AGGREGATE & QUARRY ASSOCIATION

Komatsu New Zealand Women in Extractives Lunch

Celebrating diversity and inclusion, Straterra, AQA and MinEx hosted their annual Women in Extractives lunch and awards ceremony sponsored by Komatsu New Zealand.

AWARDS

Celebrating diversity and inclusion, Straterra, AQA and MinEx recently hosted their annual Women in Extractives lunch and awards ceremony sponsored by Komatsu New Zealand.

Charlotte Buxton-Blue took out the MITO Emerging Star award for her geology work at Federation Mining.  She has shown innovation, playing an integral role in setting up industry best practice geological logging, mapping, and database systems. Charlotte is looked to for her leadership by others in the geology team and she is managing diamond drilling contractors in a highly changing underground production environment with challenging drilling conditions.

Charlotte Harrison was named Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Council Leader of the Year for her hard work at Winstone Aggregates. Charlotte has shown creativity in team building and feedback from her team shows her leadership skills. She is a firm believer in safety first and to promote that, her team has created a wall with reminders of why they all want to go home safe. She leads a diverse team of laboratory technicians, ranging in tenure from a couple of months to 28 years and She’s has so smoothly integrated with her team that you would have thought she’s been there 28 years herself.

The Kristy Christensen Memorial Award (sponsored by MinEx) was awarded to Tara Edwards-Tusa. Tara leads the continued advancement of Te Ao Māori within Fulton Hogan and Stevenson in a considered and unassuming way. Tara never makes anyone feel like she doesn’t have time for them, even when she herself is constantly under the pump. That’s a rare skill and one that makes her a great leader. Tara not only has the leadership skills to guide Stevenson Aggregates to a place of cultural inclusion, understanding and diversity, she also has the full support of her peers.

Lindy Nelson, food producer, founder of the Agri Women’s Development Trust, and ardent supporter of women was the guest speaker and spoke about her diversity and inclusion journey and what happens when we have cultures of belonging. Lindsey shared her stories and experiences of diversity and inclusion and pose the question- ‘can we truly have diversity and inclusion without belonging?

Previous years:

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Komatsu Women in Extractives 2023

Internationally recognised environmental work and an ability to roll up the sleeves and do any job, while mentoring others, were defining qualities of the winners of awards given out by the extractives industry in March 2023.

The Kristy Christensen Memorial Award (sponsored by MinEx) was awarded to Kristy Christensen posthumously in recognition of her valued contribution to diversity and inclusion in the industry.

Stephanie Hayton took out the MITO – Te Pūkenga Emerging Star award for her environmental work at OceanaGold, as well as showing exceptional skill, leadership, and adaptability in her work.

Her achievements in researching the concept of a passive water treatment system as part of a mine rehabilitation has been recognised around the world. Her current work on Archey’s frog, and the biodiversity of the Waihi North Project has the potential to be a game changer.

Allanah Toko-Mikahere was named Hanga-Aro-Rau Workforce Development Council Leader of the Year for her leadership at Winstone Aggregates in Hawke’s Bay. Allanah is the supervisor of a mainly male crew at Roy’s Hill Quarry. With the attitude that you can’t tell someone to do something unless you have done it yourself, she has become proficient at all tasks in the quarry and is responsible for mentoring and employment of local young people and whānau at the quarry.

Amy Carter, founding chief executive of The Christchurch Foundation, was the guest speaker and spoke candidly about the diversity and inclusion journey.

ABOUT QUARRYING IN NEW ZEALAND

USING AGGREGATE

Aggregates are the most consumed bulk product in the world after water. New Zealand uses 9-10 tonnes of aggregate every year for each adult and child.

BUILDING NZ

To build an average house, you need about 250 tonnes of aggregate - for use in concrete, asphalt, mortar and building products.

OUR COMMUNITY

The quarry industry is committed to working alongside local communities and follows stringent planning, environmental and operating conditions.

AFFILIATED ORGANISATIONS