Greater Indigenous Investment, Trade and Export for Inclusive Growth

With change comes opportunity. Many have begun charting pathways back to stable employment, meaningful work, safer communities and better lives. A reset is happening in ways big and small.

We've an opportunity today. Our rebuilding should include an agenda of inclusive economic growth with Indigenous Australians.

It's time to talk-up the role and contributions of Indigenous enterprise. Our revised measures of success should include greater investment into Indigenous business, faster growth in Indigenous exports, increased market share and market capitalisation of Indigenous companies. Australian business and enterprises should be called upon to contribute to a new national goal of increased, positive economic Indigenous impacts.

A new standard for Indigenous Australians should be greater economic inclusion on our own lands.

Recently the Global Impact Investing Network reported that the pool of impact investing funds has clocked $US715 billion.

Over $1 trillion Australian dollars!

If just 3% of available impact investment capital was to flow into Indigenous Australia we would see $AUD30 billion available for Indigenous enterprises that lifted social impacts and grew sustainable businesses. Mobilising capital investment at this level would offer scale never before realised in Australia. It's time to talk-up Indigenous investment.

Already Indigenous interests in Australia are gathering an agenda of economic growth. In recent years Indigenous peoples have led discussions to extend market efficiencies, to remove barriers and to build the capacity of Indigenous businesses. I'm most pleased to report that now that agenda includes a space for Indigenous investment.

On Wednesday 17th June the Indigenous Network for Investment, Trade and Export (IGNITE) humbly published its social media pages. This simple act brought many years of behind-the-scenes work to a new chapter. IGNITE will talk-up investment and trade opportunities for Indigenous interests.

IGNITE is about investment into Indigenous enterprises, lifting the trade of Indigenous goods and services and expanding export opportunities for Indigenous companies. The Indigenous Network for Investment wants to bring impact investors and Indigenous interests together to support quicker and more efficient transactions.

As an intermediary the Indigenous Network for Investment, Trade and Export supports investors finding suitable Indigenous ventures and it will assist build the investment-readiness of Indigenous ventures looking to grow.

It's time to talk-up Indigenous business by focusing on dealflow, investment placements and growing the market capitalisation of Indigenous owned companies and increasing the transaction value of investment into Indigenous interests.

We've a trillion reasons to talk-up Indigenous investment. That's something big enough for all of us to be a part of.