Intract, a nationwide construction, maintenance, demolition and asbestos remediation services enterprise based in Darwin, has more than 100 staff throughout Australia – 30 in the Northern Territory – and 97 percent of them are Indigenous. 

The company was founded by John Briggs in 2010 and is in collaboration with national business McMahon Services. 

Intract has successfully carried out a string of contracts, many of them for the Department of Defence. 

“Defence work is our bread and butter,” says business manager Billie-Jo Hudson. 

Contracts include jobs at the Tindal and Darwin RAAF bases, the naval base at Berrimah and Robertson Barracks. 

Defence plans to spend billions of dollars in Northern Australia over the next decade. 

“We’re excited about the Defence work we’ve done and are keen to do a lot more.” 

In 2021, Intract was awarded the remote tenancy management contract to manage more than 1200 houses for Territory Housing in remote West Arnhem and Tiwi Islands. 

The contract is providing employment, with a local team leader in each community managing the program. 

“It’s great having these team leaders in our offices to empower our staff to work hard and be proud of themselves,” says Ms Hudson. 

“We want to create meaningful, long-term employment opportunities for Indigenous people. We’re there for every worker – we accept that everyone is different, that we all go through ups and downs in life. So we’re there to help. 

“We work hard to keep people engaged.” 

Intract provides full-service building construction capabilities, including construction management, construct only, design and construct delivery, external and internal refurbishments, and fit-outs for office complexes, warehouses, workshops, manufacturing and industrial facilities, and high-security buildings. 

Ms Hudson, who was born in Alice Springs, takes her commitment to fighting Indigenous disadvantage beyond the workplace – she and two other staffers, Tiana Sariago of Intract and Stacie Reissis of McMahon Services, go to prison every two weeks to hold “yarning circle” sessions with female inmates. 

“We talk about life, work, family, community, everything. We try to give them a different outlook on life. 

“Not all the inmates we speak to are Indigenous. We don’t discriminate on skin colour. 

“The three of us always go together, so that the women see the same faces and can build up a relationship with us.” 

The trio have become role models for many prisoners. 

“With the right support, prisoners can change their lives. Everyone deserves a second chance. 

“People often do well when given a chance.” 

Ms Hudson is living proof of that – and of Intract’s commitment to Indigenous advancement. She started at the company as an operator/labourer … and is now the business manager 

CONTACT 

Intract 

41 Bishop Street Woolner NT 0800 

PO Box 36546 Winnellie NT 0821 

(08) 8930 2500 

info@intract.com.au