First Nations peoples team up with mining industry in Australia to lead COVID-19 crisis response

Introduction: Geoff Healy, Chief External Affairs Officer.

While it’s still too early to know the full scale of the COVID-19 impact, the work to keep the pandemic from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia has so far been highly effective.

The Aboriginal community-led health sector moved early, and the results have been incredible. Through their experience, knowledge and extensive networks, they have saved many lives. BHP has been pleased to support with funding that enables their vital work.

When you look over a hundred years of BHP operating in Australia, the relationship with Indigenous peoples is as important and close as it gets. This has gone through many evolutions and it will continue to evolve and strengthen, as it has through this pandemic.

At BHP, we knew our immediate response needed to involve doing everything we could within our control. This included ceasing face-to-face engagement with Traditional Owners, putting in place strict protocols for our people working in remote areas, and enabling Aboriginal employees and contractors to return to country during the period of travel restrictions. In addition, almost a quarter of the A$27 million we’ve invested from the BHP Vital Resources Fund has been used to support Aboriginal communities, including telehealth services and self-isolation accommodation.

Pat Turner, the CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), and her state-based counterparts led the successful health response to the pandemic. We know there's no room for complacency. It's important that we remain vigilant and that’s where our engagement with organisations such as NACCHO can make a real difference.