Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) is proud to announce its partnership with New Dream Productions, founded by proud Badtjala man David Cook, to launch a special IBA series of “The New Dreaming Podcast”.
As one of the first initiatives under IBA's new support network for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, this partnership aims to empower economic independence among First Nations men by creating a powerful platform for truth-telling.
The New Dreaming podcast provides a space for real, meaningful conversations that empower, challenge, and inspire. Through the voices of those who have broken barriers, found their purpose, and reclaimed their stories, the podcast uncovers the truths that shape Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
IBA Deputy CEO Sean Armistead said, “This initiative grew from meaningful conversations within Galambany, our Indigenous staff network, where the need for more support for First Nations men in business came through strongly. This work is a direct response to those voices. It supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men as they navigate their own paths to economic independence.
“Partnering with New Dream Productions was a powerful way to begin this journey through a podcast that holds space for First Nations men. It brings awareness to the silent struggles some of our men are facing and creates a safe space for them to share and be heard.”
Managing Director David Cook said, “New Dream Productions is proud to partner with IBA on an important project that spotlights the voices of mob who are reshaping the future, story by story.”
“This podcast is about truth-telling, inspiration and the power of First Nations leadership. Backed by IBA’s belief in our vision, we’re creating a space for those voices to lead the conversation.”
Be part of the movement. Subscribe to The New Dreaming Podcast on YouTube and join the conversation that’s shaping the future of First Nations men in business.
Media contact: Tara Toohill 02 9207 6362 or tara.toohill@iba.gov.au
IBA will be around the country for NAIDOC – we love this time of year! It’s all about honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, culture, and resilience – which happens not just this week but every week.
The 2025 NAIDOC theme is The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy. And IBA is not the only one recognising 50 years in 2025 – NAIDOC Week marks a 50th powerful milestone as well.
Come see us or find other events on the NAIDOC website!
Brisbane / Turrbal & Yuggera Country
Cairns / Gimuy Walubara Yidinji Country
Melbourne / Wurundjeri Country
Sydney / Gadigal Country
Townsville / Bindal & Wulgurukaba Country
And more locations to be confirmed!
Taunurung woman, Nicole, is a successful business and homeowner, with a lot to be proud of. But she takes the greatest pride in the values and financial independence that she inspires through generations of her family. 
Nicole was determined from a young age to get on the property ladder early, to build her financial future. She achieved this at just 19 years old, through a loan with ATSIC (which later became IBA) and bought the ex-housing commission home that she’d grown up in.
“It was small, but over the years I made improvements to it,” Nicole said. “Funny thing is – I always understood the value of owning a home. I didn’t want to pay rent and waste money that could go into my own home.”
In time, Nicole transitioned to a mainstream lender and moved to another home. Fast-forward almost 40 years and one of Nicole’s three daughters, Georgia, has recently been approved for her first IBA home loan.
“I told Georgia about IBA and the value in saving to get her own place,” Nicole said. “I wanted her to have her own place too, not to waste money on rent.”
“It’s hard work and a lot of paperwork, but worth it. She’ll have her own home.”
“If Georgia had to go down a regular path, it’d be years before she had enough saved for a 20% deposit on a house. So, I kept saying to her, ‘make the enquiry at IBA’.”
Georgia and her partner, Mackenzie, have just found a home of their own with a backyard to share with their adored animals – she is the owner of three cats and wants to add to the brood with chickens and a dog.
“Sticking our sold sign onto the sale board was an amazing feeling!” Georgia said. 
“I grew up with mum always having a home, and she inspired me to want the same.”
“I did rent for a while and it’s hard to save and have security when renting. I could see that the money I was paying in rent could be going into a place of my own.”
“So, I moved back to Mum’s for twelve months to squirrel my money into savings.”
While Georgia was looking for her home, Nicole was with her every step of the way and helping her go through building reports, paperwork and giving her advice on her home purchase.
“Mum has made me very aware of what I’m getting into!” Georgia laughed.
Nicole also owns and runs a successful business, Gerrbik Laundry Services. She bought it from her dad (then known as Complete Workwear Laundry Services) with an IBA business loan in 2015. We met her back then to yarn about her business journey: Poised for success - Indigenous Business Australia.
While Nicole’s business is flying now, she has faced huge challenges. Her core business is servicing the airline industry, and she says COVID-19 restrictions wiped out 95% of her business overnight. Nicole says that at times she thought she might lose her business, and her house (which had been used as collateral for the business). But managed to keep going and weather the storm.
"My connection with IBA has been a lifeline to me!" said Nicole. "They believed in me which has given me a lot more belief in myself."
Her hard work and tenacity paid off and the business revenue has since tripled from pre-Covid including a 7-year contract with an airline for their laundry service. Nicole credits the business success to her amazing team which includes three generations of family working with her, something that she is very proud of.
Georgia has also inherited her mum’s strong work ethic. She is a professional baker and part of a boutique artisan bakery, working early hours and long days. She’s not afraid of hard work.
Nicole’s impact through the generations doesn’t stop there. She’s also encouraging one of her other daughters to start preparing to apply for an IBA loan and saving for a deposit.
“It’s about sustaining yourselves through life.” Nicole said. “We need to be self-sustainable. I want to pass that on to my kids and grandkids.”
“My nine-year-old grandson already wants a house too,” she continued. “He even saved his birthday money. That’s exciting - knowing it’s passed down. That will be a legacy for our family.”
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Nicole spoke at IBA’s release of our latest impact report on 29 May on Gadigal Country. She discussed the generational impact of financial wellness. Check out IBA’s impact reports here: IBA Impact Report 2024 - Indigenous Business Australia
Desiree and her two younger sisters enjoyed sitting down for a yarn about life and what ‘financial wellbeing’ means to them. IBA recently hosted a workshop at Kurbingui Youth & Family Development to support the community on their financial goals.
Kurbingui is an Aboriginal community-based and driven not-for-profit organisation that offers services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, families, children, and young people living within the Greater Brisbane, Moreton Bay, and Southeast Regions.
IBA’s home ownership guru, and Senior Business Development Manager, Jenny Pepper hosted the workshop and was touched by the group’s interest in the content discussed.
"This is the second session I've facilitated with new trainees at Kurbingui. Dani and the team recognise the importance of setting these young people up for success as they start in the workforce. One young man told me, 'Thanks for coming today. I might not have looked like I was listening, but I was. The things you talked about really opened my mind up.' Hearing this was music to my ears and absolutely filled my cup," said Jenny.
The financial decisions you make today can have a lasting impact, so getting the tools and information early helps to make informed decisions for the future. It’s all about implementing good habits now – and that’s what IBA shares through our ‘Financial Wellbeing’ workshops.
Desiree came to the workshops along with her two younger sisters to see what it was all about. She said, "The workshop was incredibly eye-opening. It made us really think about our spending habits and how we can manage our money better.”
“One thing I learned is that if you're constantly dipping into your savings, you're not really saving. So, I've decided to create separate bank accounts to avoid that temptation," said Desiree - one of her key take aways from the workshop.
Desiree also talked about how the workshop is helping her on her journey to home ownership.
"It's already made a big difference. I'm trying to teach these principles to my younger sisters. It's all about making sacrifices now for a better future" she said.
Being at the workshop with her sisters was a special experience for Desiree.
"It felt really good to be there as a family. We can now support and encourage each other to make better financial decisions. It's opened our eyes to how much we actually spend and how we can save more effectively."
Desiree's motivation to pursue home ownership reflects the positive trends highlighted in our Pathways through Housing report. The report shows that the number of First Nations households owning homes has more than tripled from 46,150 in 2001 to 145,100 in 2021.
This growth reflects a strong desire for self-determination and the benefits of home ownership, such as security, wealth building, and freedom of choice. Desiree's journey is a testament to these positive trends, showing how financial education and support can pave the way for successful home ownership.
As we look to the future, Desiree's words resonate with IBA’s mission, "it's about making sacrifices now for a better future" she said. This sentiment perfectly aligns with the 50th anniversay of IBA's Indigenous Home Ownership Program.
Our theme, "50 Years: Through the Generations," embodies the resilience, wisdom, and courage of past generations while celebrating the innova tion and passion of the present.
IBA’s 50th anniversary emblem embodies connection, progress, and community. The 5 and 0 are formed from the elements of the IBA brand and feature the shapes within the IBA logo. These lines and circles signify the pathways, and the milestones accomplished alongside our customers. The design honours our shared journey and achievements through the generations.
Desiree's journey and the experiences shared in our workshops are a testament to the power of community and the importance of financial education. Together, we are building a brighter future for all generations.
Join us as we continue to empower our community with the knowledge and tools to achieve financial wellbeing and home ownership.
Find out more about IBA’s free home ownership info sessions and financial wellbeing workshops.
Did you know that we also have Business Skills workshops? Find out more here.
Has your home or business been impacted by the recent severe weather events in New South Wales?
If you have an IBA home loan or business finance product and have been impacted by this weather event, we want to reassure you and your family that IBA is here in times of need.
Customers impacted by the recent natural disaster can apply for an emergency natural disaster relief grant – $5,000 for IBA business finance customers and/or $2,000 for IBA home loan customers who reside in the following Local Government Areas:
Impacted customers will receive a direct link to apply. Applications accepted until midnight 14 July 2025, or until funds are exhausted (whichever comes first).
Additional information and resource links are below:
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) launched its fourth impact report at an event on Gadigal Country (Sydney NSW) on Thursday 29 May 2025.
Joined by IBA’s Board Director Josh Gilbert and a panel of customers and research partners, IBA celebrated the compelling findings.
The research was completed in collaboration with Yindyamarra Consultancy, Lonergan Research, and Kowa Collaboration. It included an online survey for an extended reach across metropolitan, regional, and remote areas as well as community consultation across five case study locations.
The specific case study locations include Dharug (Western Sydney, NSW), Ngurraiillam (Shepparton/Goulburn Valley, VIC), Kaiwalagal and Badu (Torres Strait Islands, QLD), Ngarluma (Karratha & Ieramugadu, Pilbara, WA), and Mparntwe (Alice Springs, NT).
The new report is the latest in a series of groundbreaking studies into the impact of IBA’s activities.
The theme of the latest report is ‘pathways to financial wellbeing’ which explores what wellbeing means for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and how IBA’s activities support financial wellbeing.
Results note a wide range of positive impacts including a sense of pride, safety, self-confidence, security, community wellbeing, cultural practice, and inspiration to have dreams for the future.
Stories shared at the launch event by the inspiring panel of speakers highlighted the impacts they experienced to their own financial wellbeing journey. And the report includes quotes from a variety of others positively impacted.
Worimi man and IBA Board Director Josh Gilbert notes the impacts to First Nations community.
“The report confirms that Country, culture, and community are important determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s wellbeing.
“Home and business ownership contribute to wealth-building and stability, fostering stronger community ties and the freedom to practice and promote culture. It helps people to become financially stable, safe and secure, build a future for their family and children, be independent, and have more control over their life.
“By fostering financial wellbeing, we provide meaningful support that empowers individuals and strengthens communities.”
IBA Acting CEO Shanti Rama adds, “We measure the impact of our programs and services by asking our customers how they define success from their own perspective.
“The report shows that our customers experience markedly higher financial wellbeing compared to the broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.
“Importantly, these positive wellbeing outcomes continue even after customers leave IBA's programs.
“IBA’s impact reports show that when capital is distributed in a targeted way, it has a significant positive impact on the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
The new report comes on the back of recent changes to IBA’s enabling legislation, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005, removing the restriction on IBA borrowing and raising money (note: the Rules governing the scope of IBA’s power to borrow and raise money are still to be determined and need to be agreed by the both the Minister for Indigenous Australians and Finance Minister).
The change will enhance IBA’s ability to leverage its asset base to support more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in achieving their dreams of home ownership, business enterprise, and community investment. It will provide IBA with the flexibility to explore new opportunities and expand the range of financial products it can offer to meet market needs.
Find the IBA Impact Report 2024 and the ‘Highlights’ version to view and download from the IBA website, as well as the previous impact reports: IBA Impact Report 2024 - Indigenous Business Australia.
Media contact: Tara Toohill 02 9207 6362 or tara.toohill@iba.gov.au
About Tim
I consider myself a self-proclaimed professional fisherman. I have caught everything from tuna, salmon, sharks, and one-time, a 30m humpback whale (yes, I let it go). The most interesting part of fishing is, ‘I don’t eat fish.’
Growing up I lived in places like Camperdown to Newtown to Tathra to Bega (all NSW) to growing up in a quiet country town in ACT. I am both a Yuin and Gadigal man with Fijian and Indian ancestry.
Apart from always finding me at Tathra wharf trying my luck fishing, I love all things rugby (League & Union, GO MANLY), cricket, abseiling, canoeing, kayaking and being a part-time superhero.
What is your role at IBA?
I am a Senior Securities & Settlements Officer in the Business Solutions program. My role includes a number of tasks which is not limited to drafting and issuing loans, security documentation, facilitating release of funds to customers, vendors, settlement agents, and assisting other teams on enquiries regarding securities and settlements matters, processes, and requirements.
Highlight at IBA/career
Through my time at IBA, I never aspired to be a director, CEO or chairman. I always just wanted to do something that I enjoyed. With IBA, I was able to understand and see first-hand the way we directly assist mob, not only individuals but also organisations, in realising their dreams in owning their own home, business, and assisting their own communities.
I have been with IBA now for 20 years since the abolishment of ATSIC in 2005. Overall, I have been attached to the home and business loan programs for nearly 26 years since June 1999 (6 years ATSIC Legal Unit, 6 years with IBA Housing Solutions, then 14 years with IBA Business Solutions since 2011).
Why IBA
Working with and for mob is highly important as only mob can help mob. From my personal experience having lived predominately in an urban area such as the ACT (including foster care for a long period), I had not been exposed a lot to my own culture (both Fijian and Aboriginal), so being with, working with and for, anyone from your own cultural background is very important.
What does 50 years mean to you?
Being able to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in achieving their goals in both home and business ownership for 50 years has been a great achievement for the programs that have continually evolved to meet the needs of our customers. IBA has changed in many ways over the years, but even through the changes and evolving, IBA remains its own unique self.
Has your home or business been impacted by the recent weather events in Western Qld?
If you have an IBA home loan or business finance product and have been impacted by this weather event, we want to reassure you and your family that IBA is here in times of need.
Customers impacted by the recent natural disaster can apply for an emergency natural disaster relief grant – $5,000 for IBA business finance customers and/or $2,000 for IBA home loan customers.
Impacted customers will receive a direct link to apply. Applications accepted until midnight 9 May 2025, or until funds are exhausted (whichever comes first).
Additional information and resource links are below:
Are you an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Women ready to transform your business idea into a thriving reality? We are proud to present our next SWSB Lunch & Learn, where we’ll explore the journey of business validation with the incredible Gemma Lloyd. 
Thursday 17 April
12.00pm AET
This webinar is designed to provide practical insights and expert guidance on refining your concept, testing market viability, and setting the foundation for long-term success. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or looking to strengthen your existing vision, this session will equip you with the tools to move forward with confidence.
Gemma Lloyd is a proud Dunghutti and Gumbaynggirr woman with ancestral ties to Country through her mother’s side, and English and Welsh heritage through her father’s side. Currently based on Dharawal Country, Gemma draws on the strength and wisdom from both her First Nations and European roots, bringing a unique and holistic perspective to all her professional endeavours.
Register here: Validating Your Business Idea: From Concept to Reality Tickets, Thu 17/04/2025 at 12:00 pm | Eventbrite
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) escalates a strong community focus with the latest updates to the IBA Board including the reappointment of Josh Gilbert and escalation of Olga Havnen to Deputy Chairperson.
Western Arrernte woman Olga Havnen was escalated to Deputy Chairperson after her appointment to the IBA Board in December 2025. Olga has significant board experience as Director of the Justice Reform Initiative and previously as a director of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, Clontarf Foundation and Stars Foundation. She has also had leadership roles in important community-facing organisations, including CEO of the Danila Dilba Health Service.
Olga grew up in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory and is a strong advocate for culturally safe care for Indigenous Australians. She was nominated for NT Australian of the Year in 2022. With significant expertise in strategic management, public sector leadership, and advocacy for social justice, Olga combines her passions with her commitment to positive change.
Worimi man Josh Gilbert was reappointed as board director, continuing his commitment on the board since April 2022. Josh is the Indigenous Co-Chair of Reconciliation NSW. He is an entrepreneur and business advisor, working predominantly in the Aboriginal culture, agriculture and environmental spheres. Josh pursues transformation through modern truth-telling, bringing new concepts to the forefront through acknowledgement of the past.
A farmer and academic, Josh is undertaking higher degree research at Charles Sturt University and was recently recognised within the world’s top 50 young gastronomers. He has worked with numerous not-for-profits, businesses and the government to develop change and bring people on a journey of change. His work seeks to connect traditional Aboriginal knowledge and history to current contexts, translating past wisdom and learning to future opportunities.
IBA Chairperson and descendant of the Kokoberren peoples of Cape York, Darren Godwell, acknowledges the importance of a strong Indigenous board with diverse skills to represent the vision of IBA.
“Bringing together a diverse board of community members that have their own individual expertise along with a mix of corporate skills will leverage IBA to the next stage in our delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“Community comes first for Indigenous Australians and we understand that it’s not one view that will solve the puzzle but bringing together multiple of strengths to support a common goal.”
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy congratulated the appointees and looks forward to working with them to advance the economic empowerment of First Nations people.
“I am confident that this new-look board will help deliver the Albanese Government’s drive for greater economic empowerment for First Nations people.
“Collectively this board balances a wealth of expertise with fresh perspectives. The experience of the Board will be beneficial to IBA as it enacts the recent expansion of its role and remit.”
In addition to these important community appointments, Minister McCarthy brought a wealth of additional corporate knowledge to the IBA Board with the appointment of Dr Doug McTaggart FAICD and Torres Strait Islander Meriam man Brian Bero.
Media contact: Tara Toohill 02 9207 6362 or tara.toohill@iba.gov.au
