As an Aboriginal entrepreneur and founder of DDesigns and Yerra I've seen how Indigenous business is a powerful force for change is, not just for individuals, but for entire communities. Our businesses don't just create jobs; they strengthen identity, preserve culture, and create hope.
What most people don't understand is that we have always been entrepreneurs, trading with one another and with other countries and peoples for thousands of years, such as macassans. Business is not new to us!
From the re-elected Albanese Government, I'd like to see bold, long-term investment in Indigenous economic development, grounded in genuine partnerships and cultural respect. That starts with increasing Indigenous procurement targets, supporting our First Nations Chambers of Commerce, and more importantly, supporting smaller businesses to access and thrive within those frameworks. Many of us still face barriers to tendering, compliance, and growth, we need hands-on, culturally appropriate support to navigate the systems.
Through DDesigns and Yerra I've mentored young Indigenous designers and entrepreneurs who have incredible ideas but limited access to capital, networks, or mentorship. Government could be investing in Indigenous-led business hubs and pre-accelerator and accelerators, especially in regional and remote areas, to nurture this talent from the ground up. Remote location should not be a barrier for our people in 2025, with the technological advances, we have access to information, resources, and connection to people not only domestically, but internationally.
I'd also like to see a stronger focus on positioning Indigenous businesses in the global marketplace. We are rich in culture, innovation, and storytelling. The world is watching and is interested in our culture and what have to offer as the world's oldest continuing culture on the planet. With support for export readiness, international trade missions, and partnerships with First Nations businesses overseas, we can take our products, services, and cultural knowledge to the world on our own terms.
Digital equity is also crucial. If we want our people to lead in industries of the future — like tech, AI, and clean energy we must close the information technology gap and create real pathways from school to entrepreneurship and utilise our skills. When we look at how many of our people can speak more than 4 or 5 languages in places such as Maningrida in the NT, why can't we harness this human asset and use the fact that we are multi-lingual to introduce IT to our youths, specifically coding, which is also a language. Let's write a program around that and the skill set that enables that.
This is the type of innovation we need to understand what our people possess in terms of value that extends outside of our excellence in the arts and sports. And who can come up with this type of innovation? Entrepreneurs that's who! Let's harness all our assets and change the narratives that exist such as "we have poor language and literacy skills" When some Aboriginal people can speak 8 different dialects before English, that to me does not equate to poor language skills.
Most importantly, policy must be designed with us, not for us. We need more Indigenous people in rooms where decisions are made, shaping the policies and programs that affect our economic futures Our people. Creativity, innovation, problem solving, remote business innovation, intergenerational knowledge sustainability thinking, cultural diplomacy, circular economic thinking, and resilience are all traits of the black entrepreneur.
These skills are invaluable, and we have had 60,000 years' worth of experience in cultivating them. If the government can understand this, they can utilise them.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander business is about more than profit — it's about pride, purpose, and power. With the right support, we can lead not just locally, but globally.