Roxby Downs (Indenture Ratification) (Amendment of Indenture) Amendment Bill
23/11/2011
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (11:08): I would like to very briefly put on record a couple of comments about the Roxby Downs amendment bill. Firstly, I would like to say that I acknowledge and understand the very real and positive economic impacts that this project could have, and no doubt will have, for the state for a great many generations to come—possibly outliving me as the youngest member of parliament, despite the fact that the Hon. Mr Parnell seems to think that this will not be the case. Unfortunately, I beg to differ.
However, with significant economic impact comes equal environmental and social impact that needs to be taken into consideration. On the issue of environmental impact, accountability and transparency, I would like to thank the Hon. Mr Parnell for his contribution. As a former lawyer at the Environmental Defenders Office and a long-time activist in this area, I very much appreciate his expertise on the potential impacts mining developments and built infrastructure can have on our precious natural environment, both in our arid northern desert regions in South Australia, and also the Spencer Gulf marine area as a result of the desalination plant.
I think his message that we must not get caught up in the excitement of this development is very sage advice to all in this chamber. We see so many projects, so much legislation and so many policies where, once they are implemented and underway, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to change direction. So for this, the biggest development in this state’s history, this is surely true. If we now get this wrong it will be difficult to undo. All the threats from the government about BHP walking away, the idea that rushing this legislation through is somehow essential—I do not see how a week or two can be truly critical when we are talking about a century-long project.
Therefore, we must not err in our analysis of the possible longer-term issues of this development and we should remain vigilant once the bill passes through the house to ensure that BHP Billiton stick to its promises and continue to improve its outcomes in all aspects of its mining operations, whether it be revegetation of mine sites, native title consideration or diversity of the workforce.
This brings me to a point on the workforce. Clause 12 of schedule 1 of this bill refers to the use of local professional services, labour and materials. There is reference to BHP needing to furnish the minister with an industry and workforce participation plan. Subclause (5)(a) refers to ‘opportunities for employment and workforce development, especially for young people and Aboriginal people’. I am also concerned that within clause 12 is reference to commercial consideration being the only thing they need to consider and that this overwhelms everything else in the clause. I believe one of the Hon. Mr Mark Parnell’s amendments seeks to strike out this part of the clause, and that is worth looking at in my opinion.
It seems that employment for people with disabilities was not on the radar when BHP and the government were negotiating this issue. I also wonder what other areas of social disadvantage were not considered in the workforce plan and the possibility that they could be opportunities for BHP. Given that it is my understanding that we do not have enough appropriately trained available workforce in Adelaide to undertake this project, I would like to know what other innovative recruitment methods BHP is looking at to employ the right people to get this happening.
For example, South Australia accepts a significant number of humanitarian entrants or refugees to this state every year. At present many of them are young men from war-torn countries such as Sudan, the Congo, Afghanistan and other countries in the Middle East and Africa. Often they arrive as unaccompanied minors. These young men will often have spent time, many years, in refugee camps, such as Kakuma in Northern Kenya, struggling to survive and having had very limited nutrition, education and health care. Some of them have amazing stories and life experience of survival and perseverance, and I think that these attributes could be an incredible asset to a company like BHP.
When they arrive in Adelaide they attempt to get some education and enter the workforce. I think it will be wonderful to see BHP taking a pro-active approach to looking at getting these young men into training for BHP’s labour workforce and into full-time employment once they finish school. It could be a ground-breaking project for BHP to undertake.
My researcher has been assured this morning by Kym Winter-Dewhirst from BHP that the company has a comprehensive diversity policy. However, I am a little concerned to hear that BHP does not currently collect statistics to date on how many people in its workforce have a disability. What I am concerned about is that people within BHP are somehow scared of identifying that they have a disability because they will be stigmatised or disadvantaged, and I would like to see that changed.
I think that BHP should know what the make-up of its workforce is in all aspects, whether it be women, disability, Indigenous or youth. It may be that BHP needs to change the culture within the workforce so that people will feel that it is okay to identify as having a disability and possibly needing additional support within the workplace. I would also add that, to my mind, BHP is potentially even stigmatising by the simple virtue of the fact that it does not collect this data and therefore behaving as if disability is something to hide.
I would also like to see the government insisting that BHP, through its social management framework and joint government/BHP task force, that there is an investigation of an employment project for people with disabilities—perhaps with a partnership with a company like Orana or like organisations. In Mount Gambier there is quite an innovative project which a sawmill is running with Orana which employs people with an intellectual disability. I would like to query the government on what undertakings and assurances it has from BHP that there will be an innovative workforce program in place. I seek leave to conclude my remarks.
The PRESIDENT: Did the honourable member seek leave to conclude?
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Yes.
The PRESIDENT: Well, there are other speakers after the Hon. Ms Vincent. If the Hon. Ms Vincent wants to make a short contribution to clause 1 when the bill goes into committee, I would be happy to allow that.
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Having spoken to minister Gago, I am happy to proceed that way.
The PRESIDENT: So, the Hon. Ms Vincent withdraws her seeking leave to conclude her remarks?
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Yes.
