Case Study – Indigenous Participation, Mass Action rest area upgrade project

In October 2020, the Australian Government announced a $2 billion Road Safety Program to be delivered in three six-month tranches from January 2021 to June 2022. The program enabled the fast roll-out of lifesaving road safety infrastructure on rural and regional roads which would protect road users in urban and peri-urban areas.

This program built on the existing $500 million targeted road safety upgrades announced as part of the $1.5 billion infrastructure stimulus package committed in June 2020 in response to COVID 19.

Under the new program, Queensland was eligible for $522 million of Australian Government funding. The Queensland Government would co-contribute 20 per cent of funding for regional projects and 50 per cent for urban projects.

As part of this initiative, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) was given funding under the Australian Government's Road Safety Program for a state-wide mass action project to upgrade rest areas in need of improvements across the state.

The Australian and Queensland governments recognise that investment in projects can provide broader outcomes benefiting Australians, including increasing and strengthening opportunities for Indigenous jobseekers and businesses to deliver transport infrastructure projects.

TMR's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement in Transport and Roads Infrastructure Delivery and Maintenance Strategy helps our employees:

• consider appropriate methods to increase procurement from Indigenous businesses
• increase industry employment and business supply outcomes
• support capability and capacity development of the Indigenous business sector.

TMR's state-wide rest area upgrade improvements are an example of providing this additional benefit and opportunity with the mass action project surpassing its target under the project's Indigenous Participation Plan (IPP).

The Australian Government requirements under the Indigenous Employment and Supplier-use Infrastructure Framework and the Notes on Administration for Land Transport Infrastructure Projects (2019-24) are that funding recipients are to develop an IPP for all road and rail construction projects receiving $7.5 million or more of Australian Government funding or where directed by the Australian Government within identified packages or initiatives that Indigenous participation is required (irrespective of budget). The Road Safety Program falls into this latter category.

The IPP must set out an employment and supplier-use participation target within the project’s locality, a plan to engage relevant Indigenous stakeholders, and a plan for public reporting on performance.

In this case, the IPP target for the mass action rest area upgrades project was set at 3.4 per cent of the construction contract values (based on working age population in Queensland), comprising 2% for indigenous employment across various project sites (component target of 930 hours) and 1.4% supplier-use (component target of $217,000).

The Indigenous participation target components for the project were surpassed with final outcome performance reporting showing the project achieved over 5400 Indigenous employment hours and over $1.2 million in Indigenous supplier-use.

Under tranches 1 and 2 of the Road Safety program, two mass action rest area projects were approved for a value of $29.9 million. 56 rest area sites were upgraded across Queensland. Encouraging motorists to stop and rest helps reduce driver fatigue and the risk of crashes on our road network.

Work sites with the most notable levels of Indigenous participation across the program were located in our South West, Central and North Queensland Regions.

Indigenous traineeships

TMR's RoadTek team based at Nathan Depot was awarded the contract to manage delivery of the rest area works. Works started in January 2021 at sites in South West Queensland and the Darling Downs and then progressed to Central and Far North Queensland.

The RoadTek team included First Nations trainee, Shamika Power, and Kailin Chapman. The trainees travelled to various sites and undertook project support roles. They developed a range of skills and experience throughout their traineeship by completing project and construction administration activities (including organising meetings, minute taking, record keeping, helping draft communication materials, project costing and procurement).

This experience and learning enabled Shamika and Kailin to gain skills towards a Certificate III in Business Administration and they have since been successful in obtaining roles outside TMR.

Shamika obtained the credentials and knowledge to find work in a similar field, and she left TMR to continue her employment in an office environment.

Kailin, who had previously worked for retail chain Big W, finished her traineeship with TMR and has since obtained a higher-level role back in the retail industry in a re-supply/distribution centre.

Mark Baumgart, Advisor Capability – People Development, said Kailin and her family had a strong TMR connection with Kailin's mother Krishna working in our Customer Services, Safety and Regulation branch, and her sister Taryn also undertaking a traineeship with TMR in 2019 and gaining a position as a Project Management Support Officer within RoadTek's Brisbane Operations Unit at Nathan Depot.

"Kailin and her family are a great example of TMR's reputation for building strong connections with our people and communities and embracing a skilled and diverse workforce."

Rest area construction included:

• toilet and picnic area upgrades
• shelter installation
• new parking areas
• pedestrian concrete pathways improving amenity and accessibility for travellers.

Disability access to facilities was also improved. Solar lighting was installed at some sites making the area safer and more attractive for travellers to use. At several locations in Central Queensland Region (Fitzroy District), solar powered water bores were installed to supply water for the amenities.

Solar-powered tank and water bore installation

JAB Drilling were engaged to install solar powered water bores at several rest areas on the Bruce Highway, including at Tooloombah Creek and Rods Bay North. JAB Drilling is an Indigenous owned local company located near Rockhampton, servicing Central Queensland and specialising in Licensed Water Bores, bore and well installation, maintenance and repairs. The JAB team worked with RoadTek to undertake drilling and install solar powered bores and pumps onsite.

Shelter and septic tank installation

APV Contracting was engaged as a civil contractor to undertake earthworks, concreting, septic tank and shelter installation and pavement works on rest area upgrades in South West District (within Southern Queensland Region) at the following locations:

• Landsborough Highway between Augathella and Morven
• Warrego Highway between Charleville and Morven
• Mitchell Highway between Cunnamulla and Charleville
• Diamantina Development Road between Charleville and Quilpie

APV Contracting is based in South West Queensland and prides itself as having a reputation as a remote civil construction specialist who builds strong relationships with the landowner and has a direct connection to the cultural heritage of the region. The APV team was made up of Indigenous employees, including plant operators, labourers and administrators, providing a great opportunity for TMR's RoadTek team to build relationships with local employees and boosting the Indigenous participation hours across the rest area upgrade works program in this region.

Rest area upgrades

HEH Civil was sub-contracted to undertake earthworks, shelter installation, concreting, pavement and linemarking works at five rest areas in the Far North District at:

• Gallo Park, Atherton and Mount Garnet on the Kennedy Highway
• Mount Surprise Police Station on Gulf Development Road
• Mount Molloy Road on the Rex Range at Mossman
• Gillies Range Road.

The HEH team included First Nations employee Ben Rains, a plant operator who spent 300 hours operating on sites, greatly contributing to the rest area upgrade works and the Indigenous participation employment hours target.

Outcomes and benefits of Indigenous participation

TMR's policy to provide opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement in infrastructure delivery was demonstrated by the state-wide mass action rest area upgrade project, with the project achieving a high level of First Nations people participation and partnerships.

Adrian Brown, RoadTek Project Manager said Indigenous participation on TMR infrastructure projects not only provided benefits through working together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and employees but also provides opportunities for RoadTek to look for supplier diversity and efficiencies, with Indigenous operators having strong local knowledge and a connection with regional areas.

"The state-wide rest area upgrade project has allowed RoadTek to build the capability of our team to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and employees."

"We'll continue to look for opportunities to engage with and procure Indigenous businesses and workforces and assist them to keep building their capability in state infrastructure delivery."

Fulfilling the Indigenous participation target across the project assisted TMR in meeting federal funding obligations. It also strengthened our capability to encourage responsibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation across the department, supporting supplier diversity for our relevant state-wide programs and projects.

Strategic alignments

The exceptional outcomes of this project reflect TMR's unwavering dedication to strategic priorities and align closely with several key frameworks. These include:

• TMR's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement in Transport and Roads Infrastructure Delivery and Maintenance Strategy
• TMR's Indigenous Strategy Roadmap and Action Plan 2023-2025
• the Queensland Government's Reconciliation Action Plan 2023-2025
• the National Agreement on Closing the Gap
• the Queensland Indigenous Procurement Policy.

By exceeding participation targets, the project demonstrated TMR's ability to operationalise these strategies effectively, contributing to reconciliation, procurement diversity and economic self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Images

Sisters Kailin Chapman and Taryn Chapman during their TMR traineeships at Nathan Depot (with Dannielle Jenkins, in centre, who has secured a permanent role our Logan Customer Service Branch)

Tooloombah Creek - Bruce Highway (between Rockhampton and St Lawrence). March 2021 (before tank and bore installation)

Tooloombah Creek - Bruce Highway (between Rockhampton and St Lawrence). March 2021 (before tank and bore installation)

Tooloombah Creek - Bruce Highway (between Rockhampton and St Lawrence). March 2021 (tanks and solar powered bore installed onsite)

Tooloombah Creek - Bruce Highway (between Rockhampton and St Lawrence). March 2021 (tanks and solar powered bore installed onsite)

Rodd's Bay North - Bruce Highway (between Gin Gin and Benaraby).  March 2021 (before works)

Rodd's Bay North - Bruce Highway (between Gin Gin and Benaraby). September 2021 (linemarking, bollards, footpaths, tanks, bore, bins, and solar lighting)

Rodd's Bay North - Bruce Highway (between Gin Gin and Benaraby). September 2021 (linemarking, bollards, footpaths, tanks, bore, bins, and solar lighting)

Rodd's Bay North - Bruce Highway (between Gin Gin and Benaraby). September 2021 (linemarking, bollards, footpaths, tanks, bore, bins, and solar lighting)

South West District Rest Stop - Mitchell Highway (Cunnamulla - Charleville). March 2021 (before works)

South West District Rest Stop - Mitchell Highway (Cunnamulla - Charleville). September 2021 (Completed works – nstallation, concreting and lighting)

South West District Rest Stop - Mitchell Highway (Cunnamulla - Charleville). September 2021 (Completed works – installation, concreting and lighting)

South West District Rest Stop - Diamantina Developmental Road (Charleville – Quilpie)

South West District Rest Stop - Diamantina Developmental Road (Charleville – Quilpie)

South West District Rest Stop - Diamantina Developmental Road (Charleville – Quilpie). March 2021 (Before works)

South West District Rest Stop - Diamantina Developmental Road (Charleville – Quilpie). June 2021 (shelter installation, concreting)

Gallo Park rest area - Kennedy Highway (Mt Garnet - The Lynd). March 2021 (before works)

Gallo Park rest area - Kennedy Highway (Mt Garnet - The Lynd). March 2021 (before works)

Gallo Park rest area - Kennedy Highway (Mt Garnet - The Lynd). November 2021 (after works)

Gallo Park rest area - Kennedy Highway (Mt Garnet - The Lynd). November 2021 (after works)

Gillies Range - Gillies Range Road, heavy vehicle pullover area. March 2021 (before works)

Gillies Range - Gillies Range Road, heavy vehicle pullover area. March 2021 (before works)

Gillies Range - Gillies Range Road, heavy vehicle pullover area. November 2021 (after works)

Gillies Range - Gillies Range Road, heavy vehicle pullover area. November 2021 (after works)

Mt Garnett rest area - Kennedy Highway (Mt Garnet - The Lynd). March 2021 (before works)

Mt Garnett rest area - Kennedy Highway (Mt Garnet - The Lynd). March 2021 (before works)

Mt Garnett rest area - Kennedy Highway (Mt Garnet - The Lynd). November 2021 (after works)

Mt Garnett rest area - Kennedy Highway (Mt Garnet - The Lynd). November 2021 (after works)