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Indigenous cleaning company wins APLNG contract by Cherissma Blackman 15 September 2015
T
he first day of September was a significant day in Gladstone (Curtis Island) for Byellee man Michael Eggmolesse and his Partner Wulli Wulli/ Wakka Wakka woman Marion Dodd. Their company, Marion’s Cleaning Service, is 100% Indigenous owned and operated and has the logo of the Byellee Totem, a Possum. The day was officially the first day they commenced work on the LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) APLNG (Australia Pacific Natural Gas) plant on Curtis Island. Business mentor to the company Cherissma Blackman says, “It’s definately the type of role model business we aspire to set the benchmark for our people”. Michael Eggmolesse went on to say, “We currently have 8 employees, all Indigenous; they all have skillsets which compliment our company’s vision ... we anticipate employing more local people on securing further contracts in the region”. Marion’s Cleaning Service is the first Port Curtis Coral Coast (PCCC) company to secure a contract on the LNG Project in this Operational & Maintenance phase. “Our people missed out on the opportunities through the Construction phase on all three sites APLNG, GLNG and QCLNG in small business contracts (contract procurement),” Cherissma Blackman said. “Though we had
Byellee man Michael Eggmolesse and his Partner Wulli Wulli/Wakka Wakka woman Marion Dodd.
numbers of Indigenous people successfully being employed individually in the Construction phase, it still was not tangible in providing outcomes aligned with business development as outlined in some ILUAs”. The Company has relied on no funding or business grants, Mick and Marion have given all of their savings to get the company set up and functioning to date. The demographics of Gladstone is recognised globally for the
Industrial Port hub of Coal, Bauxite and LNG. Once any Company is set up it can face challenges in the business realm; Marion’s Cleaning Service have proven Capacity and Committment to secure a Tier 2 Cleaning contract. Marion Dodd stated, “The only way we see the company heading is up, to be a leader in the Cleaning Industry and assisting our mobs with employment, breaking the cycle of unemployment and poverty”.
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Marion Dodd Company Managing Director Marion’s Cleaning Service
Mick Eggmolesse, Marion Dodd, Helen Weribone, Marion Weribone, Kalea Johnson, Kandener Anderson, Martha Dodd, Robyn Coolwell
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