Growth and Community Benefit in the Kimberley

The Kimberley in far-north Western Australia, is well-known as home to some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes. It’s also home to a host of small communities, which make up the population of about 40, 000 residents.

The region has traditionally relied heavily on tourism, which can sometimes be inconsistent for workers. The Kimberley Development Commission, an organisation established to guide balanced economic and social development in the region, says long-term employment opportunities are imperative to creating much-needed transformational changes.

Companies like Buru Energy, a natural gas company, have committed themselves to the betterment of their local communities and the Kimberley in general, and it’s all paying off for locals. In the last three years, Buru has sourced almost 20% of all goods and services used through Kimberley communities and over 70% through WA. More than that, they’re creating local jobs. Over 40% of their workforce is from the Kimberley region, while outside contractors are almost exclusively local.

Buru is also working closely with Traditional Owners to ensure that mutual outcomes are met. This has included the company voluntarily forgoing exploration and development in areas of specific cultural importance, providing employment opportunities – over a fifth of their workforce is Indigenous – and local business support to Indigenous communities.

This is great for local towns, small businesses, new families and one of the nation’s most beautiful areas and will contribute to better opportunities for current and future generations.

To read more about Buru Energy’s commitment to sustainability and local community, see their report here.

The natural gas industry directly employs thousands of Australians and continues to create jobs in local communities across the country. Not only that, industry jobs are well-paid. The average wage for workers is over $160,000 a year (Australian Bureau of Statistics), which makes it Australia’s highest paying industry. That’s great for those with jobs related to natural gas, but it also helps keep local communities running too.