non-traditional and
diverse roles in rural communities.
Kayleen’s goal is to help build resilience
in such communities, and most specifically
in the South Burnett region, by supporting
young women at high school level in their
academic, sporting, social and community
endeavours.
The theme of this year’s conference was
‘Women Inspiring Women’, and it appears
that this is exactly what happened. Kayleen
reported back that the venture was an
outstanding success:
Thanks so much for your funding.
The eight girls had an extremely fulfilling
experience at the QRRRWN State
conference. Some of the outcomes for the
girls, developed directly or indirectly from
the conference, were that they:
nFound mentors in the fields of
employment they are interested in
nHad photos and discussions with Deb
Frecklington (MP Nanango/Shadow
Agricultural Minister), Shannon
Fentiman (Minister for Communities,
Women and Youth, Child Safety
and Multicultural Affairs), and many
other successful women living and
working in rural, regional and remote
communities
nParticipated in a variety of workshops
involved with personal growth,
community and education, arts
and culture, health, business and
environment
n Were interviewed by ABC OPEN.
Yanna Wilson performed an impromptu
traditional Indigenous dance as a thank you
to the many women that listened, inspired
and connected with the South Burnett Girls.
A few of the girls have already organised
mentors and work experience, but most of
all developed a huge amount of confidence.
I , personally, am so proud of these young
women, and know that, through this
conference, they have developed skills and
enthusiasm to bring about adaptions and
innovations to ensure social and economic
sustainability of rural, regional and remote
communities.
If you would like to stop receiving this newsletter,
please email [email protected].
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