A new summit will bring together over 200 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women (including those who identify as cis, trans and non-binary) into an arena of decision-making with a diverse range of private and public stakeholders.
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) joins as a sponsor of the summit and the overall Wiyi Yani U Thangani project to continue to support the strength and impact of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
The 3-day event, called the Wiyi Yani U Thangani National Summit, takes place from 9-11 May 2023 at the National Convention Centre on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country (Canberra ACT).
Wiyi Yani U Thangani means ‘women’s voices’ and builds on the landmark work of the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Report (2020) and Implementation Framework (2021) which put a lens across the strength, knowledge and culture of First Nations women and girls.
The theme of the summit is ‘We are the change.’ Discussions will engage delegates in topics spanning women and girls’ self-determination, economic justice, embedding healing practices throughout institutions and policies and combatting climate change.
June Oscar AO, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission, notes the importance of forums like this for First Nations women to be heard and create the action forward.
“The Wiyi Yani U Thangani National Summit is the first time that First Nations women from right across Australia will come together in such large numbers to determine how we can take control of our future and deliver safety, justice and prosperity for our families and communities,” said June.
“The summit will bring together First Nations women with decision-makers from across government, community, academia and business, and we’re excited to have partners like Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) working alongside us to progress First Nations gender justice and equality.”
Southern Arrernte woman Stella de Cos is the Director, Community and Customer Experience, at IBA, and part of the driving force behind IBA‘s Strong Women Strong Business network launched in 2018.
“Our First Nations women and girls are often the backbone of our communities,” said Stella. “Creating a safe space for our women to gather elevates their voices to influence transformative change.
“IBA is proud to continue to be a part of the change that needs to happen and build on our strong First Nations network of women who run businesses, share culture, and grow families.”
In addition to the sponsorship, IBA will support a select group of women from regional and remote areas that are part of the Strong Women Strong Business network to attend the summit. The registrations will be processed via the sponsored delegates registration: https://humanrights.gov.au/about/get-involved/events/wiyi-yani-u-thangani-national-summit-we-are-change-9-11-may-2023.
Media contact: Tara Toohill 02 9207 6362 or tara.toohill@iba.gov.au
Aleksandra - Alex currently works in the Legal Team at our Sydney Office on beautiful Gadigal Country. 
I was originally born in Croatia and moved to Australia when I was five, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Later, I studied Law and Science with a major in Biology at Western Sydney University for about six years.
I completed internships and learned about Native Title and Indigenous Rights through Aurora Internships. I was placed in different areas and through my internship experience I learnt the significance of connection and relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and country.
From there I applied to Indigenous Business Australia and started as a paralegal until I got my practicing certificate, now I am where I am today.
I originally started out as a paralegal until I gained my certificate to practice law and then eventually became a lawyer for the Legal team.
As a junior on the team, I am fortunate to work with the incredible team members on complex transactions. I also get to do a variety of tasks like drafting agreements, drafting loans, and doing legal research so every day is different. I particularly enjoy learning about privacy matters. Everyone in the team is so skilled and it is a real privilege to learn from them.
There’s so much to like about IBA, I feel like I’ve won the lottery. Everyone is so warm and welcoming, working at IBA feels like I’m making an impact for the better. The culture here and the variety of work makes me feel lucky to be here.
My guilty pleasure is a show called Kitchen Nightmares. I watch YouTube clips of the show but the person who reposts them uses Gen Z humour for the clip titles.
Check out the second installment of the new vodcast series that we're partnering on with Black Magic Woman! In this episode, host Mundanara Bayles yarns with educator and community leader Tanyah Nasir on beautiful Larrakia country.
Black Magic Woman explores issues of importance to First Nations people and communities. and we've partnered on a number of episodes with topics from housing, business, youth, women, investing, financial literacy, economic development and COVID-19 recovery.
Episode 106 features Tanyah Nasir, a Darwin woman with connections to the Garrawa, Djugun, and Tiwi language groups. Tanyah is an educator with over 25 years’ experience, and prides herself on understanding the approach and methodology required to achieve success as Indigenous people.
Her program - 'Rise Up' provides a unique opportunity for First Nations people to reflect on their distinctive lived reality and the issues they encounter on a daily basis. The Rise Up program also facilitates critical thinking and self-reflection to encourage and support personal change and social transformation to create the life they want.
Black Magic Woman is accessible on all major platforms including YouTube, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) today announced that applications are open for an exciting opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, girls and sistergirls. Interested female-led Social Enterprises can apply for a partnership under the ‘Social Enterprise Grant’ that will support First Nations female entrepreneurs to innovate and create economic security in their communities.
With support from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, IBA will deliver $2.7 million of grant funding in 2023 through partnerships with Australian Social Enterprises who are, or work with First Nations women in business. The goal is to support the economic empowerment of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander women, girls and sistergirls.
Opportunities for the grant include business focused programs, building networks, employment readiness or workplace coaching to increase economic empowerment. The grant can also be accessed to support economic security focused initiatives such as financial wellbeing and planning, and selfcare initiatives that support First Nations women to continue to be financially secure while managing family and community obligations.
The grant may be used for establishing innovative platforms and systems that support the delivery of programs or connecting networks, and for the upskilling and training of First Nations staff in partnering enterprises.
Stella de Cos, Southern Arrernte woman and IBA Director of Community and Customer Experience, says the grant program will drive positive change for our women around the country.
“This partnership brings an amazing opportunity for First Nations female entrepreneurs and female-led community organisations to continue to innovate and solve economic issues facing First Nations women and their communities.
“Women are the strongest pillars of many of our First Nations communities. Empowering them builds opportunities to continue the positive impact and change they drive.
“I encourage our First Nations women in business who feel this grant could make a difference to their communities, and improve the economic security of First Nations women, to go to the IBA website and find out more.”
The grants are an initiative of the Early-Stage Social Enterprise Foundation announced in the Women’s Economic Security Package of the 2021-22 Federal Budget.
Applications for the grant open 16 January 2023 and will close 30 August 2023, unless funds are exhausted earlier.
More information and online grant applications at www.iba.gov.au/socialenterprisegrant.
Media contact: Tara Toohill, 0427 011 938 or tara.toohill@iba.gov.au
We recently caught up with South Australian home loan customers, Dylan and Jen. They were delighted to share their positive experience with IBA and what being in their own home means to their family. They wanted a bigger home for their growing family and were weary of the insecurity of renting. Since getting in touch with IBA they haven’t looked back.
"It was a real achievement to buy a house," says Jen. "And we're not just a number to them (speaking about IBA). They shared in our excitement. I'm happy, we're happy. it's exactly what we wanted."
Zakpage, a First Nations creative agency, produced this lovely video where Dylan and Jen show their home and tell their story.
Check out the gorgeous artwork Dylan stands in front of towards the end of the video. Three paintings were gifted to his parents by Warlpiri artist Aileen Long, which in turn have now been gifted to him and his siblings. So, it was an extra-special moment for Dylan when he was able to hang it in his own family home.
If like Dylan and Jen, you'd like to buy your own home, first check out IBA's free workshops to find out about budgeting and understand what it takes to start the process.
The privacy and security of our customers is paramount. In light of the recent Optus data breach in the news, we want to assure our customers that we are doing everything we can to keep our customer data secure and protected. This includes reviewing our customer identification procedures and keeping up to date with developments arising in the market.
Our systems have not been compromised as a result of the Optus data breach and keeping customer information safe is a priority for us.
We respect the privacy of our customers and are committed to maintaining the privacy and accuracy of any personal information collected.
Find out more about IBA’s Privacy Policy here, and if you have any questions, please talk to your business relationship manager, home loan officer or contact us.
When Elandra and Azra moved into their Rockhampton QLD home in April this year, they couldn’t be happier with their well-deserved purchase.
It was the first time the recently married couple had lived together. So reluctant were they to spend money on renting while they reached their savings goals, that Elandra continued to live with her parents and Azra boarded, until they bought their home.
Kabal Barada woman Elandra, who works as a Registered Nurse at an emergency medical centre says, “We got engaged and then we got to start looking for a place to live. We heard about IBA and registered an EOI.”
It was several months before they were added to the waiting list, but Elandra says that continued support from IBA throughout kept them going.
“IBA told me I had to get my savings up before I could go any further. So, then we had a goal in mind and IBA helped us with strategies to get there. IBA even checked in with us after a few months to see how we were going and trying their very best to help us reach the goals.”
They also used this time to go to open homes and see what they could buy with their budget.
The savvy couple chose a future-proofed home with lots of room to grow.
They acknowledge that IBA’s low deposit requirements helped them get the home they dreamed of. “Without IBA we would have had to wait much longer before we could buy what we wanted. With IBA we were able to buy somewhere to move right in,” says Elandra.
Elandra and Azra don’t do things by halves - and got married the same fortnight as their completion. They moved in after they got back from honeymoon and are excited with this start to begin the rest of their lives together.
“Every cent we spend is going to our mortgage. It’s really nice, knowing it’s going to our future, not paying someone else’s mortgage.
“Now we can build our lives together - and if we want to, we can build on the home.”
While the home didn’t require any immediate work, Teacher’s Aid Azra is a keen gardener and in their spare time they’re working on the outside area and making it an entertaining space.
“IBA was really helpful throughout and was really in our corner,” says Elandra. “If anyone else is thinking about buying a home through IBA I would say - go for it. We didn’t think we would get this beautiful home. If that’s your goal, you can achieve it.”
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) launched their 2nd Impact Report at an event in Sydney on 6 October 2022. Joined by the Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Linda Burney MP, and a panel of customers, IBA celebrates by hearing directly from those impacted through home ownership, business, and investments.
The framework of the report is an innovative initiative designed to provide a baseline for understanding IBA’s external footprint and the ripples of impact from IBA’s activities on the lives of First Nations people in Australia.
The report shows that each of IBA’s core programs (home ownership, business, and investments) had overall significant positive economic, social and cultural impacts on the people IBA serve.
IBA sought to better understand how our customers define “success” and ultimately to confirm if IBA was a key enabler and facilitator of achieving those aspects that make up how a full experience of life is assessed, that is, from economic, social and cultural perspectives.
The report provides five key recommendations that can assist IBA to maximise its positive impact, minimise the negative impacts and help continue to enable and support Indigenous-led economic advancement.
Gija woman Kia Dowell is the Executive Director of Strategy & Innovation at IBA. Kia has been involved from the beginning to create the framework for the impact strategy. She notes the importance of investing in First Nations people to create continuing impact and intergenerational wealth.
“The decisions we make today will impact the lives of generations to come.
“The ability to recover, rebound and continue to have impact that First Nations communities have shown is testament to our resilience and tenacity to overcome hardship and come out stronger.
“IBA are invested in the long-term success of our customers so that positive change can continue to flow on for generations to come.
“This report reveals how IBA provides a doorway to the economy for peoples who have traditionally faced exclusion from such opportunities. But the report recognises that it is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians who walk through the door and make the most of their opportunity. Indeed, they are the stars of the report.”
Natt Smith went through the IBA process and bought her first home in 2002, with an IBA home loan. As her property grew in value, it provided her security and economic independence.
‘Home ownership was the grounding that’s supported me to do all that I do including the confidence to get better jobs.’
‘I came to understand that my home could be a source of equity, that it could create future wealth and options.’
‘It has really started a whole new life cycle for me. And what I didn’t realise is that it’s not just about owning a home, it’s actually about making an investment in bigger things – in a future.’
The Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Linda Burney MP, says IBA is one of the key ways for government to deliver business support and improve access to opportunities for First Nations business owners and first home buyers.
IBA has played an important role in helping First Nations people navigate through a difficult few years of COVID, fires and floods.
“IBA is a proven model for generating economic independence by investing in people, places, and ideas – the latest Impact Report shows this.
“I want to see IBA continue to assist with increased home ownership, increased business ownership, and economic growth and independence for Indigenous Australians.”
Find a copy of the report on a website highlighting the key findings: iba.gov.au/impact-report-2021
Images from the launch event are available.
Media contact: Tara Toohill 02 9207 6362 or tara.toohill@iba.gov.au
Vanessa Elliott is a Jaru woman from the Kimberley and desert region. Her bush name is Wunyadee and skin name Nanjilli / Nungaray with strong kinship and cultural connections in WA, NT, SA and QLD. 
She joined the IBA Board in May 2020.
We caught up with Vanessa for a quick yarn to get to know her better.
Why did you join the IBA board? What do you hope to achieve in your time?
I joined the IBA board because time showed me poverty is more than material deprivation; it’s also about structural and systemic exclusion.
So I choose a purpose driven life, to occupy spaces and usher in diversity and inclusion so all First Nations and other displaced peoples can access opportunities and build their own legacy
What do you hope to see happen with Indigenous affairs in the next 5-10 years? 50 years from now?
5-10 years - that our elders live longer and that First Nations’ languages, culture and histories are integrated into corporate Australia, public policy and is seen, heard and valued in our Australian community.
50 years - That our national narrative and policy shifts from colonial and deficit control. Where more First Nations are global citizens with strong cultural identity giving them a unique value proposition and strength to open doors in local and global market place.
Whats your favourite place in Australia and why?
Near a beautiful sunset and the water. When you got culture activated inside you, and great company around you, the creator shows you everyday in the most majestic ways that the best is yet to come.
Where do you feel most connected and why?
To my Jaja’s ( mother’s mother) story and legacy because we spent lots of time together and she taught me the power of now, the purpose of belonging, and the right to own my own destiny.
Which of IBA’s values stands out to you and why? [Respectful, Connected, Informed, Responsive and Invested]
Connected. Connection is the pre-requisite value to achieve the rest.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
It’s time for First Nations to arise and be all that you were predestined to be.
The SX5 Group will host a special ceremony on Thursday 4 August to welcome a new dozer machine to the country – a first of its kind to be used in Australia. The Cat D10T2 Dozer will be used to rehabilitate mine sites on Aboriginal land.
The ceremony includes important cultural and spiritual significance. Elders from Noongar and Yinhawangka country will welcome all onto their land with a Welcome to Country, smoking ceremony and blessing of the machine.
SX5 is an Aboriginal owned contracting company in Eastern Guruma country in the Pilbara of Western Australia. They provide services to companies in the area such as mine site building, manufacture and installation, mobile concrete batch plant operations and site rehabilitation.
Company directors, Ralph and Cherie Keller of SX5 Group, and Kenzie Smith, of the Eastern Gurama group have earned trust with the local Traditional Owners of the Pilbara region of which Kenzie is a respected senior elder.
The new dozer arrived from the USA and had to be factory fitted to take remote and semi-autonomous dozing systems. This will allow SX5 to fulfill their aspirations, allowing them to enter into the semi-autonomous operations by removing the operator from the machine – reducing the risks of this high-risk mining waste dump re-construction.
This factory fitted equipment to this D10T-2 is the first step followed by the equipment and training in remote dozing operations. SX5 hopes to be in remote operations by the first quarter of 2023.
Mine site rehabilitation is a critical aspect of the business for SX5. Ralph Keller explains the importance of from an Aboriginal perspective.
“We’re making things green again, making Country good again. We’re making Country feel better,” said Ralph.
“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 – and our journey into the autonomous operation world is one example.”
For businesses to work on large scale contracting projects, they need to have the cashflow and performance bond guarantees. IBA’s Chief Executive Officer Kirsty Moore notes the importance of supporting First Nations businesses with opportunities so they can be part of these large projects.
“Putting the regeneration of Country back in the hands of First Nations companies like SX5 is smart business and we’re so glad to support their efforts,” says Kirsty Moore.
“IBA provides leasing opportunities to First Nations businesses so they can acquire critical capital equipment without tying up large amounts of cash that is needed to cover the operating costs of the business.”
“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.”
“SX5 is a great example of a First Nations business transforming their opportunities to work with big business – all while restoring Country and being trained in new technology.”
Background info: iba.gov.au/2021/12/rehabilitating-country
Media contact: Tara Toohill 02 9207 6362 or tara.toohill@iba.gov.au
About IBA
IBA is a commercially focused organisation. Economic independence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is at the heart of what we do. Our programs assist Indigenous Australians to buy their own homes, be successful in business, and invest in commercial ventures that provide strong financial returns. IBA is established under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 (ATSI Act) and is a corporate Commonwealth entity for the purposes of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act). IBA resides in the portfolio of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and is accountable to the Australian Parliament through the Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Linda Burney MP.
About SX5
The SX5 Group is based in Western Australia and provide a vast range of services to the resource industries throughout the Pilbara. The group of companies is 51% Aboriginal owned and has AS/NZS ISO 9001, AS/NZS 4801 and AS/NZS ISO 14001 Certification. With a corporate office in Perth and the Pilbara office/yard/workshop situated in Karratha, the group is well situated to provide exemplary service to the Pilbara region as well as service our clients in Western Australia. The SX5 name comes from the brand applied to the stray cattle that were mustered by Director Kenzie Smith’s family and allowed to sell themselves – which set them up on an entrepreneurial path.
