Strength Through Collaboration: Reflecting on Indigenous Business Month 2025

As Indigenous Business Month 2025 comes to a close, I’m reflecting on what this month means for me personally, for Laing O’Rourke and the Indigenous businesses and communities we work alongside. This year’s theme, “Strength Through Collaboration” resonates strongly. It’s a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we come together with shared purpose, mutual respect, and a commitment to challenging ourselves to do better, do more.

My own journey into Indigenous Affairs was inspired by my late father, Arthur Beetson. His work as an Indigenous ambassador for Centrelink taught me the importance of advocacy and self-determination. I started out as a construction worker in Tier 1 infrastructure, but eventually decided to follow in his footsteps and support community through meaningful engagement.

As a proud Kabi Kabi man, with connections to Wiradjuri, Wailwun and Djemba countries, I’m deeply passionate about sharing Indigenous history and culture, and see every conversation as a chance to build understanding. Joining Laing O’Rourke has been a career-defining opportunity. The organisation’s genuine commitment to reconciliation, and the strong foundation laid by those who came before me, has made it clear that it’s the right place to continue my father’s legacy.

Looking at how far Laing O’Rourke has come since launching its first Reconciliation Action Plan in 2011, the first endorsed RAP in the Australian construction industry, I feel incredibly positive. Today, our Stretch RAP (2023–2026) reflects a mature, strategic approach to Indigenous engagement, and I’m excited to guide our people through the next chapter of the journey in continuing to build respectful relationships and creating opportunities that help to shape a future where everyone can thrive.

Our partnerships, with clients, government, and peak bodies, are critical in helping us raise the bar. Working with organisations like Supply Nation, NSWICC, Yarpa Hub, IBD WA, NTIBN, QIBN, Murri Chamber, The Circle, and Noongar Chamber has strengthened our approach to Indigenous business engagement. These relationships allow us to support capability building, foster supplier diversity, and advocate more effectively across sectors.

This week I attended The Summit 2025, hosted by the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, where I connected with inspiring Indigenous business owners and community leaders. Events like this only reaffirm how important it is to build inclusive and diverse supply chains that deliver real, lasting outcomes for Indigenous people, businesses, and communities.

One initiative I’m especially proud to promote is our Connect, Gather, Grow forum, which brings Indigenous businesses and our project teams together to build stronger local relationships. Through this kind of engagement, Laing O’Rourke is expanding the number of businesses we connect and collaborate with.

Take Kany Bidi in Western Australia, for example. They’ve become a leader in Traffic Management Services and have supported flexible training and employment for over 50 Aboriginal people, setting a benchmark for workforce inclusion.

In Victoria, on the Eastern Freeway Burke to Tram Alliance, our team has partnered with Wamarra, an Aboriginal-owned civil contracting business. Together, we’re creating economic development opportunities for First Nations peoples while building Wamarra’s long-term capability. We’re proud to have 18 Wamarra employees contributing to the project’s success, supported by a structured training plan that’s helping build sustainable careers in construction and infrastructure.

Select Plant Australia, Laing O’Rourke’s plant hire and construction service provider, has also made a meaningful impact through its partnership with Bandu, a not-for-profit helping First Nations students transition from high school into further education and employment. This partnership is central to the Select Plant Australia Indigenous Youth Education Fund, launched in memory of the late Nathan Mitschuinig, a proud Wiradjuri man and former Business Unit Leader. Nathan believed deeply in the power of education to change lives and I’m proud and honoured to help continue his legacy.

These are just a few examples that highlight to me what’s possible when we collaborate with purpose. They show the real impact people can have when working together to contribute to something bigger.  In 2011 when Laing O’Rourke started recording spend and number of Indigenous businesses we engaged with, we recorded a spend of $1.8 million and engaged 8 Indigenous businesses. Since then, we have continued to work towards increasing our targets, and in 2025, we’ve engaged with 128 Indigenous businesses and recorded a spend of just over $99 million. These figures are testament to what can be achieved through cultural respect, long-term strategy, and genuine reciprocity.

As we wrap up Indigenous Business Month, I’m filled with pride and optimism. The journey continues, there’s more for us all to learn and to do, but I’m grateful to be sharing it with so many passionate, committed people.