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Highlighting Indigenous Business in Northern Australia

24 October 2018
Jobs, Land and Economy
Laura Rangers stand under an overhanging rock with Aboriginal art painted on the rock walls and roof. In the background are trees and grass.

During Indigenous Business Month, Minister Scullion visited Northern Territory and Cape York communities to examine the growth in Indigenous business opportunities and how the government can support them.

Indigenous Business Month (1-31 October) celebrates the growth of Indigenous owned and run businesses across Australia and the impact they are having on Indigenous communities, remote, regional or urban.

It highlights the leadership and creativity of entrepreneurs who are creating new market opportunities and mechanisms of wealth creation.

On a recent trip to the Northern Territory and to Cape York in Queensland, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Nigel Scullion met with communities and organisations doing business in remote regions.

The Minister visited the Arafura Swamp Rangers in Ramingining, who are expanding their crocodile hatchery enterprise, in response to growing local and international demand. The expansion has been facilitated by a grant through the Indigenous Entrepreneurs Fund (IEF).

The Minister also visited works on the jointly Commonwealth and State funded upgrade of the Peninsula Development Road in Cape York, Queensland. Bama Services, a local Indigenous business, has been contracted by the Queensland Government to complete sections of the road.

Also on Cape York, the Minister visited the community of Laura and met with the board of Ang Gnarra Corporation.

In 2016, the Army AACAP Project helped reinvigorate the corporation and with help from Many Rivers, the corporation has strengthened its leadership and economic capabilities and expanded on its existing business opportunities.

One such business being developed is the Ang Gnarra Journey which takes visitors on a tour of the local area including a view of ancient rock art.

The Ang-Gnarra CEO and Board of Directors issued a statement about recent changes.

‘Without the professional work of Many Rivers assisting our small corporation, building a strong foundation for our future pathway would have been almost impossible,’ the board said.

‘This future pathway has now been defined with professional mentoring and tools to keep us on track, to help us achieve our business vision for the future.’

With the support of corporate Australia and government at all levels, the growth of Indigenous business across Australia will go a long way to Closing the Gap in Indigenous disadvantage.

Find out more

‘Indigenous Business Month is an initiative of the MURRA Indigenous Master Class Program (MURRA) alumni, to promote the variety and depth of Indigenous businesses nationally and to provide an Indigenous business voice to the national conversation.’

The Australian Government funds Many Rivers to provide support and build capacity in Indigenous organisations and businesses.

Many Rivers is a ‘not-for-profit organisation that supports aspiring business owners with microenterprise development support and access to finance in order to see the potential of people and communities realised.’