Staff
Steve White
Lead Native Title and Cultural Heritage Negotiator
Steve established Spinifex Pty Ltd in early 2002 as a boutique business to service the increasing need by proponents for specialists in facilitating access for major mining and infrastructure projects. Spinifex Pty Ltd now services a range of mining, rail, power and water infrastructure, energy, gas, airport and development clients throughout Australia using a small but dedicated multi-disciplinary team operating out of Brisbane, Darwin and Perth.
Originally trained as a geologist, Steve branched into land access negotiations in 1995 being one of original staff members in the newly created Land Access Unit of the Department of Mines and Energy in the State of Western Australia. Almost 6 years in the Kimberley region successfully brokering access agreements with a variety of stakeholders from Indigenous to pastoral and land council interests provided an excellent platform for Steve to move on and manage the grant of all the mineral and petroleum titles for the State of WA (Perth – based). Since establishing Spinifex Pty Ltd Steve has continually sought out interesting and challenging work and has experience across multiple commodities and environments.
Steve is a member of the Queensland Resources Council Indigenous Affairs Committee, the Northern Territory Minerals Council Land Access Committee and has recently completed a course in Strategic Negotiations at Harvard Business School.
Wayne Jones
Land Access Facilitator and Negotiator
Wayne has been working with Spinifex Pty Ltd since 2003 managing land access negotiations for a large mine in the south-west of Western Australia where land owner issues and mining have a long and incompatible history. Despite this Wayne has been able to secure access to land previously not accessible. Challenging tasks associated with complex LNG developments in the Pilbara, Indigenous negotiations in the east Kimberley and recent relationship building in Aurukun have demonstrated Wayne’s ability to build and maintain relationships while securing access for proponents and developers.
Wayne has a long and distinguished career in land access negotiations and title grant/administration. Wayne’s early career experiences led him from being a mining warden in remote Western Australia to posts within Government departments and managing the grant and administration of mining and petroleum tenures throughout the state. Wayne enjoyed later founding directorships of successful public companies and commercial developments. He now devotes his time and energy land access and resource projects that provide interest and challenge.
Blair McNaught
Land Access Facilitator and Survey Coordinator
Blair McNaught joined Spinifex Pty Ltd in early 2008 to manage the increasing workload with facilitating access and managing the cultural heritage survey process on behalf of proponents. In that time Blair has successfully facilitated access to land for major projects that pass through non-Indigenous properties as well as managing and coordinating Traditional Owners through the archaeological survey phase. Blair’s tasks have extended to managing Traditional Owners’ attendance at surveys, as well, as relationships between the client and the Indigenous parties. Blair’s background and technical expertise means that he is highly proficient in GPS and can work independently to ensure that the on-ground survey process is contained within the area of interest.
Blair’s diverse background in economics, politics and international relations provides the broad knowledge from which to engage with all stakeholders. A previous role with the Western Australian Chamber of Minerals and Energy as a facilitator in building stronger relationships with member companies enables Blair to converse and relate to a wide range of stakeholders. Not only has Blair excelled in his career, but as a past member of the Australian Life Saving team he is an exceptional team member with valuable first aid and emergency response skills.
Blair is a member of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.
Nathan Cammerman
Water Specialist / Native Title and Cultural Heritage Negotiator
Nathan Cammerman joined Spinifex Pty Ltd in early 2008. Nathan has simultaneously carried a high workload in facilitating complex Indigenous agreements for infrastructure projects in south-eastern Queensland whilst undertaking his Masters in Integrated Water Management through the University of Queensland.
Nathan’s varied background provides for excellent knowledge and understanding both of development projects and, of engagement with Indigenous people. Nathan is a geologist by training and after having spent several years in remote communities in Arnhem Land he commenced an agreement-making role with Yamatji Land and Sea Council in Western Australia. Since this time Nathan has worked for a number of clients in a project management capacity, working to build consensus through the establishment of trust, within multi-disciplinary teams in various contexts.
This diverse experience has provided Nathan with an agreement making background from a variety of perspectives and allows Nathan to consider a broader picture when engaging with a range of stakeholders.