Australia’s most successful Indigenous businesses have presented at the second ever Indigenous Economic Development Summit this week.
The two-day summit pushed Indigenous entrepreneurs to capacity build, leverage professional networks and strengthen their commercial resilience.
NIT sat down with a few of these deadly innovators to discuss their areas of expertise.
Inspiring Indigenous Women to Achieve Success in Business: Remy Crick, Nextmove
Worimi woman Remy Crick kicked off not-for-profit Nextmove in a bid to ensure accessibility to education, employment and business opportunities for Indigenous youth across the country.
“[Indigenous youth] might not have a laptop, or they might not have the supportive school, or supportive family that tells them about the different opportunities that are available.,” Crick said.
“There’s such a great need for all of these resources or services to be in one place.”
Crick added it was vital to have unbiased and culturally appropriate services, but also to have a two-pronged approach.
Nextmove also provides Australian organisations and educational facilities with access to resources to support Indigenous youth in-house.
Planning for Long-Term Commercialisation by Developing an Intellectual Property Management Plan: Charisma Cubillo, Solicitor, Terri Janke and Company
Larrakia descendant Charisma Cubillo will be frontrunning the discussion on all things Intellectual Property (IP).
Cubillo’s focus is on how to create culturally sound IP Management Plans, grounded in Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) principles.
Cubillo told NIT this “creates values; conserves and protects Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property”.
“Every business across any industry should use this to protect themselves,” she said.
“[ICIP] refers to the rights Indigenous people have, and want to have to protect their traditional culture … it’s based on the principle of self-determination.”
With this past year buzzing with controversy over the use of the Aboriginal flag in a commercialised setting, this seminar comes at an ideal time.
Closing the Digital Gap to Help Indigenous Australians Develop Cutting-Edge Businesses for the 21st Century: Liam Harte, Goanna Solutions
A proud Dunghutti man, Harte said Goanna Solutions showcases how cutting-edge technology can address digital literacy gaps between the regional and urban divide.
Partnering with industry leaders but keeping it grassroots with community-based programs; Goanna Solutions is challenging the status quo on the ways mob are able to access technology.
Harte said it’s about “finding optimal pathways [and] bringing that information back to community”.
“How do we empower that engagement in indigenous communities and people? Provide pathways into careers?” he asked.
“What are the opportunities with remote learning, to stay on Country and learn on Country?”
The Indigenous Economic Development Summit was held in Sydney from November 25-26, covering key Indigenous issues such as policy planning for economic development; community benefits and maintaining sustainability, and maximising procurement opportunities.
By Rachel Stringfellow
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