ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

The Australian Government acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the Elders past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

Indigenous.gov.au Connecting With First Nations Australians
Back to Stories

Fields Group: Indigenous business keeping the Commonwealth secure

14 November 2016
Jobs, Land and Economy
Group of people standing in front of Aboriginal, Australian and Torres Strait Islander flags, watching woman in bone grey coloured jacket shake hands with man in grey jacket.

The Fields Group, an Indigenous security business, is providing the Commonwealth government with security solutions under the Indigenous Procurement Policy.

The Indigenous security business, Fields Group is another outstanding example of how the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) is supporting Indigenous businesses.

Based in Terrigal, New South Wales, the Fields Group was awarded a contract by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to deliver security services to DFAT offices around Australia.

This contract demonstrates DFAT’s commitment to both Indigenous procurement and entrepreneurship. It is also an important milestone in the growth of the Fields Group business.

Shane Fields, CEO of the Fields Group, provides a strong role model for Indigenous people. He has qualifications in intelligence and investigations from the University of Western Sydney, diplomas in security and risk management and is a licensed security consultant.

Shane said he is committed to ‘giving back’ to the Indigenous community.

“I’m dedicated to providing Indigenous employment opportunities and career development to those in areas most in need,” Shane said.

The Fields Group contract with DFAT provides a good example of the variety of opportunities that the IPP creates for Indigenous businesses to grow their capability. Securing a contract of this size allowed Field’s Group to embed a large scale security firm into its supply chain. Working closely with an established security firm has enabled Fields Group to build their capacity and capability for the commercial benefit of both parties.

However, the benefit for the Indigenous businesses sector does not stop there. The Fields Group has sub-contract arrangements in place with several Indigenous businesses to support the delivery of their services. This includes Outback Global, which provides workwear and promotional items, the Muru Group, which provides office supplies and IT solutions, and Our Mob which provides online recruitment services.

The awarding of the contract to the Fields Group is proof that an Indigenous business can deliver high quality services in a competitive market. It also provides potential employment opportunities for Indigenous people considering a career in security services.

With a reputation for providing high quality services to the Commonwealth, Fields Group has secured four more contracts to provide similar services to the Department of Finance and the Department of Defence.

Find out more

The Commonwealth Government’s Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) was introduced to leverage the Commonwealth’s annual multi-billion procurement spend. It has increased the demand for Indigenous goods and services, is stimulating Indigenous economic development and is growing the Indigenous business sector.

Supply Nation maintains a free register of Indigenous businesses that connects Indigenous businesses such as the Fields Group with government departments and corporates.