Participation in national partnership projects

Indigenous Participation in jointly funded transport infrastructure delivery in partnership with the Australian Government

The Australian and Queensland governments are committed to improving Indigenous economic development by increasing Indigenous employment opportunities and supporting the Indigenous business community through a whole-of-government approach to advance the Council of Australian Government's (COAG) Closing the Gap targets.

Investment in transport infrastructure projects can provide these outcomes by strengthening opportunities for employment and contracting across the supply chain.

The following documents from the Australian Government's Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts outline the requirements for Indigenous participation for federally funded projects:

• Indigenous Employment and Supplier-use Infrastructure Framework
• Notes on Administration for Land Transport Infrastructure Projects (2019-24) (refer to Appendix A3).

TMR's Infrastructure Management and Delivery division partners with Indigenous communities and training organisations to help develop self-sustainability through occupational programs within the transport infrastructure industry. This includes working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, forming partnerships with Indigenous organisations providing training and support and upskilling their employees by offering hands-on experience in road construction and maintenance.

Indigenous employment and Indigenous business participation during project construction is assessed through regular performance reporting.

Indigenous participation results for jointly funded projects

Bruce Highway

Bruce Highway Upgrade – Deception Bay Road Interchange (completed May 2023)

• 9,821 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in traffic controller, labourer, environmental services and fencing contractor roles
• $8.86 million spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Visit the Bruce Highway Upgrade – Deception Bay Road Interchange project webpage.

Bruce Highway Upgrade – Maroochydore Road and Mons Road Interchanges (completed June 2023)

• 17,208 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in traffic control, team leader, construction labourer and cleaning roles
• $6.88 million spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Bruce Highway, Saltwater Creek and Deadmans Gully, flood immunity upgrades (completed January 2023)

• 5,342 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in leading hand roles
• $3.82 million spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Bruce Highway Upgrade, Jumper Creek flood immunity upgrades (completed July 2024)

• 5,148 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in traffic control, soil technician, labourer and operator roles
• $1.12 million spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Bruce Highway (Brisbane - Gympie), Caboolture-Bribie Island Road to Steve Irwin Way upgrade (completed April 2024)

• 80,762 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in trainee, traffic control, administration, landscaping and construction worker roles
• $10.09 million spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Visit the Bruce Highway (Brisbane – Gympie), Caboolture Bribie Island Road to Steve Irwin Way upgrade project webpage.

Bruce Highway, Townsville Ring Road – Stage 5 (completed October 2023)

• 44,258 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in artist, labourer, trainee, manager, traffic control, plant operator, leading hand and construction worker roles
• $10.74 million spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Bruce Highway, Townsville Northern Access Intersections Upgrade (completed October 2023)

• 22,718 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in labourer, plant operator, traffic controller, truck driver, linesman, crane operator, supervisor, concreter and trainee roles
• $2.39 million spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Pacific Motorway

Pacific Motorway Exit 45, upgrade interchange (completed December 2022)

• 1,412 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in labourer and truck operation roles
• $4.18 million spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Visit the Pacific Motorway Exit 45, upgrade interchange project webpage.

Pacific Motorway Exit 41, upgrade interchange (completed July 2023)

• 8,013 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in labourer and truck operation roles
• $1.21 million spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Visit the Pacific Motorway Exit 41, upgrade interchange project webpage.

National Highway Upgrade Program

Mount Lindesay Highway, Stoney Camp Road to Chambers Flat Road, construct additional lanes (completed January 2023)

• 5,307 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in labourer and supervisor roles
• $942,662 spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Visit the Mount Lindesay Highway, Stoney Camp Road to Chambers Flat Road, construct additional lanes project webpage.

Other programs

Gympie Arterial Road and Strathpine Road (Bald Hills), improve intersection (completed August 2022)

• 5,013 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in civil construction labour roles
• $668,338 spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

D’Aguilar Highway, Sandy Creek to Kilcoy, improve safety (completed November 2023)

• 3,152 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in leading hand, labourer, supervisor and traffic controller roles. 

Glasshouse Mountain Road (Steve Irwin Way), Beerwah to Landsborough, improve safety (completed January 2023)

• 2,040 employment hours worked by Indigenous people.

Visit the Glasshouse Mountain Road (Steve Irwin Way), Beerwah to Landsborough, improve safety project webpage.

Kennedy Highway (Mareeba-Atherton), targeted road safety improvements (completed November 2023)

• 26,380 employment hours worked by Indigenous people
• $4.11 million spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Torbanlea-Pialba Road, various locations, upgrade intersections and floodways (completed May 2024)

• 6,430 employment hours worked by Indigenous people in trainee and tree clearing roles
• $665,764 spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

Visit the Torbanlea–Pialba Road, various locations, upgrade intersections and floodways project webpage.

Dawson Developmental Road, Barcoo River Bridge replacement (completed December 2022)

• 919 hours worked by Indigenous people in supervisor and sub-contractor roles
• $119,190 spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

John Peterson Bridge upgrade (completed June 2023)

• 4,567 hours worked by Indigenous people in labourer and plant operator roles
• $44,221 spent with Indigenous businesses during construction.

TMR continues to work with Indigenous stakeholders and businesses to meet our whole-of-government objectives to deliver improved social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Queensland’s cities and regional communities.