Whitehaven coal
These collaborations are designed to create tangible benefits, from improving employment outcomes to fostering long-term economic growth. Below, we highlight the key partnerships driving these initiatives, each contributing to the development and empowerment of Indigenous communities across the nation.
We partner with programmes that enhance access to health and education services in Indigenous communities, such as the Winanga-Li Aboriginal Child and Family Centre, which now assists families in Gunnedah, Narrabri, Lightning Ridge, and Brewarrina.
Despite changes in federal support, we remain dedicated to empowering young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Additionally, we’ve established a Clontarf Academy at Narrabri High School, using football to keep young Indigenous boys and men engaged in education.
Partnering with the Clontarf Foundation
The Clontarf Foundation aims to improve the education, discipline, life skills, self-esteem and employment prospects of young Indigenous boys and men, using football as a means to attract, reward and help keep them in school. Since 2000, the Foundation has grown to more than 9,700 Indigenous students participating in programs across the country.
Whitehaven Coal has been working with the Clontarf Foundation since 2016, engaging with students from the Clontarf Academies at Tamworth and Quirindi through regional Employment Forums and site visits to demonstrate the diverse range of rewarding mining career opportunities.
In 2019, we committed $120,000 over three years to help establish an academy at Narrabri High School, with 78 students participating by 2022. School attendance amongst Clontarf students at Narrabri High is 70% compared to 53% amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students before the Academy was established.
In 2022 we extended our partnership for a further three years as a national partner organisation, with Clontarf working towards opening an academy in Gunnedah in the near future.
Engagement with the Barada Barna People in Queensland
Following the acquisition of the Winchester South Project in mid-2018, one of the first stakeholder groups we reached out to was the Barada Barna People. The Barada Barna People are the Traditional Owners of the land in central Queensland where the Winchester South Project is located. In FY19 we entered into a Cultural Heritage Management Plan agreement with the Barada Barna – the first agreement we entered into for the Winchester South Project.