Wellington Aboriginal Land Council awarded the $3 million road reparation and asbestos removal works contract under the Roads to Home Project administered by the NSW government.

Paul Towney, who runs the Central Coast-based Wiradjuri Demolition Civil company employing Wellington's Indigenous workers said his company was "excluded" from tendering for the job though he is a qualified and a licensed indigenous contractor who spent most of his childhood at the Nanima reserve.

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After being "pushed out' in the tender process, Mr Towney said the local Indigenous workers who had connections to Nanima also lost employment opportunities as a result of the council's decision.

"The priorities for funding the civil works at Nanima is open for Indigenous contractors only so I asked them 'why am I not good enough?'" Mr Towney, 58, told the Daily Liberal.

"The council is expected to prioritise us Indigenous companies because we employ local Indigenous families from Nanima. I have strong family connections at Nanima because I grew up there and my extended families live there."

Mr Towney claims the roadwork had been awarded to another company which he believes is inconsistent with funding conditions when the $54.8 million Roads to Home Project was initiated in 2019 and administered by the Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Environment (DPIE) to provide adequate infrastructure to 21 Aboriginal reserves around NSW.

The Nanima village, just outside of Wellington, is home to about 100 local Aboriginal families and is known as the first inland mission in the central west. Apart from Nanima, road upgrades and other infrastructure are currently ongoing at identified Indigenous reserves at Nambucca, Bowraville, Gulargambone, Forster, Griffith, La Perouse, Walgett and Merrimans.

WLALC chief executive officer Tara Stanley said Mr Towney has "missed out" on the November 2021 tender submission because he did not present an official quotation on asbestos removal, civil works to be done, gutter reparation and landscaping that are awaiting completion at the village. Ms Stanley pointed out the WLALC is "only granting jobs to Aboriginal companies" as part of the project and funding requirements with the DPIE thus they chose a Coonamble-based company which is also employing locals.

"We do understand Mr Towney has a family here and he deserves to get the job so we referred him to the DPIE to assist him comply with the tendering process," Ms Stanley said.

Ms Stanley said she personally knew Mr Towney and his family connections in the village but the tender process has other requirements and Mr Towney has not been able to "provide the quotations for the works his company will do" which was the reason the WLALC was not able to employ his company for the local jobs.

Ms Stanley said Nanima was one of the oldest running reserves and "we have other priorities such as telephone and NBN connections". "Our residents have issues with COVID they have no WiFi to report situations except go up the hill or go to town," she said.

Under the NSW government plans for the Roads to Home project, all identified Aboriginal reserves will be provided with "upgraded roads and associated infrastructure, stormwater and other drainages required, kerb, gutter and footpaths, street lighting including at public spaces, upgrading road surfaces, telecommunications and power infrastructure."

Last November the DPIE has identified another 11 Aboriginal reserves, bringing to 21 the projects to be completed across NSW.

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