Infrastructure works bring opportunities for local community
Ventia is responsible for providing the hundreds of kilometres of power and fibre networks that will connect SKA-Low’s antenna stations. It is also designing and commissioning the on-site Central Processing Facility – being built near the telescope’s central core – and Remote Processing Facilities, which are spread along the telescope’s three spiral arms.
In 2022, Ventia indicated that the company planned to create a substantial number of new roles for the project, including from the local Mid West and Wajarri Yamaji community. The Wajarri Yamaji People are the Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders of the land where SKA-Low is being built. Ventia has worked with the SKAO to encourage direct employment of Wajarri People and to encourage their subcontractors to do the same. As a result, they have reported consistently meeting or exceeding 20-25% Wajarri People employed by Ventia on site.
From an innovation perspective, this is a world-first and really positions Ventia as a leader in innovation as we look at new projects across our portfolio. Ventia is very excited to be partnering with SKAO on this project of international significance.
Local small and medium-sized businesses are also contributing to telescope construction. Ventia has awarded contracts and established accounts with more than 80 businesses in Geraldton and the broader Mid West region.
Ventia and Wajarri Enterprises Limited, a sustainable business enterprise established for the benefit of Wajarri people, also established a Joint Venture partnership, and were recently awarded a contract by the SKAO to manage the SKA-Low construction village, Nyingari Ngurra or home of the zebra finch in Wajarri, where close to 200 telescope staff and contractors are accommodated while working on site.
We recognise and acknowledge the Indigenous peoples and cultures that have traditionally lived on the lands on which our facilities are located. We acknowledge the Wajarri Yamaji as the Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders of Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, the site where the SKA-Low telescope is being built.
