Ngarda awarded Woodside construction contract

Woodside Energy Ltd has awarded a construction and project managment contract for its Gap Ridge construction camp in Karratha to the Ngarda Alliance, comprising Ngarda Civil and Mining and Leighton Contractors.

Ngarda has pledged to offer opportunities for local businesses to work as subcontractors and, according to Premier Alan Carpenter, will aim to contribute to Woodside's goal of employing up to 150 indigenous people during construction and about 30 during operations.

The full text of an announcement from the Premier's office is pasted below

Premier Alan Carpenter has welcomed the latest initiative to address indigenous unemployment in Western Australia.

Woodside Energy Ltd has awarded a contract to Ngarda Alliance to construct and project manage the construction of Gap Ridge Village, a new 1500-bed accommodation village to house the construction workforce for Woodside's Pluto LNG Project.

The Ngarda Alliance comprises Ngarda Civil and Mining and Leighton Contractors.

The Premier said the Ngarda Alliance would be offering opportunities for local businesses, including local indigenous businesses, as subcontractors.

"Ngarda will be looking to maximize local indigenous employment on the project and will make a significant contribution to Woodside's goal of employing up to 150 indigenous people during construction and about 30 during operations," Mr Carpenter said.

"We need long-term sustainable employment and economic viability for indigenous people and I congratulate Woodside and Ngarda for their commitment to achieving this."

Woodside's Indigenous Community Policy has seen a rise in indigenous employment in the company from two employees in January 2006 to 101 in September 2007. There had also been an increase in indigenous training participation from three trainees in January 2006 to 27 in August 2007.

Today's announcement comes less than one week after another significant agreement was signed between BHP Billition Iron Ore and Ngarda Civil and Mining, which will see Ngarda manage and operate BHP Billiton's Yarrie mine in the Pilbara.