The Western Australian government has hailed the strongest year yet for its Aboriginal Procurement Policy, with contracts awarded to Aboriginal suppliers reaching $442 million in the 2024-25 financial year.
According to the latest end-of-year report, the total value of the spend increased from more than $439 million in 2023-24 and represented 6.82 per cent of all Western Australian Government contracts issued - above the four per cent target.
A total of 383 contracts were awarded to 158 Aboriginal suppliers across the State, with the Kimberley and Pilbara regions receiving the largest share of regional contracts.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Punch said the record figures demonstrated "both the government's commitment to Aboriginal participation and the entrepreneurial strength of Aboriginal business owners throughout the State".
"I'm thrilled that Aboriginal businesses in regional areas of our State have been some of the biggest beneficiaries," he said.
"This news also highlights the outstanding entrepreneurial drive, business savvy and professionalism of Aboriginal people across our great State."
The government agencies most strongly represented in terms of the value of contracts awarded to Aboriginal businesses in 2024-25 were the Department of Communities with a $190 million spend across 32 contracts; Main Roads with $102 million spent across 74 contracts; and the Department of Education with a $25 million spend over 60 contracts.
While the bulk of the contracts were awarded to companies operating in the Perth metropolitan area (228), the value of contracts in WA's regional areas came to a total of $246 million out of the total of $442 million.
In 2024-25, Aboriginal suppliers based in the Kimberley region received 43 contracts, 39 contracts went to the Pilbara, 13 in the Mid West, 11 to Aboriginal businesses in the Goldfields and Esperance, and nine in the Great Southern region.
31 WA government agencies reported an Indigenous procurement spend above the state's four per cent target.
13 agencies did not hit the target, including eight under three per cent. However, the report indicates six of the 13 agencies provided supplementary reporting showing additional purchases from Aboriginal businesses had been made "which did not count toward the targets".
According to the WA government, Aboriginal businesses have secured more than $1.8 billion in government procurement opportunities over the past six years under the policy.
Finance Minister David Michael said the results reflected the policy's "continued impact in creating opportunities for Aboriginal businesses and communities across regional Western Australia".
