Helping Indigenous suppliers connect to buyers

When Indigenous businesses are 100 times more likely to employ Indigenous people, supporting those businesses and helping them grow is fundamental to increasing the number of Indigenous people in the workforce.

In 2012-13, the Commonwealth Government spent $39 billion on goods and services but less than one per cent went to Indigenous businesses.

The Australian Government has therefore set a target of awarding three per cent of new Commonwealth contracts to Indigenous suppliers each year from 2019-20.

The growth in contract arrangements will be monitored to ensure that yearly targets are met.

Minister of Finance, Matthias Cormann was recently very positive about the potential for growth in the Indigenous business sector.

“There are many Indigenous-owned companies capable of supplying services to the Commonwealth and winning a much greater share of Commonwealth work,” Minister Cormann said.

To enable government departments, private companies and the general public to better identify and connect to Indigenous businesses, Supply Nation, a non-government organisation launched Indigenous Business Direct on 1 July 2015.

Indigenous Business Direct is expected to become the leading public directory of Indigenous business in Australia and thereby “help facilitate and encourage the coming together of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians through business”.

Indigenous business owners and directors are encouraged to register their business with Indigenous Business Direct as soon as possible. The process is quick, free and easy and is a simple way to get more exposure for your brand.

Mundanara Bayles and her elders from Brisbane based Australian BlackCard, a training and consultancy service, recently landed a big contract with the Commonwealth Bank.

“It’s so, so hard to try and have a small business and make it financially viable and Supply Nation definitely is the success behind our business,” Mundanara said.

“The Supply Nation database gave us access to people that would never have known about us before.”

Exposure to new buyers can also come in other ways. Supply Nation holds a range of events each year, from large conferences to targeted “meet the supplier” and other networking events where buyers and suppliers can meet and discuss business opportunities. An invitation to these events can be received as a result of registering Indigenous Business Direct.

Mundanara has attended many events and says that they have definitely worked in BlackCard’s favour.

“Even when you know people, you don’t always get the contract over someone else,” Mundanara said.

“To go and meet people face to face and build that relationship with potential clients is so important because it then adds more value when you pick up the phone. It is a lot easier when they’ve met you.”

Indigenous business owners and directors are also encouraged to contact their local Indigenous Chamber of Commerce who can assist in this process as well as give business advice, share industry knowledge and assist in dealing with government.