“ Engage early, seek mutual understanding and push for local opportunities”
- Aunty Judy Atkinson, Yorta Yorta Elder
In 2022, in partnership with Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation (YYNAC), Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) and Transport for NSW built a second Murray River (Dhungala) crossing to connect Echuca and Moama. The project involved several decades of planning with YYNAC being involved from the outset.
MRPV required a minimum 2.5% Aboriginal employment target (AET) based on actual hours worked as well as a minimum social procurement target of 3% of the contract value. As project partners and a matter of cultural respect, YYNAC were prioritised to have meaningful input in contributing to the AET and to improving employment outcomes for their community.
MRPV and it’s construction partner McConnell Dowell Constructors (MCD) engaged with YYNAC prior to construction to gain insights into effective ways to engage with local Aboriginal job seekers and better understand the types of works best aligned to the capability, capacity and business aspirations of local Aboriginal-owned businesses.
As a result of the early and ongoing engagement with YYNAC, Aboriginal employment had greatly exceeded the 2.5% AET, peaking at 7.3% of the workforce during the Project. The Project spent $3.45m (2% of the total contract value) with Aboriginal businesses.
This included the engagement of local Aboriginal business AKO Earth, a civil earthworks business; Zancott Recruitment, who provided labour hire support for the project; Woka Walla Natural Resource Management (YYNAC land management team) to undertake weed control; as well as the direct employment of two full-time Aboriginal employees.
Furthermore, the project made it a key priority to highlight and preserve Yorta Yorta’s rich cultural connection to the land around the Murray and Campaspe rivers by naming the bridge’ Dhungala’ the Yorta Yorta word for Murray River and through the installation of Dhungala Dreaming at Victoria Park. Dhungala Dreaming was designed by local Yorta Yorta elder, Aunty Judy Atkinson and serves as a lasting reminder of the projects very successful collaboration with the Yorta Yorta People.
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