100 per cent Indigenous-owned business Kimberley Manufacturing Pty Ltd has received a five million dollar Housing Innovation Fund grant from the WA government to boost affordable, energy efficient homes in remote and regional communities.
The grant will enable the Kimberley Manufacturing to build a dedicated workshop for the construction of modular homes which will then be delivered by truck to communities for assembly on site.
Managing Director Brock Watling told National Indigenous Times he felt "very humbled to have this acknowledgement and recognition of the role Kimberley Manufacturing has been playing and will be playing in building affordable houses".
"We have been around for over 20 years and we see that it's important to provide affordable houses to remote communities," he said.
"Housing in regional and remote areas is too expensive. By the assistance of this (grant) we will be able to reduce costs by having a purpose-built manufacturing shed which will create efficiencies in the construction process.
"We employ over 60 per cent Aboriginal people either as staff or as small enterprise contractors so the social impact for local and regional employment will be huge once this manufacturing shed is up and running."
Mr Watling said modern modular housing was cheaper than conventional building, faster to construct, and would reduce energy costs for residents.
"The modules that have been built and installed in Fitzroy Crossing ... they are cool when it's hot outside, the modern standards of modular building are a superior product that are energy efficient," he said.
"The speed of the process is by having a safe, comfortable work environment where all the trades can operate in one area; where you don't have to pay for the logistics of having tradesmen travel 4-500 km to build and find out there's an error and you have no material. Everything can be built in modules and then trucked to site and put together. The time on ground of erecting the modular can be done in days.
"By having a manufacturing centre, it provides and incredible opportunity for us to train our workforce, bring in more apprentices ad more local trades to build a skilled workforce in our region."
Kimberley MP Divina D'Anna told National Indigenous Times the grant "is a really positive investment for the Kimberley, particularly because Kimberley Manufacturing Pty Ltd is a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned company with a strong track record of recruiting and training local people".
"We know housing delivery in the north comes with unique challenges, so investing in modular and prefabricated housing capability locally has the potential to deliver homes faster while supporting regional jobs and skills," she said.
"Importantly, this investment recognises the role Indigenous-owned businesses are playing in innovation, manufacturing and economic development across the Kimberley."
The Master Builders Western Australia (MBAWA) also welcomed the announcement of successful recipients under the WA government's Housing Innovation Fund, describing it as "a strong step forward in supporting the delivery of new homes across Western Australia".
