ACTION 1 – ESTABLISH WAC
This forms part of the Central Highlands Workforce Development and Accommodation Strategy.
CHDC to establish the Workforce and Accommodation Collective (WAC) to deliver and monitor the agreed priorities and continue to drive the broader recommended actions.
A call for members is to be made for the WAC which will include members of the already established CHRR as well as other businesses, institutions and CHRC.
The State Government will also be invited to participate.
The WAC will meet monthly and communicate outcomes publicly.
◼ TIMEFRAME: Call for membership by 1 May 2024 and group formalised for first meeting in June 2024.
PROGRESS REPORT
Terms of Reference and membership invitations issued to 13 stakeholders.
Workforce Accommodation Collective (WAC) inaugural meeting on May 14th.
Second WAC held on Thursday June 20th.
The third WAC was held on Thursday, 18 July 2024, with guest speaker Mel Comerford from Astute Early Learning discussing the Childcare Leadership Alliance and the recruitment strategy they implemented for Moranbah and Dysart. Several childcare centres from within the region were also in attendance.
Fourth WAC held on Thursday August 22nd with Mary Curran from Neon Logic in attendance to run through the campaign research and strategy development for Action 9 of the WDAS: Talent Attraction .
The fifth WAC meeting was held on Wednesday, September 18th, featuring an update from Grant Smith, CEO of Great Southern Air. Mr Smith provided WAC members with insights into the airline’s current operational status and progress in establishing itself. Pete Wellington from GEH also attended to update members on the demand for key worker accommodation in the Central Highlands, highlighting Blackwater as the top priority.
The 6th WAC Meeting is scheduled for 14 November 2024 at SPQ Curragh Village in Blackwater. Whitehaven’s Project Manager, James Crockett, will present their data-driven model for forecasting accommodation needs, focusing on Blackwater’s unique requirements, such as dragline shutdowns and near-term projections.
Whitehaven’s collaborative approach is intended to initiate conversations across the WAC and the resources sector on:
- Action 12: Developing a Shutdown Coordination Calendar for Bowen Basin mines.
- Action 13: Proposing a real-time occupancy tool to optimise regional accommodation management and increase availability of town facilities.
