Engagement with Indigenous Communities

Reconciliation Action Plan

In Australia, our commitment to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to build sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships is underpinned by our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

A RAP sets out practical actions and deliverables to help advancing reconciliation in the communities in which we operate. In 2023, we launched our third INPEX Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2023–2025 which includes various actions and deliverables that are further stretching our targets, building on achievements under our previous RAPs. The implementation of actions and deliverables contained in the RAP are facilitated by a RAP Working Group with oversight from a RAP Steering Committee. Progress of the RAP implementation is shared regularly internal and externally.¹

¹ Reconciliation Action Plan Report 2022

Employment and Local Businesses

Through our business activities, INPEX is laying the foundation in Australia to support sustainable, multi-generational economic participation opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We integrate both employment and business participation opportunities through regular reviews of our human resources and procurement practices to remove barriers to engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and businesses.

Our “Solid Pathways” program provides learning and developmental employment opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals to work in the energy industry. The program’s participants receive on-the-job support and external training for 12 to 18 months, in preparation for potential long-term direct employment with INPEX Australia. As at the end FY2023, nine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals were engaged through this program.

Under its Stretch RAP 2023–2025, INPEX is committed to increase its direct Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to 60, or 5% of employees by end of FY2025. As of end of FY2023, 52 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are employed which is 3.7% of the overall employees.

In terms of business opportunities, our Stretch RAP 2023–2025 includes a commitment for INPEX or its business partners to engage a targeted 24 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned businesses, with a target total spend of A$ 15 million over the three-year period. At the end of FY2023, we had engaged with 16 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned businesses, with a total spend of A$ 8.2 million.

Case Study: Celebrating milestones

In May 2023, INPEX held a celebratory event in Darwin to mark an exciting career milestone for nine trainees, now newly qualified Production Technicians.

The two-year trainee program, delivered by Programmed Skilled Workforce, combines on-the-job and classroom-based training, where participants gain a Certificate II and III in Process Plant Operations, as well as other important training including emergency response, high risk work licences, first aid, and a suite of safety training courses.

General Manager Onshore Operations, Dave Dann praised the team on their achievements.

“I would like to acknowledge that our newly qualified Production Technicians commenced training during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the tempo was high, people were in short supply and our facilities underwent the first large-scale maintenance campaign.”

“Your resilience and perseverance in the face of these challenges is a testament to your strength of character, which will undoubtedly serve you well in your future careers,” Dave said.

Also recognized at the event, were the families who provided support and the Programmed Skilled Workforce team whose mentorship and encouragement played a major role in helping the trainees navigate through the program and reach this important milestone. In FY2023, nine Production Technicians have accepted employment with INPEX.

Since 2015, 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have successfully completed their Production Technician traineeships, equating to 34% of INPEX’s overall trainee cohort of 35.

Heritage Management

In Australia, heritage management plans have been developed and implemented to protect the cultural heritage of the communities in which we operate. The INPEX Larrakia Advisory Committee—a group primarily comprising of Larrakia people from a range of backgrounds and experience—is consulted on cultural heritage matters as the traditional owners of the Larrakia lands and waters in the Darwin region on which the Ichthys LNG onshore processing plant is located.

INPEX has long been committed to preserving items of cultural significance to Aboriginal peoples and has been engaging Larrakia Heritage Monitors since the early stages of the Ichthys LNG onshore processing facilities construction to minimize impact on archaeological sites in surrounded areas.

During FY2023, INPEX engaged a Larrakia-owned business to install a permanent fence and signage around Heritage Hill—a place where some cultural objects were relocated in consultation with the Larrakia people—to protect this culturally significant area and items.