Pathways for Regional Rail

An Aboriginal working group on the Regional Rail Project supported pathways for Aboriginal businesses and employees, including tender-writing workshops, a school-based traineeship program and a pre-employment program with Aboriginal participants.

Eighteen Aboriginal businesses have been engaged to date and the project is exceeding its Aboriginal participation requirements. As at June 2021, 57 per cent of the project’s apprentices were Aboriginal (against a 10 per cent requirement), with 19 per cent of level 1 supervisor and above positions held by Aboriginal people, against a requirement of five per cent.

Five major packages for the Regional Rail Maintenance Facility in Dubbo – named the Mindyarra Maintenance Centre, a Wiradjuri word that means to fix or repair – have been awarded to an Aboriginal business, and electrician and trade assistant roles have been recruited locally.