Miners urged to 'just say yes' to Indigenous workers

Indigenous workers can thrive in mining jobs, delegates at a major industry forum have been told. (Mellen Burns/AAP PHOTOS)

"Just say yes."

That was the callout to Australia's company leaders at the start of the annual Diggers & Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie on Monday.

It came from the founder of an Indigenous labour hire company that trains and places Aboriginal people on mining and civil construction sites across Western Australia's Goldfields region.

Linden Brownley gave the Welcome to Country at the forum on Monday, when he told about 2600 delegates that employment changes the social fabric within Indigenous communities.

"They can participate in this industry, which is the lifeblood of the Goldfields," the Indigenous Personnel and Training (IPT) director said.

Linden Brownley says mining firms can help make positive changes for Indigenous people. (Mellen Burns/AAP PHOTOS)

Gold miner Northern Star Resources, headed by Stuart Tonkin, who oversees a super pit on the edge of Kalgoorlie, already employs about 40 Indigenous workers from IPT.

"Because Stuart and his team said yes to working with us, we've got a few members of our team who are now looking at, and some have already purchased, their own homes," Mr Brownley said.

Sitting in the auditorium were about 10 safety-vest-clad workers, including two women.

"They are the power of IPT, but it only came about because someone was willing to say yes," Mr Brownley said.

The company was started in 2021 by Mr Brownley and his brother, with its own funding.

"We had a passion to do something in this space," Mr Brownley told AAP.

It has so far trained and placed more than 100 workers in mining-related jobs such as machinery operation and concreting.

Ava Reid and Chantal Turner were among the Indigenous Personnel Training staff at the forum. (Mellen Burns/AAP PHOTOS)

The community leader, who has twice sat on the Kalgoorlie-Boulder council, asked his forum audience if they knew what the median age was for Aboriginal Australians.

There was silence. For the record, it's 24 years.

"So these young men and women that we work with are already halfway through their lives," Mr Brownley said.

"It's a sobering fact for us all, more so for the men and women who have worked for us, because that means that the clock is ticking."

Mr Brownley wants mining executives to consider working with his firm, saying IPT can help them retain and attract Indigenous workers.

"We cannot change the past, but we can influence the future," he said.

"All you have to do is say yes."