Acknowledgement of Country
SprintSuite acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work, live and operate — and the Traditional Owners of every mine site, workshop and community our customers operate on. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Quick Answer
NAIDOC Week 2026 runs 5–12 July and celebrates 50 Years of Deadly — half a century since the first week-long national observance in 1975. For mining and field service contractors, it's a chance to do more than fly a flag: open toolbox talks with an Acknowledgement of Country, hire and retain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers, spend with Supply Nation–verified businesses, and back the regional and remote communities we operate on.
What is NAIDOC Week?
NAIDOC Week is held every year in the first full week of July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It grew out of a 1938 Day of Mourning, became a one-day observance in the 1950s, and expanded into a full week in 1975 — the moment we now mark as the start of the modern NAIDOC era.
The 2026 theme, 50 Years of Deadly, honours those five decades of celebration, resilience and progress. “Deadly” is Aboriginal English for excellent, brilliant, awesome — and it captures the spirit of the week.
50 Years of Deadly — a timeline
First National Aborigines Day observed as a week-long event.
Renamed NAIDOC Week to include Torres Strait Islander peoples.
National Apology to the Stolen Generations delivered in Parliament.
Uluru Statement from the Heart calls for Voice, Treaty, Truth.
50 Years of Deadly — half a century of celebration, resilience and progress.
Why NAIDOC Week matters in mining and field service
Mining in Australia happens on Country. Pilbara iron ore, Bowen Basin coal, Kalgoorlie gold, Olympic Dam copper-uranium — every haul road, ROM pad and accommodation village sits on land with Traditional Owners who have cared for it for tens of thousands of years. Contractors who do the work — civil crews, drill & blast, HME maintenance, labour hire, transport — are part of that relationship whether they think about it or not.
The Tier-1 miners (BHP, Rio Tinto, Anglo American, BMA, FMG, Newmont) have published Reconciliation Action Plans and Indigenous procurement targets — and they push those expectations down to their contractors at prequalification. Showing up for NAIDOC Week isn't a tick-box. It's the visible part of a much bigger commitment that affects who you hire, who you buy from, and how you operate on Country.
Four ways mining contractors can do their part
On the tools
- Open every prestart and toolbox talk with an Acknowledgement of Country
- Share the 2026 NAIDOC theme on crew comms and noticeboards
- Fly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags alongside the company flag
- Cater crib breaks from a local Indigenous-owned bakery or caterer
In your workforce
- Audit Indigenous employment numbers across crews, apprentices and supervisors
- Partner with local land councils on traineeship and apprenticeship pathways
- Track and pay cultural leave properly through your payroll system
- Offer cultural awareness training for non-Indigenous workers before they fly in
In your supply chain
- Register a Supply Nation account and search for verified Indigenous businesses
- Tag Indigenous-owned suppliers in your procurement system for spend reporting
- Set a percentage target for Indigenous spend per job and review it monthly
- Pay Indigenous subcontractors on shorter terms (7–14 days) to protect cash flow
In the community
- Sponsor or attend the local NAIDOC Week march, family day or awards night
- Donate plant, PPE or transport to community events in the towns you operate from
- Support youth programs in remote and regional mining communities
- Commit to a Reflect, Innovate, Stretch or Elevate RAP and publish your progress
Indigenous procurement: where to start
The fastest, most measurable thing a contractor can do is shift spend. Australia has more than 4,500 verified Indigenous-owned businesses across labour hire, civil, transport, PPE, catering, IT and professional services.
- Supply Nation — Australia's national directory of verified Indigenous businesses. Free to search; paid membership unlocks deeper data.
- Black Business Finder (WA) and Kinaway (VIC) — state-based Indigenous business directories.
- Indigenous Land & Sea Corporation and local Native Title PBCs — many Traditional Owner groups operate commercial arms that already work on nearby mine sites.
How SprintSuite supports the work
Good intentions don't move the numbers — systems do. SprintSuite gives mining contractors the tools to actually report on Indigenous engagement, not just talk about it.
Frequently asked questions
Keep reading
Build it into the way you operate
NAIDOC Week is one week — the work is year-round. SprintSuite helps contractors track Indigenous employment, procurement and training so commitments turn into measurable progress on every job.
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