Anthony Mundine has supported plans for an overhaul of Indigenous procurement policies as the federal government considers major policy overhauls of Aboriginal funding.

The former rugby league and world boxing champion, and majority owner of Indigenous building company MGM Australia with lifelong friend Gosh Daher, said procurement policies were designed to give genuine Aboriginal businesses a fair shot at winning contracts, but were now widely exploited by businesses in industries across Australia.

Mr Mundine told National Indigenous Times "black cladding" – when a company uses an Indigenous person simply as a figurehead to secure lucrative, taxpayer-funded contracts under IPP – was "happening everywhere".

He urged for any crackdown or policy overhaul to include tougher standards for claiming to be Indigenous, a stance recently backed by First Australians Chamber of Commerce and Industry chair Deb Barwick, who said the IPP system was being exploited.

Statutory declarations currently are accepted as proof of Aboriginality, but Ms Barwick believed stronger confirmation was readily available, via for example a land council, medical service or the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

A business currently can be officially registered as Indigenous if it is 50 per cent Aboriginal-owned, with the federal government late last year announcing it would review the policy, with a view to tightening eligibility tests.

Mr Mundine, who played State of Origin for NSW in a glittering NRL career before switching to boxing and becoming a multiple middleweight world champion, said the multi-faceted MGM business was among several genuine Indigenous companies missing valuable government contracts due to the practice.

MGM, which is focused on training and employment services and social benefits for First Nations communities, recently won a major contract to work on the Smart Link Alliance to install the Intelligent Transport Systems infrastructure for Sydney's Western Distributor Smart Motorway.

As a principal contractor on the significant project, MGM engaged another Indigenous business Daen Connect - an electricity company owned by Wiradjuri man Raymond Toomey - to plan Ausgrid's power 'cut overs' across seven project sites.

The subcontracting to Daen Connect continues MGM's mantra to provide employment opportunities and grow demand for fellow Indigenous businesses, fuelling wealth creation in Aboriginal communities.

"MGM is all about giving opportunities to Indigenous men and women, and to give work to Indigenous businesses," co-owner Mr Daher said.

The Smart Link Alliance comprised Seymour Whyte, Ventia and Transport for NSW, who were installing gantries and digital signs along the motorway for traffic to move easier, safer and more consistently.

Mr Mundine said his business interests were not driven by money, but a desire to inspire and divert young Indigenous people to a path of employment and long-term job stability.

"My goal is to provide invaluable training and create jobs for these young people, so they feel empowered to continue a career in the industry," he told National Indigenous Times.

"Practices such as Black cladding severely dent the chances of our business, and thousands of other authentic Indigenous businesses that want to support First Nations employment."

He and Mr Daher have positioned MGM to stand out from the pack through a focus on training Indigenous workers, then championing their involvement on contracts it wins.

The company provides training and employment pathways for First Nations men and women aged 17 to 45, helping bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses through projects in construction, building maintenance and road services.

Mr Mundine said MGM's services extended beyond providing long-term solutions to boost economic opportunities in Indigenous communities.

"We want to train brothers and sisters up, where they get their own licenses … and then we want to see them at the roundtable, competing against us to win the tender," Mr Mundine said.

"There will be no better feeling," added Mr Daher.

MGM Australia also allocated annual funding for Sorry Business, so their employees are supported to tend to their wellbeing, family and cultural obligations.

"We work with mob who are young adults out of school or unemployed, to those who are out of incarceration," Mr Mundine said.

"We hope to work with jails to provide transitional support, so they have employment when they come out."

Mr Daher said everyone in life deserved a second chance.

"MGM are willing to give these people that chance, via employment," he said.

Mr Mundine and Mr Daher - whose background is in construction – have proven a formidable pair since establishing MGM Australia in 2016.

The business has since grown to develop strong working relationships with major companies such as Connect Sydney (Road Maintenance contract), Fulton Hogan Utilities (Concrete Barriers), Marine Civil Maintenance (traffic controlling), Revert Recycling and ALD Demolition (in partnership), and JK Williams (civil construction).

These partnerships with MGM all have First Nations men and women employed on the ground across a range of projects.

MGM also provided training and mentorship for employees from 'the man' Mr Mundine.

"We just try and get them on the ground and have them set goals," he said.

"Everyone's different … some need more mentorship than others."

MGM's employee mentorship program offered is based on Mr Mundine's career experience, including being coached by Australia's best coaches, and a solid foundation of knowledge passed on by his father, Tony Mundine.

Across his storied career, Mr Mundine has been eager to give back to community, mainly through self-funded initiatives that promote the value of health and education.

In 2021, he and his sister helped establish the Mibayn Disability Support Service, which helps Indigenous and non-Indigenous people navigate the NDIS.

"My sister's been in that space for some time, but she was always working for someone else," Mr Mundine said.

The 49-year-old also established the Mundine Mindset program and the Anthony Mundine Foundation, which supports youth mental health and is run through his father's Redfern gym.