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Jobs, Land and Economy

Having a job helps people build the future they want for their families and their communities.

Supporting people to find and stay in work and making sure everyone has the opportunity to own your own home, run your own business, and provide for yourself and your families will mean a strong future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

To make this happen, government and communities need to work together to:

  • increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have work
  • train more people for local jobs in their communities
  • support Indigenous rangers to manage land and sea country
  • progress land and Native Title claims
  • negotiate more community held township leases.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who want to start or grow their own business, the Australian Government is providing practical support through the Indigenous Business Sector Strategy (IBSS). Indigenous businesses will be able to access business support, financial support and networks through the IBSS. In addition, the Indigenous Entrepreneurs Fund helps Indigenous Australians start up or grow their business, by providing access to business advisors and grants to purchase plant and equipment. For more information, go to Indigenous Business Sector Strategy. 

The government introduced the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) on 1 July 2015 to give Indigenous businesses greater opportunity at winning Commonwealth contracts. The IPP leverages the Commonwealth’s annual multi-billion procurement spend to drive demand for Indigenous goods and services, stimulate Indigenous economic development and grow the Indigenous business sector. For more information refer to Indigenous Procurement Policy.

The Government works with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to help you build your future your way. Different communities will have different priorities and different ways they want to develop and sustain economic independence in their region.

For further advice about a home loan or business finance, contact  your local branch of Indigenous Business Australia (IBA).

Recent stories

Aboriginal man in suit and wearing glasses.

Michael McLeod – overcoming the odds

5 Oct 2018

For Michael McLeod, CEO of professional services firm Message Stick, success didn’t come easily.

And looking back on his early years, it’s a wonder it came at all.

Michael was born in 1961, the youngest of six children. At just 12 months old, he and his siblings were removed from their parents and became wards of the state of NSW.

Michael spent his childhood in and out of children’s homes and many foster homes.

Drugs and alcohol featured prominently during his early life. He tried heroin for the first time at age 10 and alcohol around the same time.

Two young Aboriginal girls dressed in blue and yellow polo shirts stand at a podium with an elderly Aboriginal man in blue cap and blue and red shirt. In the background is a small metal shelter.

Celebrating two decades of a revolution in natural and cultural heritage preservation

18 Sep 2018

Australia’s first Indigenous Protected Area, Nantawarrina IPA recently celebrated their 20th anniversary, marking the beginning of a revolution in land and sea management which has swept Australia resulting in the creation of 75 IPAs.

Man on left in brown suit and another man on right in dark grey suit sit on a brown couch with legs crossed and smiling.

Message Stick – carried to Indigenous and Corporate Australia

31 Aug 2018

Michael McLeod, CEO of communications company Message Stick, is sending a message to corporate Australia and Indigenous entrepreneurs.

More stories in Jobs, Land and Economy

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Contacts

Many different organisations and government agencies are working with communities to achieve real results in jobs, land and economy. Visit the websites below to find out more: