13 Nov 2020
NAIDOC Week affirms importance of Indigenous relations
NAIDOC Week, running from Nov 8-15, is Australia’s premier cultural celebration of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The theme of this year’s event is “Always Was, Always Will Be”, recognising more than 65,000 years of First Nations history in Australia. The NAIDOC website says it is an event that “invites all Australians to embrace the true history of this country – a history which dates back thousands of generations.”
APPEA welcomes the ongoing and important collaboration between the oil and gas industry and Traditional Owners of the land in which our members work. Oil and gas projects can create socio-economic opportunities in Indigenous communities, boost training and employment, and encourage regional growth. Land Councils, Native Title holders and other relevant bodies are closely involved with operators at every level of the approvals process.
The oil and gas industry is a major employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and our members are active in developing numerous community engagement initiatives and Reconciliation Action Plans (RAP) that help to foster collaboration and improve the industry for the better.
For more information about NAIDOC Week 2020, visit naidoc.org.au.