Pilbara Industry's Community Council (PICC) is a unique concept established in 2006 through which Pilbara member companies (BHP Billiton Iron Ore, Chevron Australia, Fortescue Metals Group, North West Shelf venture, Rio Tinto Iron Ore and Woodside) have committed to work in collaboration with the Australian, Western Australian, Local Governments and Pilbara communities to address two specific and inter-related priority outcomes:
- The development of a shared vision and strategy to increase indigenous participation in employment in the Pilbara, including strategies to reduce gaps in education and training, health, and housing; and
- Development of a shared vision and strategy in relation to the sustainability of Pilbara towns.
PICC has undertaken a number of innovative projects over the past several years including the development of the Pilbara Health Initiative, a review of education in the Pilbara, and forecasting for employment and population projections in the region.
PICC Pilbara Health Initiative 2009 – 2014
The Pilbara Health Initiative (PHI) has made significant inroads into enhancing health services in the Pilbara since the innovative $38.2 million State Government and industries partnership was announced two years ago.
Some of the PHI’s achievements include:
- an increase in medical specialists;
- new hospital equipment;
- increased paramedic services;
- emergency management training;
- the introduction of Aboriginal Liaison Officers in hospital emergency departments; and
- an increase in Aboriginal staff, leadership training and scholarships.
The PHI is a five-year partnership between the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program and the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy’s Pilbara Industry’s Community Council (PICC) Health initiative members (BHP Billiton Iron Ore, Chevron Australia Pty Ltd, North West Shelf Joint Venture, Rio Tinto and Woodside Energy) to boost health services in the Pilbara.
As a result of the PHI, more than 200 staff in the Pilbara have received emergency management training, nearly 3500 scans have been completed on Nickol Bay Hospital’s new CT scanner, and children across the West Pilbara are receiving timely paediatric care.
The PHI has helped in the establishment of community paramedics in Newman, Karratha and Wickham. Newman now boasts one of the highest numbers of volunteer ambulance officers in Western Australia and has been used as the model for the rollout of more than 18 more community paramedics across the State.
In addition, the PHI-funded Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) is rapidly becoming the benchmark for Aboriginal engagement, training and leadership in health across Western Australia.
The IEP has worked to more greatly engage the Aboriginal community and has increased the number of Aboriginal health staff beyond expectations, provided 14 scholarships to support Aboriginal staff in WACHS Pilbara in their studies, and conducted a range of leadership and cultural awareness training, as well as the region’s first Open Space Forum on Aboriginal health.”
The PHI-funded Aboriginal Liaison Officers (ALO), based at Newman and Port Hedland hospitals, have also been a success, assisting more than 1800 Aboriginal people presenting at the emergency departments since December 2010.
The PICC Pilbara Health Initiative is an excellent example of Government and Industry working together towards a common goal in regional areas.
To view the Pilbara Health Initiative website at WA Country Health Service click link here:
http://www.wacountry.health.wa.gov.au/index.php?id=180
Pilbara Employment and Population Growth Outlook 2011 / 2012
PICC is working with Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) to undertake this work expected to be complete in early 2012.
Objectives:
- Provide an integrated employment and population outlook in the Pilbara region of Western Australia to the year 2020; including direct and indirect employment, (residential and FIFO split), and general population growth.
- Outline the implications surrounding these inputs (direct employment and population growth) for land and housing adequacy in the Pilbara, over the period to 2020.
- The outlook will be broadly consistent with previous work undertaken by CME.
- That this work is able to be easily overlayed on new ABS Census data to be released in August 2012.
The deliverable at the completion of this work will be to a written report addressing the objectives above, for publication and advocacy to government.
Mitigation of Social Impacts of FIFO Accommodation 2011 / 2012
PICC is working with Creating Communities to undertake this work expected to be complete in early 2012.
Objectives:
- Develop a set of guiding principles for the operation of FIFO workforce accommodation proximate to neighbouring towns and communities that can be adopted by PICC Member companies.
- Showcase the effort and actions of resources companies to provide high quality worker accommodation, identifying positive impacts, as well as strategies to limit possible negative impacts to local communities.
- Address concerns around the impact of FIFO accommodation on local communities, and the work practice more generally.
- Explain the importance of FIFO operations.
- The deliverable at the end of will be to provide a document addressing the objectives above, for publication, for use by member companies, and advocacy to government.
Pilbara Population and Employment Projections 2020
These projections provide the best available data for government and industry on the planning and resource implications of Pilbara's likely growth trajectory to 2020. The projections were based on a direct survey of member companies in the Pilbara and has been widely recognised as the most accurate and reliable work undertaken in this area. As a result, it forms an important part of the draft WAPC Pilbara Planning and Infrastructure Framework released by the State Government in February 2011.
Pilbara Education, Training and Employment Review 2007/2008
The review was undertaken by PICC to evaluate the relative success and failure of programs in the Pilbara, perform a gap analysis, and help in preparing a strategic and coordinated approach and vision for education in the Pilbara.
The review was undertaken by PICC to evaluate the relative success and failure of programs in the Pilbara, perform a gap analysis, and help in preparing a strategic and coordinated approach and vision for education in the Pilbara.
PICC Terms of Reference
- Provide a forum for PICC's members to co-ordinate existing and proposed industry, community and Government sponsored programmes designed to address PICC's two core objectives.
- Identify the key drivers of the Pilbara economy and provide a forum for collaboration and co-ordination between industry, community and Government to maximise opportunities for positive change in the region.
- Consult with Local, State and Commonwealth agencies concerning programs, plans and financial arrangements relating to PICC’s two core objectives.
- Increase key stakeholder and community awareness of industry and government initiatives through effective and timely communication.