Ngarda Civil & Mining

A NEW joint venture involving indigenous people in the State’s construction, engineering and mine contracting industries will be launched in Perth today (July 5) by Senator Ian Campbell.

Leighton Holdings has bought the half stake in Pilbara-based indigenous contracting company Ngarca Civil and Mining previously held by Henry Walker Eltin Ltd. In January, Leighton Contractors acquired Henry Walker Eltin Mining for $211 million.

Indigenous mining contractor Ngarda Civil and Mining will more than double its workforce in the next six months after this week securing the biggest single contract awarded to an Aboriginal company in Australia.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to engaging indigenous enterprises.

DAN Tenardi has been busy in the five months since he joined Ngarda Civil and Mining as CEO, having already launched a new arm of the business and working on plans to expand the company’s services to the east coast.

ECONOMIC development is the answer to indigenous liberation in Australia, facilitated through procurement and contracting of indigenous corporations and joint ventures.

The rapid expansion of the WA mining industry over the past decade has mostly been good news for mining contractors, but the benefits have not always come as expected.

INDIGENOUS contractor Carey Mining has taken another step towards diversifying its business by establishing a new jointly owned company focused on solar power installations in regional areas.

Indigenous businesses are building capacity through joint ventures and are growing on the back of multi-billion dollar contracts from big mining companies.

A JOINT venture between NRW and two east Pilbara indigenous groups has dominated the indigenous contracting space during the past 18 months, winning contracts with Fortescue Metals Group and Rio Tinto worth a combined $780 million.

BHP Billiton has notified Macmahon Holdings that it plans to take over the Orebody 18 iron ore mine this year, while also announcing its intention to close one of its smaller Pilbara mines.

Shane Maraldo has been appointed general manager at indigenous contractor Ngarda Civil & Mining.Mr Maraldo was previously chief executive officer at David Moss Group, and has also worked as general manager at Bis Industrial Logistics.

Shane Maraldo has stepped down as chief executive of indigenous contractor Ngarda Civil & Mining after two years.Mr Maraldo resigned to take up leadership of Darwin-based Rusca Group as chief executive commencing in May.

Esther Oh wants to deepen Australia’s economic relationship with our nearest neighbours.

SPECIAL REPORT: Indigenous contractors are revising their business plans and moving into new sectors as the mining construction boom has waned.

Ngarda Civil & Mining, a pioneering indigenous contractor that employed more than 300 people at its peak, is being wound up, though curiously the listed company that owns a 50 per cent stake is still claiming Ngarda is a big employer.