An economic roundtable will be held in Naarm (Melbourne) on Friday, bringing together Traditional Owners, leaders from the Aboriginal Community-Controlled sector, business figures, academics, and entrepreneurs to discuss the future of Australia's economy.

The two-part roundtable will focus on boosting productivity, strengthening economic resilience, and driving targeted investment in skills, capability development, and innovation.

It comes as First Nations enterprises in Victoria are leading the nation in innovation, excellence, and economic impact.

Federal Labor Senator Jana Stewart, a Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba woman, said Indigenous businesses are already making a significant contribution.

"With the right support, they'll help build an economy that's fairer, smarter, and better prepared for the future," she said.

"Our economy is stronger when First Nations people are leading and shaping the solutions. Victoria shows what works when you back community-led ideas with real investment."

Earlier this year, Senator Stewart — a vocal advocate for Indigenous businesses and economic success — told National Indigenous Times: "If you speak to Minister [Malarndirri] McCarthy, she will say that her number one, two and three priorities are 'jobs, jobs, and jobs'. And I think that is a really great place to be."

"We know that when you've got the security of a good, well-paying job, you can put food on the table, you can send your babies to school. It really does start to lay the foundation for whatever else you want to achieve."

Across Australia, First Nations businesses generate more than $16 billion annually, employ over 116,000 people, and are up to 100 times more likely to hire Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers. With the right investment and support, it is hoped their economic contribution could reach $50 billion a year by 2035.

"We should be absolutely celebrating that success," Senator Stewart said earlier this year.

"And people should know that our Mob are savvy business people. We are this country's first innovators, traders [and] entrepreneurs."

Victoria's Aboriginal-led organisations will be central to Friday's discussions, with the state home to some of the most successful community enterprises in the nation. The government argues Victoria's economic results show what is possible when strength-based, community-driven approaches are backed with long-term investment.

The roundtable is part of the Federal Government's broader agenda to work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to build a more inclusive, productive, and future-ready economy.

Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Daniel Mulino said the discussions in Naarm would help ensure a diversity of voices inform national economic reform.

"Ensuring First Nations people can go from strength to strength in contributing to the economy and to their own communities comes in part from work to strengthen productivity but also comes from sharing ideas on innovation and excellence," he said.

Insights from the Naarm event will feed into the Treasurer's Economic Reform Roundtable, to be held next week at Parliament House in Canberra.