List of recommendations

2.38The Committee recommends that the Australian Government and the Department of Treasury develop a supplementary measurement framework that incorporates the principles of Australia’s Measuring What Matters Framework. This must include profiling and tracking to illustrate gaps and the mapping of variations of socio-economic wellbeing of First Nations communities. This will create a systematic way to track the socio-economic wellbeing of communities over time.

3.95The Committee recommends that the Australian Government fund a national longitudinal Indigenous economic and business dataset to understand the composition and economic contribution of First Nations business to the Australian economy.

3.101The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, in its review of the Indigenous Procurement Policy, consider:

an increase to the procurement target

the definition of an Indigenous business, and mechanisms to identify and recognise businesses who exceed the targets (e.g. through tiered criteria).

3.102The Committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate the practice of blak-cladding and policies to combat it.

3.104The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider support for Indigenous Chambers of Commerce and similar business networks to boost their delivery of financial, commercial, and business capability services.

3.107The Committee recommends that the Australian Government launch an awareness campaign and establish a central resource with information on federal, state, and territory government business advisory services for First Nations businesses.

3.113The Committee recommends that the Australian Government pilot an entrepreneurial and business mentorship program for aspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and explore how it can improve support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait women in business.

4.100The Committee recommends that the Australian Government strengthen existing, and develop new, instruments to enhance and fast track Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ access to finance and capital.

4.101The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider impediments to responsible lending and capital flow from mainstream banks and financial institutions to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

4.107The Committee recommends that, on completion of the Australian Law Reform Commission Future Acts Regime Review, the Australia Government should consider whether a full review of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) is required.

4.112The Committee recommends that the Australian Government ensure resourcing for Prescribed Body Corporates in the Native Title Act 1993 is sufficient to enable delivery of its full legislative potential.

5.83The Committee recommends the Australian Government ratify the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization and the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge.

5.84The Committee recommends that the Australian Government task IPAustralia, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to investigate legislative and regulatory options to strengthen the protection, certification, promotion, and marketing of FirstNations products and services domestically and internationally.

5.85The Committee recommends the Australian Government task IPAustralia as part of its current works to protect Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, to investigate legislative options to strengthen legal protections for collective knowledge and historical rights and opportunities.

5.90The Committee recommends establishing and funding a centralised database or national registration system to substantiate Indigenous knowledge and facilitate the creation of access and benefit sharing agreements. Such a database would enable a digital repository for data and knowledge associated with genetic resources found in Australia.

5.96The Committee recommends the Australian Government work with the bush foods and fibre industry to establish a sustainable peak industry body.

6.84The Committee recommends that the Australian Government explore and consider best practice mechanisms to improve First Nations workplace cultural safety.

6.92The Committee recommends that the Australian Government implement the First Nations Clean Energy Strategy and consider a target for FirstNations project ownership and equity in clean energy.

7.85The Committee recommends that the Australian Government facilitate knowledge exchanges between First Nations Australians and international First Nations communities to share experiences and lessons on economic empowerment and trade.

7.86The Committee recommends that the Australian Government accelerate its work with the First Nations Economic Partnership and consider the experiences of international jurisdictions and their fiscal management powers and frameworks (for example, Canada).

7.87The Committee recommends that the Australian Government ratify the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and explore opportunities for UNDRIP to guide commonwealth, state, and territory policy development and its relevance to good government in Australia.

7.88The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider capacity and capability support for First Nations and Traditional Owner groups to strengthen their engagement in the energy transition and other Australian Government initiatives.