Recognition for Indigenous partnership

29 July 2026

Scentre Group recognised for seven-year Indigenous partnership

During NAIDOC Week 2026, Scentre Group was recognised at the 2026 Wiimali Awards for our seven-year partnership with ARA Indigenous Services.

Aaron Galea, Head of Procurement, shared: “The recognition acknowledges the longevity and impact of our partnership with Indigenous supplier, ARA Indigenous Services, spanning fire services maintenance across 35 Westfield destinations in Australia.

“Presented as part of the Annual Wiimali Awards, the recognition celebrates more than a commercial relationship. It reflects a shared commitment to creating meaningful employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and supporting stronger outcomes for Indigenous communities across Australia.

“By partnering with Indigenous owned and operated businesses, we are proud to create opportunities that extend beyond service delivery, contributing to employment, capability development and economic participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“Thank you to the teams across our business who have supported this partnership over the past seven years and helped create a lasting impact through one of Scentre Group's most enduring Indigenous supplier relationships.”

The partnership is closely aligned to the commitments outlined in Scentre Group's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which seeks to embed positive and sustainable equity and inclusion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through business practices, organisational culture and supplier relationships.

Scentre Group's RAP vision is to create positive and sustainable equity and inclusion while building lasting relationships through the way we operate our business.

About the Wiimali Program

The word Wiimali comes from the Gamilaraay language and means "to light a fire".

Established as a key initiative of the ARA Group's Reconciliation Action Plan, the Wiimali Program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees through recruitment, mentoring, professional development and community engagement.

The program takes a holistic approach to supporting Indigenous employees through every stage of their employment journey, from identifying suitable candidates and preparing them for work, through to ongoing mentoring, career development and practical support. Indigenous mentors work closely with employees to help navigate the transition into the workforce, while professional mentors provide guidance about career growth and development.

Through programs like Wiimali, Indigenous employees are supported to build long-term, meaningful careers while strengthening connections to culture, community and opportunity.