Local construction company wins state employer award

Nortruss Building Supplies has taken out the Mission Australia Employer Awards for the second year running.

The NT construction supply company won the award for ‘going above and beyond’ to hire and work with struggling job seekers.

Nortruss won from a field of businesses that Mission Australia’s Employment Solutions Team works with to find employment for people who’ve been out of work for a long time, may require additional training or need extra support.

“We’ve had a great relationship with Nortruss over the last three years and in that time they’ve given six workers a go – three of whom still work for the company today,” Mission Australia Employment Solutions Manager Dean Proctor said.

“Nortruss shone out from the rest because of their willingness to give just about anyone a go and look at the skills that each individual can bring to the business.”

Mr Proctor said Nortruss also provides flexible start and finish times for its workers and training in welding and warehousing for example.

“Any small business that commits to hiring job seekers with significant challenges or who require extra support, deserves recognition,” he said.

“Nortruss has not only made a difference to these workers lives by helping them turn around their circumstances, but the whole community and we congratulate them.”

Job seekers are referred to Mission Australia from Centrelink and other health providers.

Nortruss Building Supplies will now go in the running for the national award to be announced on 27 November.

The national winner will be recognised at a gala dinner in Sydney with a prize to the value of $5000.

For more information visit www.missionaustralia.com.au

Mission Australia gets cool with esky art

A colourful collection of brightly painted eskies has taken over Mission Australia’s Youth Connections office in Malak.

The eskies were painted by students of the Yirrkala School in east Arnhem Land as part of the 2012 Darwin Fridge Festival, which launches next month.

The Festival, which celebrates the humble fridge and esky, also aims to empower and provide art to some of society’s most vulnerable people.

It’s the second year Mission Australia has teamed up with the quirky Festival and coordinated painting workshops in remote communities across the Top End.

Operations Manager Jillian Smith said the exercise builds on the good work of their Youth Connections team.

“The Festival is a great initiative and provides a fun way for our team to engage with and help kids who are at risk of dropping out of school,” Ms Smith said.

“The students who’ve participated in the workshops have loved them and really embraced the opportunity, which is a great success.”

As part of the remote workshops, the Fridge Festival in collaboration with Darwin Community Arts sent out professional artists including Janie Andrews and Marita Albers to inspire and mentor the young students.

“I think that’s been one of the highlights for both the students and the artists,” Ms Smith said.

This year the Festival has visited the Nhulunbuy, Yirrkala, Milingimbi and Maningrida with workshops to be held in Gunbalanya, the Tiwi Islands and Ngukurr next week.

The students’ work, which features Territory icons including crocodiles and sunsets and symbols of love and peace, will eventually join fridges and eskies painted by community groups, families and professionals at exhibitions across Darwin.

The works will be on display during October at venues including the Darwin International Airport, Malak Shopping Centre, Darwin Waterfront, Casuarina Shopping Centre and local schools and libraries.

For more information visit www.darwinfridgefestival.org.au.

Vista Gold announces resource update for Mt Todd Gold Mine to over 7 million ounces

Vista Gold Corp. Grows Mt. Todd Estimated Measured & Indicated Gold Resources to over 7 Million Ounces

Denver, Colorado, September 4, 2012 - Vista Gold Corp. (TSX & NYSE MKT: VGZ) (“Vista” or the “Company”) today reported the results of an updated mineral resource estimate for the Batman deposit at the Company’s Mt. Todd gold project in Northern Territory, Australia.

The updated mineral resource estimate includes 18 drill holes (13,036 total meters) from the Company’s ongoing resource conversion drilling program at the Mt. Todd gold project.

The Batman deposit is now estimated to contain 7.01 million ounces of gold in the Measured and Indicated categories and 2.09 million ounces in the Inferred category. The drilling program is ongoing and new results are expected to be included in a further updated resource estimate that will be the basis for a feasibility study, which the Company expects to release in early 2013.

Frederick H. Earnest, President and CEO of Vista, stated, “I am very pleased with the continued growth in the estimated gold resource of the Batman deposit and we have not yet completed our drill program. This updated resource estimate represents an increase of over one million ounces in the Measured and Indicated categories since our last resource estimate in September 2011 and an increase of over 1.8 million ounces of Measured and Indicated categories since the completion of the January 2011 preliminary feasibility study.

These estimates support the decision to evaluate a project larger than the 30,000 tonnes per day operation contemplated in our January 2011 preliminary feasibility study (the "PFS"). The results of our past and ongoing drilling programs combined with technical evaluations currently in progress support my belief that Mt. Todd is becoming a world-class gold project in one of the world’s more favorable mining jurisdictions.”

Highlights of the updated mineral resource estimate include:

• 17% increase in contained gold ounces in the Measured and Indicated categories (+1,024,000 ozs) compared to the previous resource estimate (September 2011); and

• 37% increase in contained gold ounces in the Measured and Indicated categories (+1,882,000 ozs) compared to the PFS.

For full details on the new mineral resource estimate for the Batman deposit refer to Vista Gold Release http://mttodd.com.au/news

TIO Case Manger shines at Australasian awards

If it weren’t for the secret nomination of a colleague this Territory worker wouldn’t be holding the gong for one of Australia’s top case managers and personal injury management consultants.

TIO Team Leader Bianca Portelli-Reidy won the Personal Injury Management Award for Excellence in Customer Service at a ceremony in Brisbane last week. 

The mother of three is the first Territorian to win at the prestigious Australian and New Zealand awards, which recognise excellence and innovation in the industry.

“I was quite speechless and humbled,” Ms Portelli-Reidy said.

“It’s a really big honour and demonstrates what TIO does for their injured clients and how we try to go out of our way to make sure they get all the necessary help and support they need to return to work and health.”

The quiet achiever took out the award for her dedication to her clients and the job, which included overhauling how TIO helps people who have suffered from brain injuries and trauma at work.

“When I help people who have suffered and have the opportunity to experience their success at the end, it is very rewarding,” Ms Portelli-Reidy said.

“I’ve worked with people who’ve been told they’ll never paint again and after two years, are back at it.

“Sometimes the journey can take a long time, but I’m very proud of the work we do at TIO.” 

The Personal Injury Management awards are held every two years.

For more information on the awards visit www.pief.com.au.