Empowering Change

In powerful conversation about the Indigenous business sector, IBA’s Executive Director, Government Relations Sean Armistead and Professor Paul Jensen discussed the impact that the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) is having on the sector and reflected on their experience with the MURRA Program.

“The 2013 Indigenous Procurement Policy has been a catalyst for change. It’s an incredibly exciting time for the Indigenous business sector,” Sean says, but he agrees that there is still more work to be done by corporates.

“We need to go past the transaction and move towards the relationship. It’s not just about ‘who we can award contracts to,’ you’ve got to look at a long-term relationship [with Indigenous businesses].”

Further to that, Sean calls for corporates to get amongst the community and engage with places like the Dilin Duwa Centre, Indigenous peak bodies like Kinaway and Supply Nation, and have exposure to the people who run these organisations and their knowledge.

“You can’t make change by sitting behind a desk. It’s about influencing the culture within an organisation and ensuring it’s not one-way traffic with Indigenous businesses being the ones to reach out to corporates.”

Sean recognised the change in the industry over the last 9 years has been impressive.

“When I was growing up, I didn’t know any Indigenous business owners, now most of my network is Indigenous business owners.”

Although it’s an exciting time of growth for the sector, Sean isn’t hopeful that it will remain at the same pace.

“Having seen the window open, I worry that it will close again. What it might be is the emphasis that could change, and it probably will.”

“What we need to do is make enough cultural change that it’s not reliant on policy. If IPP is taken away, we want tier one corporate still making Indigenous business a preferred choice.”

As a Melbourne Business School MURRA Program alumnus, Sean shows his appreciation for the program and the power that it brings to the Indigenous business industry, saying programs like this are key in driving change.

“[MURRA] brings talented people into the room, creates an environment that is safe, an environment that challenges people and then the program fosters and supports them growing and creating opportunities together.”

A collaboration between Melbourne Business School and the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Business and Economics, the Dilin Duwa Centre empowers Indigenous changemakers to achieve economic equity for First Nations people through their three streams: Programs (including the MURRA Program), Research, and Engagement.

Listen to the full discussion here.

Thinking of starting or growing a business? Find out how IBA may be able to help you here.