Feeling fresh? So are Yamatji Enterprises Limited (YEL), 4 Ways Fresh Produce and IBA. The parties have formed a joint venture company to establish a cucumber farm in Geraldton, Western Australia, creating a legacy for traditional owners.

The company, Yamatji Fresh Produce Pty Ltd, will develop 400 greenhouses to grow cucumbers making it the largest grower in Australia. It will also consider growing other crops such as tomatoes, eggplants and capsicum to fill the national supply gap. The joint venture will provide job opportunities for the community – creating a lasting legacy for generations to come.

In 2022, Yamatji and IBA acquired two adjacent parcels of land in Geraldton WA. Construction of a horticultural facility began in 2023. The first 125 greenhouses are expected to be completed in 2024 and another 125 greenhouses will follow in 2025.

One of the major highlights of last fiscal year was achieving development approval. Navigating through the regulatory landscape was no small feat, but we secured the green light to move ahead with the project. This milestone has paved the way for us to turn our vision into reality, and we cannot wait to see the transformation of the land into a flourishing cucumber haven.

Another significant achievement was the completion of the fencing work around the block. Not only was the completion of the fencing work a significant milestone in our project’s development, but it also represented a crucial achievement in our commitment to First Nations procurement. It marked the first of many First Nations–led contracts we are expecting to secure and deliver.

In addition, groundwork officially commenced with the construction of the dam, which will be the lifeblood of the facility, providing a reliable and efficient irrigation system to support the growth of our cucumber crops. As we dug the foundations, we knew that we were digging the foundations of a brighter future for the Yamatji community. We also initiated the construction of other essential facilities, including the ablution block, an integral part of the working environment for our future employees.

With the first 125 greenhouses under construction, we can already visualise the thriving fields of cucumbers awaiting us in the upcoming harvest. Once built, the facility will be able to produce roughly 1,700 t of cucumbers per annum.

Outback Academy Australia’s (OAA) lead initiative, Follow the Flowers, is well underway with scaling up national production of honey and Australian Native Wildflowers with First Nations farmers across the country including NSW, VIC, SA, WA and the ACT.

Follow the Flowers connects First Nations and other regenerative farmers that share the same values to expand their national and international supply opportunities. The initiative commenced with honey, food including bush foods, and Australian Native Wildflowers for known buyers.

In partnership with OAA and supporting business development of Follow the Flowers farmers, honey, and wildflowers producers, IBA is working with OAA to further develop farmers and the supply chain opportunity under the national brand.

Neville Atkinson, OAA National Business Development Lead said, “Follow the Flowers farmers are committed to working together as an ethical, authentic and connected supply group, similar to Fairtrade. They are focused on viable supply chain business that will return economic, social and environmental benefits to the communities and regions where they are located.”

Also supported by the Murray Darling Basin Economic Development program (MDBEDP) for Murray Corridor farmers, and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) in WA, these farmers are being fast-tracked for capability building and business opportunities in agriculture, horticulture and linked industries such as tourism and environmental management.

Skills development includes shoulder to shoulder learning on farms with industry leaders in agriculture, environmental management, climate change and new technologies for waste, water and energy management.

There are currently 22 farms in the process of scaling up for this business opportunity with some scheduled as capability building bases for youth and others needing a hand-up into this sector.

Kelly Flugge, WA OAA Business Development Lead noted, “Capability building needs to reflect knowledge, including place-based traditional ecological knowledge, skills and technologies for now and a future where the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events are impacting on food sustainability and food security. Past agricultural practices have contributed to the state of the environment now. Our farmers are committed to repairing Country while doing business on their lands.”

For Civil Road and Rail (SX5) Pty Ltd, leasing products through IBA and investing in technology is what allows them to not only grow their business but also to ‘make Country feel better’.

SX5 is an Aboriginal owned contracting company in Eastern Guruma country in the Pilbara of Western Australia. Company directors are Ralph and Cherie Keller of SX5 Group, and Kenzie Smith, of the Eastern Gurama group. They’ve earned trust with the majority of the local traditional land-owners of the Pilbara region of which Kenzie Smith is a respected senior elder.

They provide services to companies in the Pilbara and have many offerings such as mine site building, manufacture and installation, mobile concrete batch plant operations and mine site rehabilitation closure.

Mine site rehabilitation is a critical aspect of the business. Co-director Ralph Keller says:

“In years gone by, mining companies could leave the site abandoned. People plunder the lands and many mine sites will never be rehabilitated.”

Ralph explains the importance of mine site rehabilitation from an Aboriginal perspective. “We’re making things green again, making Country good again. We’re making Country feel better.”

While the company had been growing successfully throughout the years, in 2020, after several years of economic downturn, the income of the business dropped. The business needed to invest in a substantial project in order to kick-start its operations. However, it was only able to secure the required contracting opportunities if it was able to provide a performance guarantee and unfortunately the business had no luck obtaining a performance guarantee from the banks.

That’s when SX5 approached IBA.

IBA was able to provide a performance bond of 10 per cent of the contract value, as required. “This gave us great confidence and the ability to grow the business,” says Ralph.

It was then that the business learned about IBA’s leasing solutions. IBA provides tailored leasing solutions by leasing plant, equipment, machinery and/or vehicles, which Indigenous businesses need in order to grow.

IBA’s leasing team was able to help the business by leasing two bulldozers and an excavator via a chattel mortgage. The new equipment has stepped up the production and quality of work that the business has been able to achieve, by using equipment that is purpose built for the task.

“The introduction of this new equipment allowed us to further develop our engineering,” says Ralph. “Which then is delivering greater quality at less cost. And that’s our commitment – better quality at better price.”

“We’re so glad we could support SX5 to grow their business and regenerate Country through leasing with IBA,” says Alex Ferndandez, IBA’s Senior Manager, Cashflow Finance. “Leasing helps businesses to acquire critical capital equipment without tying up a lot of cash that is needed to cover the operating costs of the business, and there are options for ownership at the end of the lease. In SX5’s case, we also helped to improve profit margins, as leasing the equipment is far more cost effective than hiring it.”

Ralph is keen to emphasise the importance of leasing the new equipment to SX5, as an Indigenous business: “It allows SX5 to have continuous improvement and gives the ability for SX5 as Aboriginal people to achieve our goals sooner than later and become leaders in this area of mining business.

“SX5 is a thinking company that looks at where it is, where it would like to be and what that looks like. We’re very fortunate and honoured to be on this journey.”

SX5 made an application to IBA for another performance bond so they could project manage Rio Tinto’s build of transit facilities for miners to help their health and wellbeing. The new facilities will mean that miners can shower and rest after coming off the mine, before they travel home.

Ralph is passionate about growing the business and creating opportunities for improvement. “We’ve always been a great believer in technology,” he says. “What makes us different is SX5 continues to reinvent itself every day. It’s all about technology. That’s how you achieve excellence and how you mitigate risk.”

The company is deeply committed to being a leader in Aboriginal business, and to the local community. In 2022 Ralph predicts the business will employ more than 60 people, 30% of them Indigenous.

“The most important words to us, is promote and foster development,” says Ralph. “The more business we have, the more work and employment we can give.

“This has been a great opportunity for SX5 to undertake and deliver these large-size projects.

“And making Country feel better is so beautiful and special to the Traditional Owners.”

Learn more about Leasing with IBA

IBA’s Performance Bond Trust has assisted contractors across the country to participate in a wide variety of contracts including mining, civil works, construction, facility upgrades and renewable energy construction by guaranteeing their capacity to complete projects while requiring minimal security.

One of those contractors was Hicks Civil & Mining Pty Ltd - a 100% owned Aboriginal business providing civil construction services and equipment hire throughout the Pilbara region in WA. Through the IBA Performance Bond Trust, they were able to successfully tender to the Koodaideri iron ore mine and have delivered earthwork and drainage works for the project to date.

Hicks Civil and Mining Director, Caitlin Hicks Forshaw says, “We are now focusing on finishing off this project strong and leaving a reputation that will be put down in the history books for Aboriginal Contractors and be the example of showing that Aboriginal Contractors have the capacity to deliver such projects.”

“While we have both our onsite and offsite management teams – it’s the people and organisations that surround us that have also assisted in this project. IBA have been a massive contribution to our business and I have to thank them immensely.”

Through their hard work and success, Hicks Civil & Mining have been able to give back to their community supporting initiatives such as funding school pick-ups and sponsoring local events.

Since inception in 2018 the IBA Performance Bond Trust has now supported over 170 bonds worth $12 million, supporting contracts valued at nearly $202 million. Bonds totaling $167,600 have been returned due to successful completion of projects, many of which have been in regional and remote locations.

Find out more about our Performance Bonds.

The ingenuity of Indigenous business owners is something to be celebrated all year round. In partnership with SBS, IBA is proud to showcase a series of segments with strong Indigenous businesses.

On Sunday 19 January, Robert Dann talks about how he expanded his Kimberley Cultural Adventures Broome business to new ventures with Bindam Mie where he transforms boab nuts into tea, oils and powder.

Watch on SBS World News this Sunday 19 January (7-7.30am and 5-5.30pm AEST) and again on Saturday 25 January at 2-2.30pm AEST.

Read the article or watch the video here.

Both Katrina Stubbs and Rowena Leslie had worked for family-owned businesses so understood the resources, time and commitment required to establish and grow a business within the at-times unpredictable mining industry.

‘Mining and business are in our blood, so to speak’, said Rowena. ‘Our great-grandparents were prospectors, our grandparents were mining speculators, and our mother has run a very successful business – Bundarra Contracting - for the last 14 years’. (Bundarra is an Indigenous-owned and -operated company providing earthworks, labour hire, construction and fencing services to the mining industry.)

Tertiary qualified, Katrina has experience in business administration and Rowena in law. With four young children between them, the sisters were keen to create a business structure that would accommodate their need for professional stimulation while fulfilling their desire to care for their children.

‘Out here in regional WA, there are opportunities to establish new businesses because there are a lot of services that still need developing’, said Rowena. ‘We had been thinking about starting a business together for a long time and had played around with different ideas about what to do’.

‘A contract came up for Bundarra Contracting to supply a water cart to a local mine. But Bundarra couldn’t extend themselves to buy another big asset, so decided to hire one. Instead, Katrina and I said to them, “Why don’t we buy the machinery and Bundarra can hire it off us?” And because they wanted to help us to develop our business and to achieve our goals, they said “yes”’.

Water carts are an important asset within the mining industry and are used primarily to dampen and cool roads, reducing dust and air pollution. Mines also often use them as a back-up firefighting resource in remote locations.

What seemed a straightforward premise - establish a business, purchase a 15,000-litre water cart, lease it to Bundarra, which in turn could sub-lease it to a local mine – proved less straightforward to finance.

‘The opportunity was there for the taking’, said Rowena. ‘We had the contract – a five-year lease via Bundarra to a local mine. That was a given, but securing the capital to get our business started was a problem’.

Initially, the women approached Many Rivers Microfinance Limited in Kalgoorlie, a not-for-profit organisation providing advice and business support to individuals and community organisations.

‘Many Rivers were really helpful in keeping us on track … and they motivated us into getting the business plan done, and seeking out investors’, said Rowena.

'They told us about the IBA Asset Leasing Trust. At first we said, “Leasing a water cart? No way, that’s crazy”. But then we looked at banks and also at the loans IBA offers through its business program, and it was going to be too much for us to take on financially’.

‘Many Rivers kept saying, “Have another look at the leasing option; give it a go”.

So we looked into the terms and costs, and realised that it would be a much better fit with our situation. The mining industry is a bit up and down at the moment and leasing was a safer option for us. We were blessed to have help from Jason Varlet at IBA, and valuable pro bono legal advice from a Perth law firm Squire Sanders. so we knew what we were getting into with leasing’.

After successfully applying to IBA’s Asset Leasing Trust Katrina and Rowena secured a lease on a 15,000-litre water cart, and launched Hamlet Machinery in 2013.

Drawing on their professional skills, work experience and personal strengths, the women have easily – and naturally – fallen into their respective roles within the business. Katrina is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the business - book keeping, organising insurance, and general accounting - while Rowena’s focus is building Hamlet’s Machinery’s profile and nurturing business relationships within the mining industry.

‘We have seen Bundarra go through the good and the bad and have learnt from that and applied it to what we are doing’, said Rowena. ‘So we make sure we both know what our roles are, and luckily we are in agreeance about what we want the business to do, and what we want it to achieve for us’.

With the income generated through their first contract, the sisters are hoping to expand their business and acquire further assets.

‘We only have the one water cart at present and it’s contracted for the next five years. So when we approach other clients it’s a juggling act because we are asking them for a contract without having the equipment yet. It’s hard to secure contracts with established working mines because they can just as easily ring up a local hire company and get equipment straightaway. Because it can take years of planning to establish a mine, we are instead talking to those who are at the beginning of the process’.

Katrina and Rowena are aware that this is something of a ‘chicken and egg’ approach to business, which is not without risk. ‘It’s the reason a lot of people can’t get into business in the mining sector’, said Rowena. ‘We have seen it a lot; some mines happen, some don’t. So we need to plan for expansion, but also be aware that it may not happen’.

In making their plans, Katrina and Rowena are committed to maximising any opportunity to generate employment for local Aboriginal people.

‘A big thing with our mother’s business (Bundarra) is about helping others out’, said Rowena. ‘We’ve seen how having a job can help turn lives around, and have seen people come out with experience, training and qualifications. So through Hamlet Machinery we likewise want to build up our community. In empowering ourselves through business ownership we hope to empower others’.

Empowering their children is also a strong motivation for Katrina and Rowena to ensure their business succeeds.

Rowena said, ‘I like the fact that Katrina and I have daughters and we are able to be role models for them and say, “Look, your mums are in business”.

‘The upfront costs of going into business so often make people baulk and walk away, but we want to try and inspire people to look at their options, get out there and take their ideas as far as they can’.

Find out more about Hamlet Machinery or read more about how IBA's Asset Leasing Trust may be able to assist your business.

After 14 days suspended above ground, every muscle aching from balancing himself on narrow scaffolding, Kalgoorlie artist Jason Dimer savoured the opportunity to lie down, look up and enjoy a ‘Michelangelo moment’, knowing his artwork was complete.

The journey to that moment began months earlier when Jason was commissioned by IBA to paint the arched dome in the entrance hall of a building on Boulder Road, Kalgoorlie. The building was acquired by IBA in 2003 through its investments program and refurbished to government office standards, with tenants including the local Indigenous Coordination Centre. Where possible, IBA seeks to extend the economic development opportunities provided through its investments to the wider community. To this end, the walls of the building have long showcased the work of local Indigenous artists, including Jason’s own father Neil and sister Miranda.

‘My sister’s piece is right inside, as soon as you walk in…’, said Jason. ‘And that’s what actually attracted me to the place. I used to drive past, and sometimes at night there was a light left on inside and…I could see her painting a mile away’. Jason decided to make a visit to Boulder Road to discuss having his own artwork displayed, but once inside it was the possibilities for the arched dome within the entrance hall that captured his imagination.

‘I looked up at the dome area above me’, said Jason, ‘and thought it looked really bland… Having that artist’s eye I could see it really needed something, and I started thinking along the lines of Michelangelo… I asked IBA about [painting] it and they were receptive to my idea. Once it was approved, it only took me a few days to come up with the whole concept for the art and the scaffolding’.

A curved plaster dome presents different challenges to working on a canvas or the linen cloth favoured by many Indigenous artists. So in creating his art concepts, Jason was required to factor in ceiling height, artificial and natural lighting, the scale of the dome and the absorbent nature of the plaster onto which he would paint. It was a challenge he says he relished both as an artist and as his father’s son. ‘I like a challenge’, he said, ‘and I just had to think on a bigger scale… There’s no such thing as can’t; that was instilled into me as a child by my father, and his father before him – it’s an inspirational line that runs through our family’.

Jason’s family ties span the length of the WA goldfields, from the Wutha Yilma people of the north to the Malba Mirining people in the south. After years of observing the painting techniques of his father and other community members, a teenage Jason took up his brush 23 years ago as a form of relaxation. He said: ‘My father was pretty surprised that I could actually paint. I said, ‘But I’ve been watching you do it for years!’ My style differs to my father’s though; his style was traditional contemporary whereas mine has a lot more symbols. I basically tell personal stories, and I pass those stories on to my children through my paintings… I am not telling traditional or sacred stories though, more about the things that have happened in my life. Most of those paintings will last 100 to 200 years….so those stories will eventually become a way of tracking the past for my family’.

It is a respect and love for family and his traditional lands that Jason has honoured in the newly completed artwork in the Boulder Road building. ‘The basic theme that runs through the painting is a central waterhole, which I believe depicts the meeting place or a place to come together’, said Jason. ‘Then there is a goanna and a snake. For me the goanna represents a protector of the land, the area that’s around here. And the snake represents the protector of the waterhole. So there’s the water and the land, being the goldfields in the Kalgoorlie area; or the Karlgurla area as we call it. Karlgurla means the silky pear which grows in abundance here, and those silky pears ring the whole dome [artwork]…’

‘There are some personal symbols throughout the painting too’, he said. ‘The way that the goanna is pointed north represents for me, on a personal and artistic level, the strength and power of my father… And the snake, pointing south, reminds me of my mother, in terms of being able to get through and adapt…as she faced difficult tasks and was able to get through’.

Jason drew on that strong personal and artistic legacy in tackling the project. ‘The wall paints that I worked with were very different to the paints I use on canvas’, he said. ‘Í know mine [canvas paints] off by heart, but these wall paints were unpredictable. I had to work out which ones drip a bit more, which ones I’d have to double-dot or come back and check, and which ones take longer to dry simply because of the pigment and make-up of them… It was pretty fiddly at times, and I was using unconventional methods such as pieces of dowel and then foam pads [make-up pads] on sticks, and using those to dot with’.

More challenging for Jason at times was the physicality of keeping his balance on the scaffolding for hours at a time. ‘I was standing at times, crouching and kneeling at times, and I ended up with sore knees and a sore neck…’ he said. ‘I was pretty much using all my leg muscles to keep my balance all day. My partner Jeanette was very helpful; she was there alongside me most of the way. We created a little pulley system where we had a bucket with a rope and I’d pull the bucket up with all the materials in [it]. It took about 14 days to complete and it would have taken a lot longer if Jeanette hadn’t been there to help’.

When asked how he knew the artwork was complete, Jason said: ‘Finishing a painting or piece of art is sometimes more difficult than it seems. I felt like I had to get down, and look at it, and then get back up again. I did that about five or six times before I was happy with it’. After watching her husband climb up and down the 14-foot scaffold numerous times, it was Jeanette who finally insisted that the artwork was complete. ‘I think the moment when my wife told me to stop was when I finally finished off’, said Jason. ‘An artist generally knows when a job’s done, but a little encouragement helps!’

Find out more about IBA's Investments Program.

Doctor Alanna Sandell isn’t all she appears to be. Speaking with her, it soon becomes obvious that beneath a warm and engaging exterior, there lies steely strength, determination and ambition. ‘I’ve been tough a long time’, she said. ‘I’ve got that type of personality’.

It’s this toughness that Alanna drew on in deciding to relocate her medical practice and family from NSW to WA last year. And it’s this toughness that is driving her burning desire to have a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of current and future generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

So far, this proud Ngarrindjeri woman is hitting the mark on both counts.

Through her business Monitor: Health Check Solutions, Alanna is helping Indigenous Australians maintain their fitness for work and for life, by providing pre-employment assessments and personalised health programs for high-risk employees. These packages are developed following onsite health assessments of a company’s Indigenous employees to identify any early health or safety risks.

As a qualified general practitioner (GP), Alanna has extensive experience in and knowledge of general and Indigenous-specific health issues, including orthopaedics, cardiothoracic intensive care, coronary care, drug and alcohol treatment and mental healthcare.

‘This business is here to help people’, she said. ‘It was conceived to focus on Indigenous health – helping Indigenous people maintain their fitness for work. Our business is designed to effectively address the needs of business by assisting companies in reducing downtime, retaining Indigenous employees and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace’.

Alanna explains that numerous health conditions are more prevalent within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. ‘Indigenous people are affected early in life by many chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, hypertension, mental health issues, lung disease and renal failure, which significantly affect their quality of life, including their work productivity and retention’, she said.

‘Indigenous people’s health is so affected by these diseases that their lives are shortened by 20 years on average when compared to non-Indigenous Australians’, she continued. ‘That should highlight to all industries that employ Indigenous people that monitoring the health of their Indigenous employees is of enormous benefit in retaining those workers’.

‘A lot of it is lack of education’, she said. ‘They [the clients] haven’t actually understood the disease process or the management involved. I have a very detailed and broad [medical] base. So that’s why I can work in an area like this and feel pretty confident. But it’s also being Indigenous myself and understanding cultural barriers. A lot of the Indigenous guys will speak to me and are more receptive [than going to another GP] in terms of their health. They feel more support from and have more trust in me because I can relate’.

Alanna gives an example of an Indigenous man who refused to take insulin to treat his diabetes. He had received negative feedback from his community about insulin and was frightened of taking it. By gaining his trust and understanding the cultural context, Alanna helped the man to begin treating his condition.

Alanna knows from personal experience the pain that can result from inequity in health, healthcare and health education. She says her childhood was very difficult. Her father suffered from health issues related to an ongoing struggle with his Indigenous identity, and left the family home when Alanna was young.

‘I look at my father - he was never settled, never truly a happy man. Not down to the core; there was a sadness in him for who he was’, she said.

Alanna left home when she was 16 years old and, with characteristic determination, put herself through the remaining two years of high school by working in a supermarket and lodging with a family. She said she was drawn to the medical profession, training first as a nurse.

‘Just to go to university was a treat. I was so pleased to have gotten into university. I did nursing but was never really happy with it. I am very nurturing, so it appeals to my personality, and I loved the health industry. But in nursing I couldn’t make my own decisions. I was being told what to do and I didn’t like that. I realised I had to go off and become the person that my brain wants me to be’.

Alanna moved to Newcastle in NSW to undertake an arts degree, but after being accepted into medical school, obtained her Bachelor of Medicine from the University of Newcastle.

Over the years Alanna has witnessed inequalities in Indigenous health first-hand, having worked in remote communities and within the Aboriginal Medical Service. But the first seed of her business idea was planted in late 2010 when she visited her brother in QLD and spent time at a mine where he was working.

‘Oddly enough, the business idea came out of the blue’, she said. ‘I always wanted to run a business but I didn’t want to run a general practice. I wanted a bigger business, something I am very passionate about; part of me wanted that challenge. I realised that to make any sort of difference you’ve got to put a business together.

‘Indigenous people’s health is so affected by these diseases that their lives are shortened by 20 years on average when compared to non-Indigenous Australians. That should highlight to all industries that employ Indigenous people that monitoring the health of their Indigenous employees is of enormous benefit in retaining those workers.’

As I found out through my research, there is a need for a company like mine to step in with the larger companies [and Indigenous workers] and help facilitate the individual and the company in getting people fit for work’.

Once she had decided on the focus for her enterprise, Alanna set about building a framework around her idea and in doing so came into contact with IBA. To help explore her readiness for business and to develop her idea, IBA invited Alanna to attend its series of Into Business™ workshops.

‘I did the three workshops, which were useful. It was great, such a huge learning curve’, she said. On completing the workshops, facilitator Garry King provided ongoing assistance over the phone to support Alanna as she developed her idea further.

Not long after completing the Into Business™ workshops, Alanna relocated to WA to take up a contract delivering health programs to a major mining company. But things didn’t go according to plan, and that contract fell through. With typical resolve, Alanna set about building relationships with alternative WA companies with whom she might work. She credits Donald MacIntyre, Senior Business Development Manager at Ngarda Civil & Mining (50 per cent subsidiary of Leighton Contractors Pty Limited) for going ‘over and above’ in introducing her to companies that hire Indigenous employees.

A meeting with Leighton Contractors and Broad – who are constructing the inlet and public space facilities for the Elizabeth Quay development in Perth – provided the turning point Alanna was seeking. Alanna attended Leighton Broad’s Elizabeth Quay Indigenous Business Forum, an event supported by IBA, aimed at encouraging employment and business opportunities for Indigenous Australians. The event outlined project opportunities, as well as the resources and strategies available to assist organisations to secure works on the Elizabeth Quay project.

As a result of attending that forum, Alanna was offered an opportunity to work with the Leighton Broad Elizabeth Quay project team delivering a pre-employment medical service for the employees. The company has also leased Alanna office space within its building so she can easily consult with those working on the project. ‘They are promoting Indigenous employment and training and I have slotted into that’ she said, reflecting on her good fortune. However she also credits Leighton Contractors’ employees Shirley McPherson, Group Manager of Indigenous Business, and Raylene Bellottie, Manager of Indigenous Employment for facilitating this initiative.

While her business is still in its infancy, Alanna says she has received a lot of interest from companies about what she is trying to achieve, and she is using every available opportunity to network and talk to people about her work. With the business gaining momentum, Alanna is excited that so many aspects of her past and her professional training are finally coming together.

‘I’m an obsessive person when I want something’, she said. ‘I have not stopped thinking about this business over the last two years. Not for one day. You cannot ever get something off the ground unless you are obsessed. Every day it has to be front of mind. Whatever you want in life, you have to be completely focused’.

‘You can have a goal, a dream’, she added. ‘You don’t have to get everything right all the time... You don’t always have to be the best of the best all the time. Life is part of learning and growing, and moving ahead is actually failing at things and trying again, and being happy with that’.

Juggling the role of medical professional and businesswoman, it is clear that Alanna is a family woman above all else. As a single mother, she is proud of the travel experiences she has offered her two children, and proud of the way they have coped and adapted with the move to WA and a year of drastic change.

‘It was a big thing for us to move and for them to leave all their friends,’ she said. ‘I’ve always kept them very close about what we are doing with the business. It’s our family business, and I wanted them to be a part of the whole thing’.

For all her determination and ambition, Alanna says she is happy to let her business develop at a natural pace, to ensure it achieves the long-term outcomes she yearns for.

‘So my legacy is to my children. I want to say to them that you can be Indigenous and be a doctor, and you can be Indigenous and a businessperson. At the end of my career I don’t want for anything other than to give the next generation strength. It’s very important to know who they are and be proud of who they are.’

‘I would like Indigenous people to have a better understanding about their health and how to prevent poor health, and if they’ve got chronic diseases, to make sure that they are more aware of treatments’, she said. ‘In an ideal world I would like to see no diabetes, or to see the gaps [in health] reduced, and I would like to know that I have picked up a patient’s disease at an early age and managed it.

‘When there are bad health outcomes, the whole fibre of a family is lost. It’s gone. It’s very important to keep all that together’.

‘So my legacy is to my children. I want to say to them that you can be Indigenous and be a doctor, and you can be Indigenous and a businessperson. At the end of my career I don’t want for anything other than to give the next generation strength.

‘It’s very important to know who they are and be proud of who they are. Then they’ll be a settled generation because they’ll be happy with who they are’.

Find out more about Monitor: Health Check Solutions and IBA's Business Development and Assistance Program.