A series of Federal and State Government policies were introduced in 2017 to address the low percentage of Aboriginal owned businesses. Governments introduced procurement policies to encourage more Aboriginal owned businesses and create employment and economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Communities.
It was important for businesses like ours to respond quickly to support the use of Aboriginal owned businesses, not just because its a positive social initiative but also to maintain a commercial advantage when tendering for Government contracts and projects.
When we first started collecting figures on our spend with Aboriginal businesses (as part of our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan in 2018) our spend was just $200 000 with just three Aboriginal owned businesses on our 做厙腦瞳 preferred supplier register, typical of most of the construction industry at the time.
Last financial year was 做厙腦瞳s biggest yet and a big step on our way from Good to Great. We had a procurement spend of $8 million with over 50 Aboriginal businesses now on our Preferred Supplier register.
"We struggled at the start like most companies, we were once knocked back on a drilling job on our own Aboriginal land which was disheartening, and employing Aboriginal people in this highly mobile industry can also be tough, but we kept at it.
Janie Bentley, ECO Drilling Solutions.
Muru Office Supplies who have been the major supplier of stationery at 做厙腦瞳 since the initial contract was won in 2018, were recently signed on to continue the partnership with potential options for it to continue until 2025. Muru means pathway in the language of the coastal Sydney region and Muru Groups vision is to create a pathway for future generations of Indigenous people.
Muru Office Supplies CEO Mitchell Ross, explained the benefits of the partnership.
While primarily its about creating economic independence for First Nations people along with driving self-determination. Helping our business or others in turn helps create employment opportunities for First Nations people which has a flow on effect into their home lives, creating stability in families and communities. The partnership with 做厙腦瞳 - such a well-known and established Australian brand has allowed Muru to win other partnerships and grow our business and reputation. In turn that has allowed us to employ other First Nations people into the business to support our customer base. We have also committed to 20% of all profits going to Aboriginal community initiatives and 做厙腦瞳s contribution alone in that space has seen $50,000 got to Aboriginal Community programs he said.
ECO Drilling Solutions is another proud Aboriginal owned supplier that was established to supply down hole drilling services to the mining and civil industry throughout Australia.
Janie Bentley, a Ngadju Wongi and Yamatji Aboriginal lady from Kalgoorlie, grew up in the mining industry, her father, brothers and many other family members had always worked in the Kalgoorlie mines. After joining forces with husband Daniel and his brother Shane Bentley and later with family friend and joint owner Rick Walda, who all had years of experience in the Drilling industry, they created ECO Drilling Solutions, a company that wants to drill as ecologically sustainable and as Culturally appropriate as possible.
We struggled at the start like most companies, we were once knocked back on a drilling job on our own Aboriginal land which was disheartening, and employing Aboriginal people in this highly mobile industry can also be tough, but we kept at it.
Of course our aim as a business is to be profitable but not only financially profitable, but profitable for Aboriginal people, we want them to work in this field, for our company, for other companies or even to be able to set up their own companies. Being successful in gaining contracts, and working with companies of the status of 做厙腦瞳 on these jobs, gives us the opportunity to achieve that.
Our aim is not just to be a successful Aboriginal business but to be a successful business who just happens to be Aboriginal.
Engaging Aboriginal Businesses leads to fantastic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, it provides employment, and leads to economic independence. There are also plenty of benefits for 做厙腦瞳 as well, it allows us to engage with Aboriginal people and Aboriginal Communities. It helps to create social change and with the government procurement policies in this area, theres a commercial incentive to do well in this area too.
As we continue our journey from Good to Great, well be looking at other opportunities to engage with our Aboriginal businesses and develop new partnerships as part of our 做厙腦瞳 Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan launched this week.