Nominations open for the Queensland Resources Council Indigenous Awards

THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) is calling for nominations for its annual Indigenous Awards to celebrate excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in the State’s resources sector.

QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the Queensland resources sector was providing more jobs and opportunities for Indigenous Australians, as acknowledged in the Closing the Gap report last month.

“The Closing the Gap 2018 update reported 6599 Indigenous Australians were employed by the mining industry and increased by 250 percent since 2006.  The number of non-Indigenous Australians employed in mining had increased by 150 percent over the same period. 

The Closing the Gap report also stated that: “The mining industry itself is employing significantly more Indigenous Australians than previously.  These mining jobs are providing crucial opportunities for employment in regional areas.”

Mr Macfarlane said the 5th annual awards, to be presented during Reconciliation Week in May, provided the opportunity to showcase Indigenous role models and ambassadors for the Queensland resources sector.

QRC is now accepting nominations across six award categories:

•    Indigenous Advocacy Award  |  recognises Indigenous or non-Indigenous individuals that have demonstrated outstanding effort to encourage, promote and advocate for increasing Indigenous participation within the resources sector
•    Exceptional Indigenous Person in Queensland Resources Award  |  recognises exceptional achievement by an Indigenous person working with the Queensland resources sector in any occupation or profession
•    Exceptional Indigenous Business in Queensland Resources Award  |  recognises exceptional achievement by an Indigenous business supplying the Queensland resources sector
•    Best Company Indigenous Procurement Initiative Award  |  recognises companies that have developed and maintained strategies that enhance supplier diversity and support increased Indigenous business participation within resources sector supply chains
•    Best Company Indigenous Employment and Training Initiative Award  |  recognises companies that have developed and maintained strategies that enhance the attraction and retention of Indigenous people in the Queensland resources sector
•    Exceptional Indigenous Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy Student Award  |  recognises exceptional achievement by an Indigenous student at a QMEA school who has shown significant promise and passion for a career in the Queensland resources sector.

For more information and to access the nomination forms, click here. 

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