An indigenous economic development partnership has been forged at the recent Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum held in Melbourne. It will help to identify, support, and promote opportunities for indigenous businesses.
The news comes on the same day a new report into consumer issues in Victorian Aboriginal communities was released by the Consumer Action Law Centre and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service. It identified funeral insurance, irresponsible lending, and harmful sales tactics as some of the main factors leaving families in considerable debt.
The Australia-Canada alliance will promote and support indigenous businesses by looking into the indigenous peoples’ relationship with banks and the financial sector as well specific procurement opportunities for indigenous businesses, Australian Associated Press reported.
“This is really giving indigenous Australians a seat at the table to start to build relationships and have those conversations that lead to work and contracts with large corporations and government departments,” Laura Berry, chief executive of Supply Nation, told AAP.
Supply Nation fosters connections between some 2,2000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and procurement teams from government and corporates, AAP said.
