Breakfast participants discuss the need for strong social infrastructure in our communities

 The Pilbara Association of Non-Government Organisations (PANGO), in partnership with Regional Development Australia, held their inaugural Community Services Sector Breakfasts Port Hedland on Monday 26 March and Karratha on Tuesday 27 March. 

The Breakfasts were well attended by non-government, government and industry representatives, who found the presentation and discussions engaging and stimulating.

The Guest speaker was Tim Muirhead from the CSD Network who gave an hour presentation in relation to the focus on supporting of social infrastructure through well-designed social planning along with the people of communities.

Tim spoke about the benefits that can be derived from the richness of culture within the Pilbara region, coupled with the massive growth within the area, producing great opportunities as well as an element of risk.

Those opportunities include the development of the spirit within the community by leaders paying close attention to the people as well as presenting flexible options in housing, employment as well as the funding of community service programs.

There was also discussion on work practices and the long hours that can interfere in a detrimental way with family time, while there is also an opinion that runaway profits can distort the economy of any community and that the people of any community need to be listened to as relationships are fostered across the entire spectrum of the community. This would then assure that the economy was at the service of the people – not the people at the service of the economy.

It is hoped that these Sector Breakfast were the first of many to come in the future.