3. The First Nations business sector
   1. This chapter considers the economic contribution of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business sector and opportunities to support the sector as a means of contributing to the economic self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Economic contribution of First Nations businesses

3.2Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses make a significant contribution to Australia’s economy and the social and economic empowerment of First Nations peoples. Evidence presented to the Committee indicated that, for every dollar in revenue earned by a First Nations business, an average of $4.41 in social and economic value is generated.[1]

3.3According to the University of Melbourne’s Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership (Dilin Duwa), in 2021–22 there were 13,693 ‘alive and active’ businesses in the Indigenous business ecosystem,[2] generating around $16.1billion in revenue and employing 116,795 people.[3] Separate research by DrZannieLangford of the University of Queensland (using different methodology) showed that, in 2023, there were 16,248 Indigenous businesses in Australia managing over $10billion in annual revenue (up from $4.9 billion in 2018) and employing more than 70,000 workers.[4]

3.4Dilin Duwa reported that the Indigenous business sector had grown rapidly in recent years. In particular, Dilin Duwa noted the number of Indigenous-owned sole traders had almost tripled from 1,951 in 2012 to 5,377 in 2022, and the number of Indigenous-owned partnerships increased from 1,774 to 3,124 over the same period.[5]

3.5Strong growth in the sector was also noted by Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), which reported that the number of First Nations business owners had grown by more than 50 per cent between 2016–21 to an estimated 29,400.[6] This equated to approximately 4.5 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples owning a business in 2021, which while lower than the 8.5 per cent of non-Indigenous Australians owning a business, was a substantial increase from 3.3 per cent in 2006.[7] IBA cited estimates that, if parity was achieved, the economic contribution of the Indigenous business sector to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would be almost $64 billion.[8]

3.6Given the limitations on capturing Indigenous data, the economic and business contribution of First Nations peoples is likely to be underestimated. These challenges are discussed later in this chapter.

3.7As well as directly benefitting business owners, growing the Indigenous business sector was identified by many inquiry participants as the key to improving employment outcomes for First Nations peoples. In its research brief on Indigenous employment in the Indigenous business sector, Supply Nation found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses were reported to be ‘40 to 100 hundred times’ more likely to engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees.[9] They added that:

• the proportional Indigenous employment rate is significantly higher among not-for-profit Indigenous businesses
• the proportional Indigenous employment rate decreases as the revenue of Indigenous businesses increases
• larger Indigenous businesses (revenue over $10 million) have a proportional Indigenous employment rate at or above 30 per cent—ten times the estimate of the Indigenous proportion of the population (three per cent) as a whole.[10]
  8. This link between First Nations businesses and strong First Nations employment outcomes has been corroborated by more recent research, which shows that Supply Nation-registered businesses employ around ninetimes as many Indigenous staff as would be expected based on population data alone.[11], [12] In a joint submission, Associate Professor Kerry Bodle, Christian Eva, Professor Dennis Foley, Dr Jessica Harris and Emeritus Professor Boyd Hunter (Kerry Bodle et al) argued that the continued growth of the sector is ‘crucial’ for supporting Indigenous employment; a National Agreement on Closing the Gap target.[13] The submission discussed the ‘multi-faceted’ reasons for these strong employment outcomes, including that:

Indigenous businesses are more likely to facilitate workplaces that align with the values of Indigenous peoples, that are dedicated to anti-racism, that are culturally informed, and that value Indigenous knowledges, cultures, and experiences. In doing so, Indigenous businesses create jobs that work for Indigenous people.[14]

3.9Dr Zannie Langford and Dr Richard Martin added that different types of Indigenous businesses vary in their rates of Indigenous employment. They reported on research showing that smaller businesses (earning less than $1 million in annual revenue), employ First Nations workers at twice the rate of larger businesses, and that regional and remote businesses employ First Nations workers at twice the rate of those based in major cities.[15]

An unequal playing field for Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses

3.10The inquiry has brought to the surface the significant barriers that First Nations businesses face compared to non-Indigenous businesses. Many witnesses reported the historical and ongoing structural and institutional barriers that has limited their opportunity to start, grow, or sustain a viable business. Indigenous entrepreneurs reported significant challenges in accessing capital and finance from mainstream banks and financial institutions, lower commercial acumen and financial literacy, limited business networks, and less accumulated intergenerational knowledge.

3.11Many witnesses also spoke of the structural trust deficit they face and mainstream institutions’ perception that First Nations businesses are higher risk investments than non-Indigenous businesses.

Economic contribution of female-owned businesses

3.12Recent data indicates that Indigenous women are increasingly stepping into leadership roles within their communities and businesses. They are not only fostering economic growth but also driving social change. These businesses span various sectors including education and training, arts and entertainment, construction and facilities management, and domestic goods and services sectors.[16]

3.13Supply Nation reported that ‘there are a total of 1,016 female-owned Indigenous businesses registered with Supply Nation, roughly 28 per cent of all suppliers. Ofthese, 471suppliers received a total of $513 million in contract revenue, which equates to 14 per cent of the total contract revenue reported by Supply Nation members’.[17] Incorporating gender targets into the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) may help stem the disadvantage for women.

3.14The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in a survey it commissioned Indigenous company i2i Global to undertake, found that Indigenous women are leading the export orientated business sector.[18]

3.15The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet highlighted the vital importance of businesses led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to the sector and wider Australian economy:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are central to the development, growth and diversity of the Indigenous business sector and the Australian economy. The roles women play—as business owners, operators, entrepreneurs, and leaders—are critical in contributing to economies at all levels, and providing role models to future generations of entrepreneurs. They also provide a unique perspective for their customers and forge a pathway for their daughters and sisters to follow.[19]

3.16This was further reinforced in the Australian Government’s recent funding announcement of $355million for the creation of 1,000new Indigenous ranger jobs, with First Nations women making up the vast majority of the 770 Indigenous ranger roles.[20]

3.17The success of Aboriginal design and art company, Kinya Lerrk Pty Ltd, highlights the broader impact of women-led Indigenous businesses (see Box 3.1).

3.18Submitters also noted that First Nations women face additional barriers to economic and business participation compared to First Nations men, and non-Indigenous men and women in business. Indigenous Services Canada attributed lower average financial literacy, added family responsibilities, and a lack of experience and confidence in dealing with lenders and financial institutions as significant barriers to greater economic participation in Canada.

3.19Mrs Kadic, from the Noongar Chamber of Commerce, elaborated saying that First Nations women have additional familial responsibilities and lacked the female mentors or business networks to learn from:

I think the idea of that work-life balance is difficult. A lot of our women have families. They’re usually caring for other people’s children. There’s the aspect of that whole balance. I firmly believe I’m in this spot because I didn’t have, or see, anyone that was doing what I was doing, so I’m a firm believer in the idea that if you see somebody doing it, you can do it, especially when it comes to our women. I think it’s a lonely journey. Having that network of supportive black women around you is so important. That’s something that I struggled with at the very beginning. I probably poured more strength into programs, so being around people who are like-minded. I think educational programs, such as Melbourne Business School, are so helpful. They also build that network and support and opportunities.[23]

3.20Canada’s Indigenous Entrepreneurship Initiative[24] provides tailored training and mentorship for aspiring and existing First Nations women in business to help them navigate these additional barriers. Some submitters recommended similar initiatives to grow the number of First Nations women in enterprise and establish a future pipeline of mentors and champions for younger generations.

Enhancing data availability

3.21Others noted that there are gaps in the data available to measure the economic contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and the challenges they face.[25] The importance of a complete data picture in supporting a positive narrative about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ economic contribution and participation in Australia and for improving institutional trust of First Nations businesses was also reinforced. As such, many submitters were of the view that estimates about First Nations businesses and their economic contribution are likely to fall short of the true calculation of First Nations businesses.

3.22The Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN), for example, advocated for large longitudinal studies on the impacts of private Indigenous businesses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and career progression, as well as how money spent on for-profit Indigenous businesses is given back to the community:

I think it would demonstrate very much our claim that all Aboriginal businesses, for profit or not for profit, are social enterprises just by sheer default of their impact, because we are giving more back.[26]

3.23Dilin Duwa submitted that a long-term funding commitment would be needed to build a ‘national Indigenous business and economic dataset’ that can be used to produce longitudinal statistics and help understand the sector’s social and economic contribution, and the impact of policies.[27] Dilin Duwa currently uses the Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE) and the Person Level Integrated Data Asset datasets produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), matched against six Indigenous business registries.[28]

3.24The ABS submitted to the Committee that the wide range of information incorporated into BLADE currently allows for detailed longitudinal analysis, but with additional funding, BLADE could be further enhanced to provide data about Indigenous businesses.[29] The ABS noted that this enhancement would require the establishment of an agreed definition of Indigenous business (discussed further below) as well as integration of data from various Indigenous business registries.[30]

3.25The ABS further submitted that it expects to release more information in early 2025 about the consultation process with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples around ways to capture employment data more frequently.[31]

3.26The development of a perpetual longitudinal dataset had the support of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. It submitted that the work had ‘strong potential to enable departmental analysis on how the Commonwealth can best support First Nations economic empowerment’.[32]

3.27The Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI) proposed a nationally consistent framework for corporate disclosures in relation to First Nations impacts and outcomes. It suggested such disclosure requirements would be a ‘transformative step’, meeting the needs of investors and stakeholders for ‘high-quality, comparable information’, while also facilitating better data collection and analysis ‘at scale’. ASFI advised that it is currently leading a First Nations Disclosure project in collaboration with its First Nations Reference Group, and would welcome the Australian Government’s support.[33] At a public hearing, ASFI explained that ‘disclosures bring better practice’,[34] drawing an analogy to legislatively required climate change disclosures:

What has played out with climate disclosures is—as soon as you are encouraging and requiring disclosure, that means that better practice is almost automatically generated because corporates, generally, are not comfortable disclosing unmitigated risks or disclosing opportunities without a plan to capitalise on those opportunities. That’s the rationale and the reason for the interest and support for more consistent and credible disclosures right across the corporate and financial institution ecosystem across Australia.[35]

3.28Corporate reporting mechanisms were similarly supported in a submission from MrTyson McEwan.[36]

Supporting First Nations business development

3.29Although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a long history of trade and commerce,[37] intergenerational impacts of colonisation and the deliberate exclusion of First Nations peoples from the economy, have meant that the vibrant FirstNations business sector that has emerged today is relatively new.[38] Australian Government policies and programs have had an important role in helping to build the capability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to run successful private enterprises that contribute to economic self-determination.

First Nations procurement policies

3.30Like with other small businesses, one of the key drivers for the rapid growth of the Indigenous business sector in recent years has been the Australian Government’s IPP (Box 3.2), as well as similar procurement policies introduced by state and territory governments and private sector companies.[39] In general terms, these policies are designed to increase procurement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, including by setting minimum targets for the awarding of contracts. IBA told the Committee that, since being established in 2015, the IPP has generated over $9.5 billion in contracting opportunities.[40]

3.31Under the IPP, the annual percentage target for the volume of contracts awarded to First Nations businesses is set at three per cent, while the target for the value of contracts is increasing progressively in accordance with Table 3.1.

Source: National Indigenous Australians Agency, Indigenous Procurement Policy, December 2020, p. 12.

3.32According to the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), in the 2022–23 financial year the Australian Government and all its portfolios exceeded their targets of threepercent of the number and 1.75 per cent of the value of accessible contracts being awarded to Indigenous businesses.[43] This resulted in more than 1,400businesses securing at total of more than 12,000 new contracts with Commonwealth agencies, valued at over $1.4 billion.[44]

3.33The majority of participants in the inquiry supported the IPP. The Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group told the Committee that the IPP creates opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enterprises to ‘grow and prosper, [which] not only contributes to the economic development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities but also helps in addressing socio-economic disparities that have historically marginalised our people’.[45] Alongside other improvements (discussed in part below), it recommended increasing the IPP targets to a minimum of four per cent of both the number and value of contracts being awarded to Indigenous businesses, in order to ‘better align with population parity’.[46]

3.34Supply Nation described the impact of the IPP on Indigenous businesses as ‘massive’. Ms Kate Russell, Supply Nation’s Chief Executive Officer, told the Committee that the ‘tier 2’ effects of the policy go beyond the direct procurement by government:

Let’s take the Olympic Games as an example. In the future, the government is going to build some stadiums; it’s an imaginary example. There might not be an Indigenous supplier who is tier 1 who is a prime contractor to build a stadium, and that contract may go to someone like JLL. As a part of that, because of the government’s commitment of three per cent of contestable spend going to an Indigenous business, it would be up to JLL to also meet that target. I think this is often misunderstood. Yes, government itself is a huge procurer of Indigenous businesses, but it also supports and facilitates spend through corporates who are contracting to government.[47]

3.35However, many contributors also noted the IPP’s limitations. For example, DrLangford and Dr Martin wrote that the opportunities provided by the IPP are concentrated in a relatively narrow range of sectors. To better support rural business growth and employment outcomes, they recommended ‘expanding the reach of the IPP across a wider range of industries [and] preferencing enterprises from businesses which already demonstrate strong social benefits and training and employment in rural areas’.[48] The National Native Title Council similarly argued that the IPP should be amended to specifically encourage procurement through Traditional Owner representative institutions in regional, remote and very remote locations.[49]

3.36Ms Jocelyn King of First Nations Capital told the Committee that the IPP has been an ‘enormous enabler’ but emphasised that it is ‘not the only enabler’. She argued that, currently, small business engagement with the IPP is limited by their difficulties in accessing capital.[50]

3.37Ms Shannon Mallison, representing Yarpa, told the Committee that procurement policies had an important role to play in driving behavioural change and overcoming unconscious bias against Indigenous businesses.[51] However, she argued that it is also important to avoid ‘unrealistic expectations’ about the power of the policy and to ensure that that Indigenous businesses are not solely dependent on their status as an Indigenous business to succeed.[52]

3.38The New South Wales (NSW) Indigenous Chamber of Commerce (ICC) submitted that ‘further information, awareness and training’ was needed across government to ensure the ‘proper application’ of the IPP and the analogous NSW Aboriginal Procurement Policy.[53]

Business owners often advise they have to explain the application of these policies to a purchasing officer or representative of an agency, and business owners further advise that despite meeting the criteria of both the procurement value / activity and the applicable section of the policies, they were required to undertake a formal tender process, or not invited to tender at all.[54]

3.39The First Nations Foundation made a similar point in its submission, pointing to a recent report of the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman that found ‘several imperfections’ in mechanisms intended to foster First Nations entrepreneurship and commercial opportunities, including ‘a poor understanding of exemptions for First Nations businesses, a disconnect between [Commonwealth Procurement Rules] and mandatory Whole-of-Australian-Government panels, and conflicting incentives between sovereign capability policies and the overarching rules designed to further small-to-medium enterprises and First Nations businesses’.[55]

3.40The IPP is currently being reviewed by the Australian Government. At a public hearing, the NIAA told the Committee that while there has been success in the IPP, the review provides an opportunity to address some of the challenges.[56]

3.41The NSW Government told the Committee about the recent review of its Aboriginal Procurement Policy and encouraged the Committee to consider its recommendations.[57]

‘Blak-cladding’ concerns

3.42One of the challenges being examined as part of the NIAA’s IPP review is the perceived issue of ‘blak-cladding’.[58] While there is no agreed meaning of the term,[59] itcan be generally understood to refer to non-Indigenous businesses unfairly taking advantage of programs and policies such as the IPP that are intended to benefit FirstNations businesses.

3.43Multiple participants in the inquiry raised their concerns about blak-cladding with the Committee.[60] For example, Ms Gill Mailman, representing the Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, described blak-cladding as the ‘biggest problem’ with the IPP:

It’s a cutthroat thing out there. If someone can find a way that they can get into this IPP and make a lot of money, that money is not going where it was intended to, which is to building the capacity and capability of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.[61]

3.44The most significant concerns about blak-cladding raised with the Committee involved joint ventures between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led and non-Indigenous organisations. For example, Mr John O'Driscoll, of Western Australia’s Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation, identified joint ventures as the ‘No. 1’ barrier for First Nations businesses.[62] He told the Committee that the Indigenous partner often did not benefit from these arrangements:

A true joint venture is where two entities enter into an agreement, and both entities benefit. The joint ventures that are happening here in this state, under these projects that were just mentioned, are absolutely black-cladding. The reason is that there is no upskilling of the Aboriginal partner. They’re basically getting a wage 99 per cent of the time, and as soon as that project is done, ‘See ya later’. That is not a joint venture.[63]

3.45Ms Noami Antess, Chief Executive Office of the NTIBN, warned the Committee about power imbalances in some joint ventures and cited an example of a non-Indigenous company that had benefited from the IPP for more than 12 years in circumstances where the Indigenous partner subcontracted ‘all of the work back to the non-Indigenous entity’.[64] Ms Antess argued for turnover caps and for skills transfer to the Indigenous partner within a certain timeframe to be mandatory.[65]

3.46Ms Deb Barwick, of the NSWICC, also raised concerns about large corporate organisations setting up an Indigenous consulting arm, which then competed with the Indigenous-owned and controlled businesses that the chamber seeks to support.[66]

3.47Ms Susan Moylan-Coombs, of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia, was more optimistic in her evidence to the Committee. She acknowledged that there had been concerns with joint ventures in the past, but considered this to be a diminishing problem as awareness has improved and the Indigenous business sector has grown:

Now the tide is turning, people are much more aware of it, and Indigenous entrepreneurs are getting much more business savvy. So I think it’s had a focus put on it and it will probably end up being phased out, and Indigenous business operators and entrepreneurs will be operating under their own steam and agency.[67]

Defining a First Nations business

3.48According to IBA, defining a First Nations business can be complex because of the many legal structures available. As such, IBA has developed its own processes for testing the structure of entities seeking support.[68] The IBA explained that its process depended on the entity type and may include:

• shareholding structures include at least 50 per cent First Nations shareholding
• financial, economic, and social benefits and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples and communities, and/or
• First Nations partners or shareholders must be actively involved in the management and decision making of the business.[69]
  49. IBA added that ‘actively involved’ can mean the First Nations parties regularly:

• perform, or manage the performance of services the business provides
• manage the sale of goods and services of the business
• manage other business activities, or
• exercise control over activities related to business finance, strategy, and growth.

This is a flexible approach that accommodates the unique circumstances of the businesses, while ensuring only eligible businesses receive support.[70]

3.50For the purposes of the IPP, a business must be at least 50 per cent First Nations owned to be considered an Indigenous enterprise.[71] The NIAA contracts Supply Nation (Box 3.3) to maintain a free registry of Indigenous enterprises that meet this definition, known as Indigenous Business Direct. Businesses may also be recognised as Indigenous enterprises if they are registered under the Office of The Registrar for Indigenous Corporations, or if a procuring official documents steps taken to assure themselves that the business is at least 50 per cent Indigenous owned.[72]

3.51Apart from Supply Nation, there are also a variety of state-based Indigenous business directories, such as the Aboriginal Business Directory Western Australia (WA). The Aboriginal Business Directory WA is supported by the Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation and the Industry Capability Network.[80] The Industry Capability Network told the Committee about the success of one of its members, a South Australian-based Indigenous business known as Intract Australia (see Box 3.4).[81]

3.52The NSW ICC told the Committee that there is currently a lack of public reporting on Indigenous procurement policies, which reduces both accountability and compliance. It recommended that the publishing of reports on Indigenous procurement and participation should be obligatory, and subject to more rigorous auditing. It added that it had received examples from its members ‘on several occasions’ about contracts ‘not having any Aboriginal participation at all even though it has been a requirement’.[89]

3.53The Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group similarly recommended improving transparency and accountability in Indigenous procurement by:

• Strengthening monitoring and compliance measures in funding agreements and procurement contracts between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories and between governments and contractors.
• Applying financial and other penalties in funding agreements when stated Indigenous procurement outcomes are not met.
• Funding an Audit Office or Compliance Officers to ensure the mandatory minimum requirements have been applied to contracts. In addition to reporting noncompliance, the auditor will also have the authority to enact penalties for noncompliance.[90]
  54. The NIAA’s IPP review has proposed a range of reforms to address concerns about blak-cladding. One of the key proposals is to strengthen the definition of Indigenous business to require a least 51 per cent First Nations ownership, management and control.[91]
  55. The NIAA notes that, although all states and territories except the Northern Territory currently only require 50 per cent ownership in procurement policies, there has been a trend toward 51 per cent requirements in overseas jurisdictions, including the United States, South Africa and Canada.[92] Meanwhile, the National Agreement on Closing the Gap already defines an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation as a business, charity, or not for profit organisation that has at least 51 per cent Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait ownership and/or directorship and ‘is operated for the benefit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities’.[93]
  56. There was strong support amongst participants in the inquiry for the proposed strengthening of the definition of First Nations business.[94] The Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group recommended that there should a consistent requirement of at least 51 per cent Indigenous ownership and control, with consideration given to a ‘tiered’ approach in which businesses and contractors that are fully Indigenous owned and controlled receiving first preference.[95] The Group also recommended applying IPP requirements to the full supply chain, ‘including head contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers’.[96]
  57. Dilin Duwa, however, cautioned that any proposal to increase the definition of an Indigenous business to a minimum 51 per cent ownership would exclude 88 per cent of all currently trading partnerships that have 50 per cent Indigenous ownership.[97] It suggested discussion is needed about the application of the definition for registries ‘as compared to a more general acceptable Indigenous business definition for businesses not choosing to register for procurement and visibility reasons’.[98]
  58. Kerry Bodle et al submitted that the ‘potential for non-Indigenous owned businesses to access contracts through the IPP via the MMRs component of the policy’ is a concern that requires greater focus, arguing that this aspect of the IPP appears to be the most at risk of not meeting the policy’s overarching objectives if ‘strict compliance’ is not ensured.[99] They called for ‘tightened compliance standards’ for not only Indigenous businesses, but also non-Indigenous businesses accessing the scheme.[100]
  59. In contrast, the ASFI reported that current verification processes for determining the status of First Nations businesses ‘can impose significant administrative burdens’ and called for the Government to create ‘streamlined’ verification processes in consultation with First Nations communities and organisations.[101] ASFI also cautioned that a 51 per cent First Nations ownership requirement may create unintentional barriers to growth in business capital, as access to diverse funding sources like venture capital and crowdfunding ‘often entail changes in ownership structures’.[102] ASFI argued for a more ‘nuanced’ approach to ensure that First Nations businesses can continue to access preferential procurement as they grow and attract more investors.[103]

Certification and labelling

3.60As part of its public register, Supply Nation recognises two ‘levels’ of ownership for First Nations businesses:

• ‘Registered’ businesses: are certified as being at least 50 per cent Indigenous owned, including equal partnerships with non-Indigenous owners.
• ‘Certified’ businesses: are certified as being 51 per cent or more Indigenous owned, managed and controlled, consistently with the NIAA’s proposal for a stronger definition of First Nations business.[104]
  61. Supply Nation has developed verification branding (Figure 3.1) as a way for businesses to show their level of registration or certification status. It also provides ‘membership’ branding for paid government and corporate buying organisations which ‘share our vision of a prosperous, vibrant and sustainable Indigenous business sector’.[105]

Source: Supply Nation, ‘Use of Supply Nation verification brands’.[106]

3.62Ms Laura Thompson, the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Indigenous retailer Clothing The Gaps, supported the development of a product certification logo similar to the ‘Made in Australia’ logo to identify authentic products made by Aboriginal businesses.[107] She argued that such certification should be followed by a government-funded marketing campaign to educate consumers about the benefits of supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses:

We say it all the time: ‘Where you spend your dollar is a vote on what country and what world you want to see’. Certainly, supporting black self-determination when you purchase any product, whether that be coffee or tea, is one way that you can actually support reconciliation in this country. That sort of messaging on a grand scale, supported by the government, would certainly raise the profile of so many Aboriginal businesses, which I believe would then get us to a point where we’re able to think of what exporting would look like.[108]

3.63Ms Thompson noted that, currently, many Indigenous retailers are struggling due to cost of living pressures in the economy and because businesses selling directly to individuals do not benefit from government procurement policies or other forms of financial support.[109] Ms Thompson advocated for an Indigenous retail association to be formed to collectively promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander retailers, help those businesses learn off each other and to facilitate mentorship from and collaborations with non-Indigenous companies.[110]

3.64Supply Nation told the Committee that while its logos are already used by many Indigenous businesses to identify themselves, the lack of a consistent definition of Indigenous business across the Commonwealth, states and territories is the main challenge to establishing a widely recognised ‘Australian-made’ style logo for Indigenous businesses.[111]

3.65New Zealand and Canada have both established trademark labels. Launched in 2002, Toi Iho is a trademark for quality and authenticity in Māori arts, developed through extensive consultation. The trademark was managed by Creative NZ until 2009 when they decided to remove funding. The administration of the trademark transferred to the Toi Iho Charitable Trust in 2013. The Trust maintains a register of artists and supports the advancement of Māori art.[112]

3.66In 1958, the Canadian Government established the Igloo Tag Trademark, ‘the internationally-recognised symbol of authenticity for Inuit visual arts for over sixdecades.’[113] The Inuit Art Foundation took full ownership and control of the trademark in 2017 after the then Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) determined it was most appropriate to transfer the trademark to an Inuit-led arts organisation. The trademark is applied to Inuit art including sculptures, textile art, crafts, ceramics, jewellery, and fashion goods. Licensees are assigned a unique identification number and are not allowed to let anyone else use the Igloo Tag Trademark. Organisations promoting Inuit art (such as galleries which promote and have Inuit art for sale) are also bound by the Inuit Art Foundation's guidelines, which provide information on how the trademark can be used in marketing and promotional materials.[114]

3.67The Saami Council owns the Sámi Made trademark which can be used on by physical and digital products (clothes, jewellery, lávvus, books, food products, cosmetics, souvenirs).[115]

3.68Some Latin American countries (Panama, Bolivia, Peru and Columbia) also have legislated trademark laws stipulating ‘that one may not register any sign which consists in the name, distinctive words, letters, characters or signs used by indigenous communities without the express agreement of the relevant communities’.[116]

3.69Chapter 5 considers evidence received to this inquiry on supporting First Nations producers and businesses to protect their resources and traditional knowledge through Certification Trademarks (CTMs) and Geographical Indicators (GIs).[117]

Indigenous Chambers of Commerce and other business networks

3.70Despite the growing success of the First Nations business sector, the Committee heard from participants in the inquiry that there remains a need for government investment in services to help build the capability and capacity of individual businesses.[118]

3.71There are range of organisations currently providing dedicated support services to First Nations businesses. The Committee benefited from the views of several of these organisations during the inquiry, including:

• NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, an independent, Indigenous controlled and self-funded not-for-profit organisation representing more than 500 majority-owned Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enterprises in NSW. It operates two business hubs and seeks to offer a ‘one stop shop service to government and industry buyers who are committed to diversity in their supply chain and workforce’.[119]
• Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network, the peak body representing Indigenous Businesses in the Northern Territory ‘assists with establishing, nurturing, and growing an interconnected network of Indigenous owned businesses throughout the NT’.[120] The Indigenous Business Network provides services through its Indigenous Business & Employment Hub which ‘connects Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs to industry, opportunities and employment advice [as well as supporting] Indigenous Job seekers’.[121]
• Yarpa, a partnership between the NSW Aboriginal Land Council and the Australian Government, provides ‘business advice, training and support across an array of key business areas to First Nation businesses at all stages of the business lifecycle; Industry Relationship and Strategic Partnerships Managers access to professional training and development; and works with employers to understand the First Nations employment landscape and support them to create pathways to meaningful employment’.[122]
• Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation, ‘focuses on encouraging and assisting employment and business development opportunities for First nations peoples’. One of their ‘key objectives is to bridge the digital divide, allowing for greater access to information and technology for community and economic development’.[123]
• Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry supports ‘contact between Aboriginal owned businesses and the broader WA business community’. Services provided include ‘business coaching throughout the life cycle of a business, managing the interaction between cultural awareness and commercial engagement, employment/training, procurement, and project management’.[124]
• Waalitj Hub delivers programs designed to ‘increase the retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in school, assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander jobseekers into employment or further vocational training and/or study, and support and mentoring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in touch with the youth justice system’.[125]
• Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council, focusses on ‘developing markets, building business capacity, and working towards varying income streams to limit seasonality’. The Tourism Operators Council is ‘the peak non-for-profit organisation representing Aboriginal tourism in Western Australia with close to 200 members and a steady growth of newcomers every year’.[126]
• Maganda Makers Business Club provides support for ‘Kimberley Indigenous Women who are aspiring, emerging and growing as women in business’.[127]
  72. Some of these organisations have been established with funding from governments,[128] whereas others are largely or entirely self-funded by their membership.[129]
  73. While Indigenous Chambers of Commerce and Indigenous business networks across the country are playing a critical role in strengthening the financial, commercial, and corporate capability and capacity of First Nations businesses, many reported they were critically underfunded and that for some their long-term sustainability was uncertain.
  74. Furthermore, Enterprise and Training Company Limited proposed the establishment of a ‘centre of excellence’ that would ‘cultivate best practices and evidence-based information to enhance First Nations employment and training outcomes’.[130]
  75. Indigenous-owned consulting firm First Nations Affairs argued that there is ‘far greater opportunity for First Nations led and tailored training to suit the unique responsibilities, obligations and operations of Indigenous businesses’.[131] It called for investments in such training to be focused on ‘sustainability and nation building’, and for increased investment and support to be provided for Indigenous chambers of commerce.[132]
  76. The Australian Government has provided funding to establish Indigenous Business and Employment Hubs in Adelaide, Perth and Western Sydney and the Northern Territory.[133] The hubs are intended to provide ‘wrap-around’ support to First nations businesses, including via mentoring, business advice, training and access to financial services.[134] The NTIBN described its hub as a ‘one-stop-shop providing tailored support to Indigenous Businesses and Job Seekers through a case management and coordination of services approach’.[135] It uses a ‘hub-and-spoke’ model, with the main hub in Darwin and satellite offices in Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek.[136]
  77. At a public hearing, the NTIBN’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms Antess, noted that the contract for the Northern Territory hub was the only one of the four that went to competitive tender, as well as the only one that was awarded to a (non-statutory) Indigenous entity.[137] Ms Antess advocated for the Australian Government to invest more in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned hubs and to work more closely with Indigenous chambers of commerce.[138]
  78. The Australian Government also funds AusIndustry Regional Managers who work with First Nations businesses in various locations across the states and territories.[139] The Regional Managers provide First Nations businesses ‘access to market opportunities, connections, and networks across the economy’.[140]
  79. Austrade told the Committee about the suite of trade services and programs that it uses to provide ongoing support to First Nations businesses seeking to engage in export. This includes the ‘TradeStart’ network of regionally based advisors, which are available to assist First Nations businesses to overcome the range of challenges that businesses face when choosing to export.[141] Austrade reported that, during 2023–24, it worked closely with 70 First Nations exporters and had a target to provide bespoke trade services to 35 export-ready First Nations businesses during the year.[142] Austrade provided a case study on Aldridge Railway Signals, a First Nations exporter which has previously received Austrade support (see Box 3.5).

3.80ASFI submitted that strategic business advisory services for First Nations businesses are ‘pivotal in guiding First Nations enterprises through complex market landscapes and regulatory environments, ensuring they can maximise their commercial potential’. It added:

These advisory services also help bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and contemporary business practices, facilitating the integration of cultural values into business models that appeal to a broader market. This integration not only preserves cultural integrity but also enhances the market uniqueness of First Nations businesses, increasing their competitiveness.[146]

3.81However, ASFI also highlighted the importance tailoring support programs in a way that is appropriate to the needs and stages of each community.[147]

3.82In a joint submission on behalf of multiple Kimberley-based Aboriginal business owners and operators and other community stakeholders, Aarnja Limited (Aarnja) told the Committee that there were around 150 Aboriginal businesses in the Kimberley, comprising seven to eight per cent of the total business sector.[148] However, Aarnja submitted that ‘entrenched systemic barriers’ and ‘bureaucratic red tape’ had been identified as issues constraining economic opportunities and independence for Indigenous peoples.[149] It noted that a particular frustration was a ‘lack of business support that is culturally responsive, inclusive and secure to adequately meet the person-centred needs of Aboriginal peoples entering or existing within business’.[150] It added:

There is also an extremely unrealistic expectation that Aboriginal business owners/operators must immediately be experts across the whole operations of their business from marketing, administration, finance, human resources in addition to actual delivery. This unrealistic expectation placed on Aboriginal business owners/operators is further overlayed with challenges of business readiness, personal capacity both financial and academic, access to training and support, market demand, and established competition.[151]

3.83Aarnja argued that these factors resulted in a ‘predetermined trajectory’ for the premature collapse of many First Nations businesses.[152] The submission called for an urgent ‘overhaul’ of current business support programs and services directed at ensuring they can provide the ‘intensive person-centred support’ that is necessary to enable Indigenous peoples to successfully transition from social welfare to economic independence.[153] It recommended establishing an First Nations business support hub and/or Chambers of Commerce and industry in the region; a review of existing business support programs; and the establishment of an Indigenous business helpline with access to legal services.[154]

3.84Several other inquiry participants also called for greater government investment in First Nations business support in regional and remote areas.[155] Such investment was broadly supported by the submission from Dr Langford and Dr Martin, who suggested that supporting small businesses and regional and remote businesses is ‘likely to generate proportionally stronger benefits for Indigenous workers than support for larger Indigenous businesses’ due to their higher rates of employment of First Nations staff.[156]

3.85Ms Antess told the Committee about the NTIBN’s desire to do more outreach to remote communities. She reported that while the Network undertakes some remote support within its current contract, more funding would be needed for that to be expanded:

The difficulty is our budget to travel and, as you know, getting out to those places. Our mob actually don't have the infrastructure for online stuff all of the time. …There needs to be more consistency around funding that would enable travel and getting specialist people into community to do those workshops. But I would say that, while we’re supporting remote community at the moment, and we are doing a fair amount, way over and above our requirement because we know how important it is, it is very difficult to do that without the dollars.[157]

3.86Good Return is part of a collaboration that has established the Maganda Makers Business Club (Box 3.6), a network supporting Indigenous women in the Kimberley. Good Return told the Committee that many existing rural Indigenous business support programs have inherently ‘Anglo-European assumptions about business, family, wealth, a linear business growth trajectory and the role of economic development intermediaries’.[158] It argued that while existing approaches ‘have merit and can work in some circumstances’, they can also ‘have unintended consequences and exacerbate trauma [and are] not well suited to very rural and remote communities’.[159] Good return called for ‘system change’ in the services and organisations supported by the Australian Government, with a bigger role for Indigenous-led intermediaries and an emphasis on improving the accessibility and appropriateness of services for those aspiring to self-employment or business.[160] It also called for support for women’s collectives and a greater role for women leaders in formal program design.[161]

3.87Community First Development (CFD) noted that they had received a four-year surge in requests for governance support prior to 2019.[164] In its research report, Good governance leads to good relationships, the CFD found that:

First Nations’ governance is working. Structures, systems and entities interacting with communities should be designed to strengthen First Nations’ governance and whole of community engagement. It showed the importance of skilled FirstNations’ negotiators in community, who we termed delegated authorities, who navigate the third space where First Nations and mainstream governance practices meet.[165]

3.88Ms Antess told the Committee about the NTIBN’s plans to roll out a robust program and set of tools to support Indigenous governance and management in remote communities and towns. She reported that corporate governance training packages previously funded by the Australian Government have been ‘dumbed down versions’ compared to mainstream packages, adding that it is ‘very disappointing to see how “cute” and not real they are for our people’.[166]

3.89While the Committee heard from various state and territory based chambers of commerce, business networks and other organisations supporting First Nations businesses, there is currently no national peak body for the First Nations business sector.[167] The NTIBN submitted that the absence of a unified national peak body had ‘compounded’ the unique challenges faced by Indigenous businesses and prevented them from reaching their full potential.[168] The National Indigenous Business Chamber Alliance was established in 2022 to help address this issue, and intends to take responsibility for:

• certification of 51 per cent or greater ownership of Indigenous businesses
• advocating on behalf of Indigenous businesses, including for fair and equitable regulations
• providing a uniform platform for Indigenous businesses to engage with government
• facilitating domestic and international trade opportunities for Indigenous businesses
• owning and controlling data, ensuring Indigenous businesses have the right to collect, manage and use their data for their own benefit and in accordance with their cultural values and traditions.[169]
  90. A national body to represent the Indigenous business sector was also supported by other submitters.[170] The NIAA told the Committee that it is working with the National Indigenous Business Chamber Alliance to identify how it can support its effort to establish itself as a national peak body.[171]

Committee comment

National longitudinal First Nations business dataset

3.91The growing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business sector provides significant opportunities to advance the economic self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The sector also makes a significant and growing contribution to the wider Australian economy. Data presented to the Committee indicates that the sector already generates more than $16 billion in annual revenue and employs upwards of 115,000 people.[172] Moreover, for every dollar of revenue earned by a First Nations business, an estimated $4.41 of social and economic value is generated.[173]

3.92The Committee was pleased to hear about examples of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples establishing thriving and innovative businesses that have helped transform communities. With Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses far more likely to employ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff than other businesses, ongoing support for the sector is essential for achieving the employment targets set out in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

3.93Despite the growth in the Indigenous business sector, the inquiry has revealed the significant structural and institutional barriers faced by entrepreneurs and businesses and risks to the long-term growth of the sector. The Committee strongly supports embracing broader Commonwealth Government fiscal, economic, and legislative levers to address the systemic inequalities and to support growth in Australia’s economy.

3.94The Committee also notes that data relating to the economic contribution of First Nations businesses needs to be improved. There is currently no complete data picture or central way to capture the economic contribution of Indigenous peoples and business. There was strong support amongst contributors to the inquiry for better longitudinal data to measure the contribution of the sector and the impact of policies. A more complete data picture on the economic participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples would help support targeted measures to boost First Nations economic prosperity and build the evidence base that is desperately required to inform policy development and program design. This is also vital to strengthening the public narrative of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and supports financial institutions and banks to make informed and genuine risk-based lending decisions.

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.

Indigenous Procurement Policy

3.96The Australian Government’s IPP, coupled with similar schemes managed by state and territory governments, have been important drivers for the rapid growth of the First Nations business sector. These policies have been highly successful and there was near universal support during the inquiry for them to be continued and strengthened.

3.97The IPP is currently more than halfway towards its phased in target of three per cent Indigenous procurement, to be achieved by 2027–28. Existing targets have been met and exceeded over multiple years. The Committee considers there is an opportunity in the current review of the IPP to further increase the ambition of the policy, such as by phasing in an increased target of four per cent Indigenous procurement. This would more closely reflect parity with the proportion of Australia’s population that identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.

3.98The Committee acknowledges the concerns raised by multiple participants in the inquiry about the practice of so-called ‘blak-cladding’ to take advantage of preferential procurement policies. The Committee was particularly concerned to hear about instances where non-Indigenous companies have partnered with First Nations organisations without the First Nations partner having effective control over the management of the company, or without the skills transfer and employment outcomes that are the purpose of the policy having occurred. While there were differing accounts of the extent of this problem, it is clear to the Committee that more work needs to be done to address blak-cladding so that confidence in the IPP can be maintained.

3.99One part of the solution will be to strengthen the definition of ‘Indigenous business’ under the IPP. There was strong support in the inquiry for increasing the proportion of First Nations ownership required to be eligible for preferential procurement from 50to 51 per cent, and rewarding higher rates of Indigenous ownership, management, and employment. Stronger measures to ensure that the First Nations partners in joint venture arrangements are genuinely benefiting from participation in the partnership were also supported.

3.100The Committee encourages the Australian Government to work with its state and territory counterparts to develop a consistent definition of an Indigenous business that can be applied to preferential procurement policies nationally.

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.

Support for Indigenous Chambers of Commerce and business networks

3.103The Committee acknowledges the increasingly important role that state and territory-based Indigenous chambers of commerce and other grass roots business networks play in supporting First Nations businesses. The Committee notes groups are First Nations managed and controlled and have formed organically as the First Nations business sector has grown. Despite the growing success of the First Nations business sector, the Committee acknowledges there remains a need for government investment in services to help build the capability and capacity of individual businesses.

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.

Business advisory campaign

3.105The Committee heard during the inquiry that although there is a broad range of federal, state, and territory programs and services available to support First Nations businesses at all stages of the business lifecycle, their effectiveness can be hampered by low levels of awareness in the business community, particular for newer enterprises.

3.106There are resources and services available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. Raising awareness of these resources ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business owners are well-informed about the tools at their disposal, enabling them to make informed decisions and leverage available support effectively.

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.

Mentorship program for First Nations women entrepreneurs

3.108The Committee was particularly pleased to hear about the success of First Nations women who have started businesses and received compelling evidence during the inquiry about the need to provide further tailored support.

3.109The NTIBN noted that ‘a lot of that one-on-one mentoring, coaching and networking is in demand in terms of service delivery for our female Indigenous business owners’.[174]

3.110Good Return commented that supporting women’s collectives was ‘one way to build the capacity of a region, join up siloed service providers and support a community to lead the change it wishes to see’.[175]

3.111In 2022, IBA conducted focus groups with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, girls, and Sista Girls, which found that there was a ‘the lack of programs developed and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’.[176]

3.112The Committee is of the view that piloting an entrepreneurial or mentorship program for aspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesswomen presents a transformative opportunity to drive economic empowerment, cultural preservation, and community development. Addressing the unique challenges faced by Indigenous businesswomen and providing tailored support, can unlock their potential and create a ripple effect of positive change.

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.

Footnotes

[1]Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN), Submission 63, p. 4; Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Submission 69, p. 5.

[2]Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership (Dilin Duwa) describes the Indigenous business ecosystem as comprising three separate groups, including registered Indigenous businesses, Indigenous corporations on the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations registry, and sole traders and partnerships that are not registered as Indigenous businesses by are at least 50 per cent owned by people who self-identify as Indigenous in census and Centrelink records. See Evans, M., Polidano, C., Dahmann,S.C., Kalera, Y., Ruiz, M., Moschion, J., Blackman, M. 2024, Indigenous Business and Corporation Snapshot Study 3.0, University of Melbourne, p. 5.

[3]Dilin Duwa, Submission 8, p. 3.

[4]Dr Zannie Langford and Dr Richard Martin, Submission 17, p. 4, citing Dr Zannie Langford 2023, ‘The geographies of Indigenous business in Australia: An analysis of scale, industry and remoteness’, Supply Nation Research Report 8.

[5]Dilin Duwa, Submission 8, p. 3.

[6]Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), Submission 34, p. 6.

[7]IBA, Submission 34, p. 7.

[8]IBA, Submission 34, p. 7.

[9]Supply Nation 2022, ‘Supply Nation Research and Policy Brief No. 3. Indigenous employment in the Indigenous business sector’, June, p. 1.

[10]Supply Nation 2022, ‘Supply Nation Research and Policy Brief No. 3. Indigenous employment in the Indigenous business sector’, June, p. 4.

[11]Dr Zannie Langford and Dr Richard Martin, Submission 17, p. 4.

[12]The research showed that 34 per cent of employees of 3,688 Supply Nation-registered businesses identified as Indigenous, compared to 3.8 per cent of the overall population. See also Associate Professor Kerry Bodle et al, Submission 37, p. [1], which cites similar figures based on a 2021 Supply Nation dataset (Eva, C., Bodle, K., Foley, D., Harris, J. & Hunter, B, 2023, ‘The importance of understanding Indigenous employment in the Indigenous business sector’, Australian Journal of Social Issues, 58, pages 494–522).

[13]Associate Professor Kerry Bodle et al, Submission 37, p. [1].

[14]Associate Professor Kerry Bodle et al, Submission 37, pages [1]–[2].

[15]Dr Zannie Langford and Dr Richard Martin, Submission 17, pages 3–4.

[16]Supply Nation 2023, Research Report no. 7: State of Indigenous Business – An analysis of procurement spending patterns with Indigenous businesses 2021–2022, p. 9.

[17]Supply Nation 2023, Research Report no. 7: State of Indigenous Business – An analysis of procurement spending patterns with Indigenous businesses 2021–2022, p. 9.

[18]Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2022, ‘Inclusive trade: Ensuring Australia’s Indigenous entrepreneurs benefit from the global trading system’, Business Envoy, February, pages 24–25.

[19]Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) 2018, The Indigenous Business Sector Strategy: Supercharging Indigenous Business Start-Up and Growth 2018–2028, p. 7.

[20]PM&C 2024, ‘1,000 new jobs for expanded Indigenous Rangers program’, Media Release, 31 October.

[21]Kinya Lerrk Pty Ltd, Submission 94, p. 1.

[22]Kinya Lerrk Pty Ltd, Submission 94, pages 1–2.

[23]Mrs Jasmine Kadic, Director, Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 2September2024, p. 6.

[24]Government of Canada 2024, ‘Minister Valdez announces new support for Indigenous women and youth entrepreneurs’, News release, 8 March, https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2024/03/minister-valdez-announces-new-support-for-indigenous-women-and-youth-entrepreneurs.html, accessed 28 October 2024.

[25]For example, Name withheld, Submission 1, p. 1; Dilin Duwa, Submission 8, p. 5; Screen Australia, Submission 12, p. 3; Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Submission 50, p.10; NTIBN, Submission 63, p. 9; MsCecilia Anthony, Industry Professor, Indigenous Policy, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research (Jumbunna), Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p. 36.

[26]Ms Naomi Antess, Chief Executive Officer, NTIBN, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p. 23.

[27]Dilin Duwa, Submission 8, p. 5.

[28]Dilin Duwa, Submission 8, p. 3.

[29]Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Submission 104, p. 3.

[30]ABS, Submission 104, p. 3.

[31]ABS, Submission 104.1, pages 1–2.

[32]Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR), Submission 69, p. 5.

[33]Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI), Submission 15, p. 5.

[34]Ms Tiarne Shutt, Program Lead, First Nations and Finance, ASFI, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 24September 2024, p. 9.

[35]Ms Kristy Graham, Chief Executive Officer, ASFI, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 24 September 2024, p.13.

[36]Mr Tyson McEwan, Submission 51, pages 4–6.

[37]Aarnja Ltd, Submission 22, p. 1; Australian National University First Nations Portfolio, Submission 48, p. 2; Mr Tyson McEwan, Submission 51, p. 1.

[38]Associate Professor Michelle Evans, Director, Dilin Duwa, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19 July 2024, p.11; Mr Rueben Berg, Co-Chair, First Peoples Assembly of Victoria, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19July 2024, p. 30; First Australians Capital, Submission 56, pages 4–5.

[39]For example, Fortescue Metal Group and Rio Tinto. See Business Council for Sustainable Development, Submission71, p. [6]; Dr Zannie Langford and Dr Richard Martin, Submission 17, p. 6. See also Business Council of Australia 2023, Raising the Bar: A guide for Business Council of Australia members to support the growth of Indigenous businesses.

[40]IBA, Submission 34,p. 7.

[41]National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), ‘Indigenous Procurement Policy’, https://www.niaa.gov.au/our-work/employment-and-economic-development/indigenous-procurement-policy-ipp, accessed 28 August 2024.

[42]NIAA, ‘Indigenous Procurement Policy’, https://www.niaa.gov.au/our-work/employment-and-economic-development/indigenous-procurement-policy-ipp, accessed 28 August 2024.

[43]NIAA, ‘Indigenous Procurement Policy’, https://www.niaa.gov.au/our-work/employment-and-economic-development/indigenous-procurement-policy-ipp, accessed 28 August 2024.

[44]NIAA, ‘Indigenous Procurement Policy’, https://www.niaa.gov.au/our-work/employment-and-economic-development/indigenous-procurement-policy-ipp, accessed 28 August 2024.

[45]Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Submission 66, p. [7].

[46]Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Submission 66, p. [8]. The submission noted that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make up approximately 3.8 per cent of Australia’s population.

[47]Mrs Kate Russell, Chief Executive Officer, Supply Nation, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 24September2024, p. 4.

[48]Dr Zannie Langford and Dr Richard Martin, Submission 17, p. 6. Emphasis in original.

[49]National Native Title Council, Submission 62, p. 15.

[50]Ms Jocelyn King, Executive Director, First Nations Capital, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p.17.

[51]Ms Shannan Mallison, Acting Director, Yarpa, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, pages 10–11.

[52]Ms Mallison, Yarpa, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p. 11.

[53]New South Wales (NSW) Indigenous Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Submission 84, p. [2].

[54]NSW ICC, Submission 84, p. [2].

[55]First Nations Foundation, Submission 6, p. 6.

[56]Mr Ben Burdon, Group Manager, Economic Empowerment Group, NIAA, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 28June 2024, p. 24.

[57]Mr Shaun Cumming, Director, First Nations Economic Wellbeing, Treasury, New South Wales, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 24 September 2024, p. 49.

[58]NIAA 2023, Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) reform: Discussion Paper, p. 11.

[59]Associate Professor Kerry Bodle et al, Submission 37, pages [3]–[4]; Ms Russell, Supply Nation, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 24 September 2024, p. 1.

[60]Ms Gill Mailman, Member, Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 28June 2024, p. 51; Ms Laura Thompson, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Clothing the Gaps, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19 July 2024, p. 38; Ms Deb Barwick, Chief Executive Officer, NSW ICC, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024; ASIC, Submission 50, p. 10; Associate Professor Kerry Bodle et al, Submission 37, pages [3]–[4]; NTIBN, Submission 63, p. 13; NSW Government, Submission 95, pages5–6; First Nations Affairs, Submission 70, p. 1; DISR, Submission 69, p. 6; Charles Darwin University, Submission 58, p. 9; First Nations Foundation, Submission 6, p. 10.

[61]Ms Mailman, Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 28 June 2024, p. 51.

[62]Mr John O'Driscoll, Chief Executive Officer, Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, Perth, 2 September 2024, p. 46.

[63]Mr O'Driscoll, Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, Perth, 2September 2024, p. 47.

[64]Committee Hansard, Canberra, 30 September 2024, p. 19.

[65]Committee Hansard, Canberra, 30 September 2024, p. 19.

[66]Ms Barwick, NSW ICC, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p. 44.

[67]Ms Susan Moylan-Coombs, Board Director, Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p. 25.

[68]IBA, Submission 34, p. 6.

[69]IBA, Submission 34, p. 6.

[70]IBA, Submission 34, p. 6.

[71]NIAA, Indigenous Procurement Policy, December 2020, p. 10.

[72]NIAA, Indigenous Procurement Policy, December 2020, p. 10.

[73]Supply Nation, Submission 10, p. 2.

[74]NIAA 2023, Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) reform: Discussion Paper, p. 7.

[75]NIAA 2023, Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) reform: Discussion Paper, p. 7.

[76]NIAA 2023, Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) reform: Discussion Paper, p. 7.

[77]NIAA 2023, Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) reform: Discussion Paper, p. 7.

[78]Ms Russell, Supply Nation, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 24 September 2024, p. 4.

[79]NIAA 2023, Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) reform: Discussion Paper, p. 7.

[80]Industry Capability Network, Submission 74, p. 3; Mr O’Driscoll, Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation, Committee Hansard, Perth, pages 46, 50.

[81]Industry Capability Network, Submission 74, pages 9–10.

[82]Industry Capability Network, Submission 74, p. 9.

[83]Intract Indigenous Contractors n.d, The Intract Way: Closing the Gap for Indigenous Australians, p. [5].

[84]Industry Capability Network, Submission 74, p. 9.

[85]Industry Capability Network, Submission 74, p. 9.

[86]Intract Indigenous Contractors n.d., The Intract Way: Closing the Gap for Indigenous Australians, p. [5].

[87]Intract Indigenous Contractors n.d., The Intract Way: Closing the Gap for Indigenous Australians, p. [3].

[88]Intract Indigenous Contractors n.d., The Intract Way: Closing the Gap for Indigenous Australians, p. [3].

[89]NSW ICC, Submission 84, p. [3].

[90]Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Submission 66, p. [9].

[91]NIAA 2023, Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) reform: Discussion Paper, p. 16.

[92]NIAA 2023, Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) reform: Discussion Paper, p. 14.

[93]NIAA 2023, Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) reform: Discussion Paper, p. 10.

[94]Supply Nation, Submission 10, p. 5; NTIBN, Submission 63, pages 13–14; Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Submission 66, p. [8]; NSW ICC, Submission 84, p. [4]; Ms Mailman, Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 28 June 2024, p. 51; Ms Moylan-Coombs, Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p.25; Ms Anthony, Jumbunna, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p. 36.

[95]Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Submission 66, p. 8.

[96]Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, Submission 66, p. 8.

[97]Dilin Duwa, Submission 8, p. 4.

[98]Dilin Duwa, Submission 8, p. 4.

[99]Associate Professor Kerry Bodle et al, Submission 37, p. [4].

[100]Associate Professor Kerry Bodle et al, Submission 37, p. [4].

[101]ASFI, Submission 15, p. 10.

[102]ASFI, Submission 15, p. 10.

[103]Ms Shutt, ASFI, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 24 September 2024, pages 12, 14.

[104]Supply Nation n.d., ‘Supply Nation overview fact sheet’, Fact Sheet, https://supplynation.org.au/resources/fact-sheets/, accessed 17 September 2024.

[105]Supply Nation n.d., ‘Supply Nation overview fact sheet’, Fact Sheet, https://supplynation.org.au/resources/fact-sheets/, accessed 17 September 2024.

[106]Available at https://supplynation.org.au/resources/fact-sheets/, accessed 17 September 2024.

[107]Ms Thompson, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19 July 2024, p. 38.

[108]Ms Thompson, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19 July 2024, p. 38.

[109]Ms Thompson, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19 July 2024, pages 37, 40.

[110]Ms Thompson, Committee Hansard, Melbourne, 19 July 2024, pages 38–39, 40.

[111]Ms Russell, Supply Nation, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 24 September 2024, p. 2.

[112]Toi Iho 2024, ‘Mō mātou. About us’, https://www.toiiho.org.nz/about, accessed 4 November 2024.

[113]Inuit Art Foundation n.d., ‘About the Igloo Tag’, https://www.inuitartfoundation.org/igloo-tag-trademark/about-igloo-tag, accessed 4 November 2024.

[114]Inuit Art Foundation n.d., ‘About the Igloo Tag’, https://www.inuitartfoundation.org/igloo-tag-trademark/about-igloo-tag, accessed 4 November 2024.

[115]Sámi Trademarks n.d., ‘Sámi Made’, https://samitrademarks.com/om-sami-made/, accessed 4November2024.

[116]European Commission 2024, ‘Latin America – How Latin America countries protect their traditional knowledge through IP’, https://intellectual-property-helpdesk.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/how-latin-america-countries-protect-their-traditional-knowledge-through-ip-2020-01-16_en, accessed 4November2024.

[117]See Chapter 5, paragraphs 5.28–5.41.

[118]Dr Zannie Langford and Dr Richard Martin, Submission 17, p. 3; Tagai Kemer Kemer Zugubal, Submission89, p. 5; Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union, Submission 33, p. 4; South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network, Submission 93, p. 3; First Nations Clean Energy Network, Submission 82, p. 8.

[119]NSW ICC, Submission 84, pages [1]–[2].

[120]NTIBN, Submission 63, p. 2.

[121]NTIBN n.d., ‘Empowering Indigenous Businesses and Job Seekers in the Northern Territory’, https://ntibn.com.au/hub/, accessed 14October 2024.

[122]Yarpa 2024, ‘Supporting Yarpa members. Our Services’, https://yarpa.com.au/services/, accessed 14October2024.

[123]Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation 2024, ‘About us’, https://iebf.org.au/, accessed 14October 2024.

[124]Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry n.d., ‘Overview’, https://www.ncci.com.au/overview, accessed 14October 2024.

[125]Waalitj Hub 2024, ‘About us’, https://wf.org.au/about/, accessed 14 October 2024.

[126]Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council, Submission 100, p. 1; Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council n.d., ‘Our history’, https://www.waitoc.com/about-us/corporate/our-history, accessed 14 October 2024.

[127]Maganda Makers Business Club 2024, ‘About us’, https://magandamakers.business/about/, accessed 14October2024.

[128]For example, Yarpa and Waalitj Hub

[129]For example, Indigenous Emerging Business Forum and NSW ICC.

[130]Enterprise and Training Company Limited, Submission 7, p. 3.

[131]First Nations Affairs, Submission 70, p. 1.

[132]First Nations Affairs, Submission 70, pages 1–2.

[133]NTIBN, Submission 63, p. 3.

[134]Australian Government 2024, ‘Indigenous Business and Employment Hubs, https://business.gov.au/expertise-and-advice/indigenous-business-and-employment-hubs, accessed 12September 2024.

[135]NTIBN, Submission 63, p. 5.

[136]NTIBN, Submission 63, pages 5–6.

[137]Ms Antess, NTIBN, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p. 18.

[138]Ms Antess, NTIBN, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p. 24.

[139]See Australian Government 2024, ‘AusIndustry’, https://business.gov.au/expertise-and-advice/ausindustry, accessed 16 September 2024.

[140]Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Submission 69, p. 12.

[141]Austrade, Submission 81, p. 8.

[142]Austrade, Submission 81, p. 1.

[143]See ‘Aldridge’, https://railsignal.com/, accessed 16 September 2024.

[144]Austrade, Submission 81, pages 7–8.

[145]Austrade, Submission 81, p. 8.

[146]ASFI, Submission 15, p. 6.

[147]ASFI, Submission 15, p. 6.

[148]Aarnja Limited, Submission 22, p. 1.

[149]Aarnja Limited, Submission 22, p. 1.

[150]Aarnja Limited, Submission 22, p. 2.

[151]Aarnja Limited, Submission 22, p. 2.

[152]Aarnja Limited, Submission 22, p. 2.

[153]Aarnja Limited, Submission 22, p. 3.

[154]Aarnja Limited, Submission 22, p. 3.

[155]For example, Ms Barwick, NSW ICC, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23July2024, p. 47; NTIBN, Submission 63, p.6; Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia, Submission 71, p. 6; Northern Australia Indigenous References Group, Submission 66, p. 16; Chartered Accountants Australia & NZ, Submission 45, p. 2; Indigenous Art Code Lid, Submission 85, p. 2.

[156]Dr Zannie Langford and Dr Richard Martin, Submission 17, p. 3.

[157]Ms Antess, NTIBN, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p. 22.

[158]Good Return, Submission 18, p. [2].

[159]Good Return, Submission 18, p. [2].

[160]Good Return, Submission 18, p. [3].

[161]Good Return, Submission 18, p. [4].

[162]Maganda Makers Business Club 2024, ‘Welcome’, https://magandamakers.business/, accessed 5September2024.

[163]Good Return, Submission 18, p. [1].

[164]Community First Development, Submission 88, p. 7.

[165]Community First Development, Submission 88, p. 7.

[166]Ms Antess, NTIBN, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 23 July 2024, p. 22.

[167]NTIBN, Submission 63, p. 14.

[168]NTIBN, Submission 63, p. 14.

[169]NTIBN, Submission 63, p. 15.

[170]First Nations Affairs, Submission 70, p. 2; Dr Luke Williams, Submission 13, p. 4; Jumbunna, Submission 25, p. 18; Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation, Submission 92, p. 10.

[171]NIAA, Submission 63, p. [5].

[172]Dilin Duwa, Submission 8, p. 3.

[173]NTIBN, Submission 63, p. 4; Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Submission 69, p. 5.

[174]Ms Anstess, NTIBN, Committee Hansard, Canberra, 30 September 2024, p.21.

[175]Good Return, Submission 18, p. 4.

[176]IBA, Submission 34, p. 10.