CREATING SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE EASTERN GURUMA PEOPLE

NRW & EASTERN GURUMA JV

NRW Civil & MiningNRW is a provider of specialist civil and mining services to the resources and infrastructure industries throughout Australia and beyond. With its first contract in the West Australian Goldfields in 1994, NRW now has numerous operations in the Pilbara and Mid-West regions of Western Australia, as well as the Northern Territory, Queensland and West Africa.

NRW’s current client list includes global resource giants BHP Billiton Iron Ore and Rio Tinto Iron Ore. Other key clients include Fortescue Metals Group and Middlemount Coal (Macarthur Coal/Gloucester Coal Joint Venture). NRW has undertaken contract mining at Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s Western Turner Syncline Project as well as civil projects including BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s Inner Harbour Project and Fortescue’s Soloman Hub.

NRW’s reputation, experience and relationships with clients has resulted in it being a contractor of choice in the resources and infrastructure industries. NRW has a strong and visible commitment to sustainable and responsible business operations — including

environment, safety, quality and Indigenous affairs.

NRW’s long-term approach to Indigenous Employment and Development is expressed in its Indigenous

Employment and Development Policy and is supported by innovative initiatives such as the NRW–Eastern Guruma Joint Venture.

Eastern Guruma Pty LtdEastern Guruma Pty Ltd was founded in 2005 to represent the commercial interests of the Eastern Guruma People. Eastern Guruma Pty Ltd is 100% Aboriginal owned and operated. These interests include heritage management on Eastern Guruma country, alongside business and sustainable economic development.

Eastern Guruma Pty Ltd is currently pursuing a number of commercial opportunities including mining, cultural tourism, catering and camp accommodation management.

Eastern Guruma Pty Ltd shareholders and directors are representative of the four family groups connected to the Eastern Guruma determination area (WC97-087). Since forming in 2005, Eastern Guruma now has offices in Perth as well as Karratha in order to provide the best service to its members and clients.

Through its business relationship with NRW at the Western Turner Syncline Project, Eastern Guruma Pty Ltd intends to develop its capability in contract mining as well as business management to a level where it is able to compete with similar companies in the resources sector.

Eastern Guruma Determination Areas

NRW’s partnership with Eastern Guruma Pty Ltd will continue to deliver a prolonged improvement in Indigenous resources, expertise and capacity in the region, delivering a sustainable and profitable entity to the local Indigenous community.

Tom Price

KarijiniNational Park

Paraburdoo

Rocklea

Wittenoom

Road

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Northem

Witt

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Nanutarra

Determination Area

PERTH

KalgoorlieEucla

Kununurra

Broome

Port Hedland

Meekatharra

Geraldton

Map Area

Albany

The NRW-Eastern Guruma Joint VentureNRW’s civil and mining expertise, combined with Eastern Guruma Pty Ltd’s links to the Indigenous communities, allows for a unique approach to ensuring improved Indigenous training, education and employment in the Indigenous traditional lands.

How it works

Eastern Guruma’s direct contribution is comprised of trainees, experienced operators and Indigenous mentors. Eastern Guruma will also be responsible for the provision of Cultural Awareness training.

In addition, Eastern Guruma will manage the engagement of local Indigenous subcontractors including owner-operators (Indigenous businesses and Indigenous operators), as well as nominated non-Indigenous major suppliers and subcontractors.

NRW will provide management expertise, established processes (including financial and reporting systems), equipment, workshop facilities, and experienced operators. NRW’s experience and expertise will guarantee our clients surety of a safe and quality project delivery.

Projects awarded to the JV include:

• Rio Tinto’s Western Turner Brockman Project – $257million

• Rio Tinto’s Western Turner Syncline Mining – $200million

• Rio Tinto’s Western Turner Syncline Concrete and Civil Works - $69million

• Fortescue’s Solomon Tail Storage Facility – $99million

• Fortescue’s Solomon Pre-Mining Development Works – $130million

• Fortescue’s Solomon Spur Rail – $70million

Benefits of the Joint Venture for Eastern Guruma

• Opportunity to gain experience with an experienced industry partner.

• Increased capability for future projects. • Increased employment through direct employment

for experienced workers. • Increased employment through subcontracts for

local businesses. • Access to traineeships and development programs

for inexperienced workers. • Capacity for Eastern Guruma people to work on

their traditional land. • Capacity to purchase equipment for future projects,

increasing future revenue. • Build business support processes and systems.• Community benefits.

Employment and training

NRW has demonstrated its commitment to Eastern Guruma beyond the scope of the Joint Venture by providing training, education and employment of local community members via the NRW Indigenous program, ‘Powerup’.

This unique program has been designed as a ‘work ready’ program to specifically equip Indigenous people with the requirements to enter the civil and mining industry. NRW offers employment opportunities within the company following successful completion of the program — these Indigenous Eastern Guruma trainees will then be placed in Joint Venture projects as they arise.

Case Study: Western Turner Syncline In December 2009, the NRW–Eastern Guruma Joint Venture was awarded a significant $200 million multi-year contract for the design, development and operation of an iron ore mine and road haulage services at Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s Western Turner Syncline (WTS) project.

This contract represents NRW’s largest mining operation in Western Australia, as well as the first contract for the NRW–Eastern Guruma Joint Venture. The mining component of the contract is to be undertaken over a three year period and the Joint Venture is committed to steadily increasing the Eastern Guruma representation on-site throughout this time.

This long-term contract allows for an unprecedented opportunity to provide sustained and continual training and development for the Indigenous workforce, something NRW is particularly committed to.

“Over the first 18 months of the Joint Venture operating at Western Turner Syncline, we reached over 20% Indigenous employment — a great feat in itself. However, we continue to strive towards our joint goal of establishing a sustainable business for the Eastern Guruma people which will have the business skills and resources to undertake works of this nature in the future in their own right. NRW’s underlying commitment is to transfer business skills and to facilitate plant ownership as well as employment opportunities,” comments Jules Pemberton, NRW’s CEO and Managing Director.

Eastern Guruma Director, Sue Boyd, applauds the relationships built thus far. “It is encouraging and rewarding to see companies embracing the need to partner with traditional landowners in the development of our country. Our relationship with NRW is built on trust and our shared vision for developing the skills and increasing the contract opportunities for traditional landowners to develop long term sustainable business entities.”

The strong relationship between NRW and Eastern Guruma was celebrated in March 2011, when WTS employees were invited to attend a traditional Aboriginal ceremony organised by Eastern Guruma to commemorate the milestone of 3 million tonnes mined.

The day was initiated by Eastern Guruma as a gesture of respect and friendship to NRW and Rio Tinto. The occasion was special in that it gave the Eastern Guruma people and other traditional owners from surrounding areas the opportunity to share their unique culture and traditions with NRW and Rio Tinto employees through song and dance.

NRW-Eastern Guruma Employee

Maxine Buckle, Site Clerk

“I work at Western Turner Syncline as a Site Clerk. I have been here for a few months now and I am really enjoying it. My main role is to support the Health, Safety and Training team — I do this for 7 days and then I go into the main office building and help in there. The tasks are a little bit different, there is a lot to do and I have more to learn in both offices. It gets very busy so you don’t have time to even think about how long the day is or how far away your next R&R is.

My husband and my family (my daughter, my two sons, and their partners) all live and work with Rio Tinto Minerals in Paraburdoo. The Joint Venture has allowed me to continue learning and working, which in turn helps my family and my community.

Working on traditional Eastern Guruma country fills me with mixed emotions — sometimes it makes me feel a bit sad as this really is beautiful country and we’re mining it... but at least the Joint Venture is providing our future generations with a more financially stable life. I am very glad to have been given this opportunity to learn new skills in office administration and to meet new people.

It’s great to be working with family, although everyone is working so hard you barely see them. It would be great to see more family out here but at the same time it’s great to see other Indigenous people — like Wongi, Noongar, Yamatji, and Wedjella — on site. There is a real mix of people — not just different Indigenous groups, but women, men, young, old and many different nationalities too.

My life has changed since working here. At home I am busy doing home duties — but here I am learning, meeting new people, and getting paid for my hard work. It’s very rewarding.”

Ron Villaflor, Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Guruma Pty Ltd

“The NRW-Eastern Guruma Joint Venture model works through the provision of earned sustainable benefits. It is an innovative approach to Indigenous Engagement that is both positive and mutually beneficial. The advantage of our Joint Venture is the Eastern Guruma community directly benefit from efforts that our own people put in.

We have found NRW to be positive, energetic, honest and professional in all our dealings and our relationship is rewarding. We look forward to continued success together.”

Willie Rooney, Managing Director, NRW Civil and Mining

“NRW have a commitment to deliver significant opportunities to the people in whose communities we operate — both in terms of business and employment opportunities. This Joint Venture provides sustainable and industry-relevant training and development opportunities for the Eastern Guruma people.

The determined approach the Eastern Guruma people have taken to the Joint Venture is impressive and the results will ensure long term development and employment opportunities for generations.

NRW is pleased to be part of a sustainable model for Indigenous engagement and our relationship with Eastern Guruma strengthens continuously as we progress. I look forward to building upon our work thus far and seeking new opportunities for the Joint Venture.”

NRW CIVIL & MINING 181 Great Eastern Highway, Belmont WA 6104 T: (08) 9232 4200 E: info@nrw.com.au W: www.nrw.com.au

Partnering for the FutureNRW is passionate about working with Eastern Guruma to provide sustainable long term business opportunities for the local Indigenous communities. Through this innovative business model, NRW and Eastern Guruma are leading the way in ground breaking partnerships that add value and make a lasting positive impact on current and future generations.

Companies are being held increasingly responsible for improving and providing opportunities for Indigenous groups on whose land they operate. NRW and Eastern Guruma are proud to lead the way in partnering for the future.

EASTERN GURUMA PTY LTDPO Box 8454, Perth Business Centre, Perth WA 6849 T: (08) 9325 2424 E: reception@easternguruma.com.au

NRW & EASTERN GURUMA JV CREATING SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIESFOR THE EASTERN GURUMA PEOPLE