By ERWIN CHLANDA
It appears Alice Springs has a new construction company which seems to be linked to the Aboriginal owned Centrecorp.
That in turn is owned by the Central Land Council, Tangentyere and Congress, the health NGO.
Well-known builder from Asbuild, Paul Graham, is mentioned on the company’s stationery.
On Monday Centrebuild invited a tender for Laramba government employee housing for DIPL, a 1 x 2 bedroom duplex.
The submission is required by no later than COB Monday January 17.
UPDATE 3:15 pm
Project Manager Jess Mack says Centrebuild is a joint venture between Asbuild and Centrecorp.
It has about 10 staff.
At the moment there are three houses and a duplex underway in Hermannsburg.
Further projects are in Nyirrippi, Yuendumu and Yelamu which may extend over five years under New Build and Room to Breath projects.
Ms Mack is former employee of Ingkerreke.
With this move I am wondering if CentreBuild have any plans to develop the old Melaka site? I am aware they own that Centrecorp owns that block and that other vacant block (behind the Melanka) on Hartley Street? Or will CentreCorp continue to hold onto it until like they’ve been doing already?
I see tears coming for the other builders in Alice Springs. I think a joint venture like this is unhealthy and unwise.
Anyway, let’s wait and see.
Good on them, I hope they will employ some of the personnel who lost jobs with Ingkerreke.
CentreBuild are ticking all the boxes to get the lucrative government work on communities and will make a lot of money.
I hear that CentreCorp is on track to be worth $100m.
Meanwhile, we have CentreCorp shareholders with their hands out begging for more and more funds for Aboriginal services.
Congress already gets over $40m p.a.
That’s taxpayer money.
What is CentreCorp for?
Apart from some miserly scholarships exactly how does it benefit Aboriginal people?
David Ross said he was proud of CentreCorp.
What is there to be proud of when it is only dedicated to growing wealth.
You can’t get welfare if you have an income.
Why are the owners of CentreCorp getting massive funding?
To my mind CentreCorp and its offshoot CentreBuild are a bloody disgrace.
Getting richer on tax payer hand outs.
Well well, another taxpayer funded entity that is in competition with private industry.
When there is no tax left to pay “the dole” pensions or health-care (which comes from taxpayers, you know the very people that this mob is putting out of business).
Couple this with the racist job ads from a number of Aboriginal organisations, it seems as though competition or the pursuit of excellence are things of the past … now it’s about the colour of your skin.
I never thought I’d live to see what we are seeing in Australia today.
What chance will other construction companies have in tendering for government contracts?
@ John: Very little.
Just watching, Jon, well said, if DIPL fall for this then tenders are not being shared equally, and the ridiculous rule for companies that they must employ a percentage of Aboriginal workers to qualify is a joke and must be scrapped. In reality it doesn’t work, shows how our governments are out of touch with reality, all business are struggling to find staff.