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.
Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) announce partnership with Black Magic Woman under an arrangement with BlackCard Pty Ltd, a 100% Aboriginal owned business.
The series will produce a set of podcasts and vodcasts featuring women in business that build conversations around economic empowerment, safety and social justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
Influencer Mundanara Bayles is the host and creator of the Black Magic Woman series, produced by BlackCard. Mundanara is connected to the Wonnarua and Bunjalung people on her mother’s (Northern NSW) side and the Birri-Gubba and Gungalu people (Central QLD) on her father’s side.
The 2022-23 series will produce 10 pod- or vodcasts with a focus on First Nations women, their journeys and experience. This follows the successful 2021-22 series which featured inspiring entrepreneurs such as fashion designer Liandra Gaykamangu, sailing tour operator Simon Thornalley, and Australian mother and daughter creatives Miimi & Jiinda owners Lauren Jarrett and Melissa Greenwood.
The Black Magic Woman series provides inspiration and connection to its vast online audience and has delivered 93 episodes with more than 90,000 downloads.
The podcast is produced by Clint Curtis who has worked with First Nations people for over a decade, initially working with Mundanara’s father, Tiga Bayles, producing talk shows and sound design for visual and audio media, including the audio book “River Story” by Uncle Ross Watson.
“It’s an honour to be working with Mundanara and IBA, having an opportunity to contribute to amplifying First Nations voices which help create awareness that leads to much needed change in this country,” says Clint.
The partnership taps into IBA’s Strong Women Strong Business network that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in business.
“You’ll hear from IBA customers who lead the way in achieving their dreams and embracing the unique opportunity to go on their business journeys,” says Mundanara.
IBA Director of Community and Customer Experience Stella de Cos says the partnership is an important element of continuing to highlight the outstanding work of our First Nations women as entrepreneurs and business owners.
“The Black Magic Woman series feels like you’re sitting around the kitchen table having a yarn. Mundanara connects to her guests with ease so we can hear their true authentic story,” says Stella.
“This partnership supports strong Aboriginal businesses to further share other strong voices to inspire our mob to follow their dreams.
“Encouraging women to share their stories sparks new ways of thinking about financial independence of our women, and promotes the possibilities we’ve generated over thousands of years,” Stella says.
Watch out for the episodes coming out later this year. You can listen to all the past episodes here: iba.gov.au/2021/08/iba-and-black-magic-woman-podcast-partnership-series.
Media contact: Tara Toohill 02 9207 6362 or tara.toohill@iba.gov.au
Joshua Gilbert is a Worimi man, farmer and academic, from the Mid North Coast of NSW. We are delighted that he joined the IBA Board in April 2022. 
Josh is undertaking higher degree research at Charles Sturt University, is the Indigenous Co-Chair of Reconciliation NSW and was recently recognised within the world’s top 50 young gastronomers. He is an entrepreneur and business advisor, working predominantly in the Aboriginal cultural, agricultural and environmental spheres. He has worked with numerous of not-for-profits, businesses and the government to develop change and bring people on a journey of change.
We caught up with Josh for a quick yarn to get to know him better.
Why did you join the IBA board? What do you hope to achieve in your time? I joined the IBA board as I'm passionate about the opportunities business can provide for mob on the ground, if that's where their passion lies. I also believe home ownership is a pivotal opportunity for mob and want to ensure as many people interested can pursue their dreams of buying a home.
What do you hope to see happen with Indigenous affairs in the next 5-10 years? 50 years from now? I'm particularly interested in what a voice within Parliament will provide for our People, and would love to see this mirrored across Government portfolios- for instance, I'd love to see an Indigenous agricultural advisor to the Minister. I also think a fundamental power shift will take place over the next 50 years, and I'm looking forward to mob self-determining their futures and creating new pathways for youth.
Favourite place in Australia and why? I love being home on country- I think we have the best mix of land from snow to beaches. My other favourite place is on the farm with my Nan- watching her care for the landscape, animals and people, doing what she loves, is a big inspiration for me.
Where do you feel most connected and why? I'm most connected on country- I love the way our small towns come together and connect.
Which of IBA’s values stands out to you and why? Connected- we know all mob are connected and have a yarn about everything and anything. I think our culture, passion and spirits connect us at all times to place and others.
Destination NSW Media Release, 17 Jun 2022:
The National Indigenous Art Fair will return to the Sydney Harbour foreshore July 2-3 to showcase creations from First Nations artists and makers from around Australia for its third annual art market.
The art fair, which launches NAIDOC Week 2022, takes place at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks. The event provides Sydneysiders with the opportunity to buy ethical, authentic art directly from the artists, and it includes a two-day festival of Indigenous Australian art, song, dance, communal weaving, smoking ceremonies, bushfood and culture.
“The National Indigenous Art Fair symbolises an incredible gathering of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives, with many travelling from the far corners of Australia — places like Haasts Bluff, the Tiwi Islands and Yuendumu. The event presents a rare and exciting opportunity for the broader community to interact directly with the makers and hear their stories,” said Peter Cooley, CEO of First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation, founders of the event.
He noted the National Indigenous Art Fair is the first Indigenous art show to run live again since COVID struck two years ago. “So, we’re kicking off the live Indigenous art fair scene around Australia to a massive Sydney market who are keen to get out and experience the art and atmosphere.”
From artworks to fashion, from jewellery to homewares, and from native dyed textiles to children’s puzzles, these inventive artisans are exemplars of sustainability, working closely with the resources found in their own environment, and weaving Care for Country and creativity into one.
Officially welcoming these 22 remote art centres to Sydney, local artists, designers and makers from Australia’s leading authentic First Nations marketplace – the Blak Markets – will join them in the Overseas Passenger Terminal. In total there will be 50 stallholders at this ethical marketplace, with all proceeds going directly back to the artist and First Nations communities.
NSW regional and remote Indigenous art collectives join us for the first time
“This year, in addition to inviting remote art centres, the art fair will support seven NSW regional and remote Indigenous collectives and artists to get to Sydney to connect them with the local marketplace,” said Mr Cooley.
“Australia-wide mobs have done it tough these past two years with the pandemic. And the NSW mob have also been impacted by fires and floods. Through the art fair, we want to come together in Sydney, highlight some of the good stuff that’s come out of these disasters and showcase our resilience. It will be great to have these NSW collectives alongside us for the first time at our art fair,” he added.
As well as all the inspirational art and design stalls, the National Indigenous Art Fair presents an impressive program of live cultural and performance experiences, running from 10am to 5pm each day.
Early arrivals each morning will have the opportunity to participate in poignant Indigenous smoking ceremonies and join a procession into the National Indigenous Art Fair, watching as each stall is blessed and cleansed.
Once inside, attendees will be able to enjoy singing performances by Mi-kaisha, Nadeena Dixon and Djinama Yilaga Choir and performances by Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness Aboriginal Dance Group and Wagana Dancers.
Panel discussion to highlight issues impacting Indigenous communities
On Sunday afternoon, there will be a panel discussion to tie in with the NAIDOC Week theme, Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up, with traditional owners, Indigenous leaders and artists talking about issues impacting their remote communities.
“Topics include the importance of protecting homelands with Babbarra artists, how fracking and mining have impacted their remote communities and their work as artists (Juluwarlu and Munupi), and the importance of Indigenous organisations taking charge in times of disaster as we saw at the Koori Mail with the Lismore floods,” said Mr Cooley.
For those wanting to get hands-on, there is a unique opportunity to work alongside local Aboriginal weavers on a communal weaving project. Children’s activities will also be a highlight, with storytelling in the sand circle, and a kids’ dance and craft workshop offered on Sunday.
On the bushfood front, Indigenous chef Matthew Atkins will conduct cooking demonstrations at his food truck at the event, offering up a delicious bushfood feast, and the folks from IndigiGrow nursery will be selling a variety of native bushfood plants and herbs.
“With all of this available for a gold coin donation on entry, the National Indigenous Art Fair has to be the best value day out for Sydneysiders of all ages in history, not to mention an unmissable opportunity to kick off Sydney’s NAIDOC Week celebrations in style,” concluded Peter Cooley.
This third annual event is presented by National Indigenous Art Fair founders, Sydney-based First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation, in proud partnership with the following organisations: the Port Authority of NSW, ABC Radio, University of Technology Sydney, the City of Sydney, and support from the federal government’s Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support program and Indigenous Business Australia.
For more information, visit niaf.com.au/Facebook event. The Overseas Passenger Terminal is easily accessible by public transport and on foot from Circular Quay.
-ENDS-
MEDIA: A selection of high-resolution images is available for download here.
For media interviews, call: Kim Carter (0407 771 698).
ABOUT
First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation (FHS) was established in October 2012 with a mission to build empowered, resilient Indigenous communities through cultural reconnection, education, employment and enterprise. FHS combines social innovation, cultural protection, education and social enterprises to close the gap for Indigenous people.
FHS has two arms: a community programs branch and a social enterprise arm where the corporation operates two ventures. The first, IndigiGrow, is a native plant nursery based in Sydney’s East, which provides employment and training to young Aboriginal people in the critically endangered plant species of their community. The second initiative is the Blak Markets, a micro-business hub for Indigenous artists, designers and craftspeople, providing them with the opportunity to earn and learn from the marketplace.
NIAF builds on the Blak Markets’ model by providing remote Indigenous art centres with the chance to participate and learn from the marketplace and collaborate with others nationwide. In the lead up to the art fair, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from remote communities will travel to Sydney, thanks to support from First Hand Solutions’ Heart in Art program, which provides economic and professional development opportunities to Aboriginal artists working in remote communities. During their time in Sydney, artists will be connected to major art and cultural institutions.
I joined IBA in 2017 and head up the Strategy and Innovation division within IBA. We coordinate the development of IBA's strategic and corporate plans, report on progress against plans, and undertake research and evaluation to inform innovative policy and strategic directions.
Although we are not a customer facing team we reach across all areas of the organisation and are involved in interesting projects that really focus on challenging the narrative and status quo about what our mob (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) are capable of. Since joining IBA, our role has evolved and I'm both excited and curious to see where we end up in the next three-five years. Under my leadership we have worked directly with experts who are from our communities to design and launch IBA’s first Impact Framework, Purposeful Partnerships Framework and are embarking on a bold research and policy agenda to accelerate economic empowerment and financial inclusion.
In all honesty, I actually had no intention or interest to work for IBA let alone government. Obviously, our communities and families have had different interactions with Government and subsequently Government policies since colonisation. I was very mindful of joining a system that, on the surface, I didn’t seem to fit and did not want to conform to.
Following some really difficult conversations and decisions, ultimately I felt that being presented with the opportunity to be part of informing and ultimately challenging systemic and structural barriers specific to economic empowerment was where I could be of most use.
What motivates me to keep working here is hope. Hope that change will continue to take place, informed and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Hope because in the nearly five years I've been with IBA we can start to say that we know we don’t always get it right and will in all reality continue to get some things wrong. At the end of the day, we are an organisation powered by people and we are all doing the best with what we have right now. When I reflect on my time to date with IBA I am confident that we are making a positive difference and are starting to see the evidence of that through initiatives like our Impact Report and in the way that we define what success looks like beyond standard metrics or KPIs.
For me that is the tip of the iceberg, I know IBA has been challenged by its potential to deliver incredibly positive outcomes whilst working within its legislative framework and upholding the legacy of how IBA came to be. It's important to reflect often on our history as a nation and our history as an organisation, for the time I am at IBA I will continue to remember that we are here for our mob, because of our mob.
If you asked me this question when I joined IBA, it would have a very different answer to now. When I joined, I was really excited about ensuring transparency, clarity and voice through IBA's strategy to life, to be part of implementing the Board's vision and learning (and failing) along the way. I am filled with anticipation about the year ahead and give my gratitude to everyone who has been part of my journey at IBA, those that are still here and those who have left the organisation. Most importantly, I honour those who paved the way for me to contribute in this way.
Thinking about now, I am most proud of being a mum to my two girls, Lila and Naiyah. I am proud to be involved in work that inspires me and challenges me but ultimately is a way of contributing to something so much bigger than myself. I see the work I do at IBA and elsewhere to at least attempt to make the world a more inclusive, equitable experience for my daughters and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
I would rather be in the arena than a spectator, and the act of showing up each day is a quiet demonstration that I'm here and I'm going to give it a go. I want my daughters to know they are worthy, they are valued and the sacrifices of their ancestors and their grandparents is what has made it possible for them to succeed at whatever their dreams may be. I will make sure that as my daughters grow, they see and hear the stories of this amazing community of customers who are proof that anything is possible, whether it’s owning a home, pursuing business ownership or investing in a way that creates greater positive impacts.
One of my all-time favourite songs has to Talkin 'Bout A Revolution by the formidable Tracy Chapman. It is so nostalgic for me because whenever my family and I would drive from Warmun Community (where we grew up in the East Kimberley) to either Broome or Darwin, our mum would always play that in the old cassette player (hahah).
Listening to those words as an Aboriginal child living in remote WA, living on country, being around our old people and also being confronted by social and economic disparity probably explains a lot. I love the rawness and vulnerability but the power and relevance of her lyrics. It always makes me stop whatever I'm doing and close my eyes to think about how important human rights are - which is why I suppose the work I'm privileged to undertake at IBA speaks to me - it is about a revolution, a revolution about ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are seen for the assets we are rather than some problem to be dealt with.
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.”
We proudly partnered with The Guardian Australia to share a series of articles about Indigenous home ownership and why it benefits everyone.
The articles below all appeared on The Guardian Labs.
New research shows funding Indigenous Australians’ home ownership benefits us all
Supporting home ownership for Indigenous Australians addresses not only the issue of housing but also the financial security, social engagement and wellbeing of the whole community. It can make a difference to many critical issues facing both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
The ripple effect: How supporting Indigenous home ownership drives a strong economic future for Australia
Indigenous Australians who own their homes feel safer, more positive about the future, and more engaged in work and school, according to recent research from Deloitte. Figures show Indigenous home ownership can create a better and more prosperous Australia for everyone.
Home ownership was a game-changer for these two Indigenous women's families
Meet Kylie and Naomi, who are great examples of how Indigenous home ownership changes lives long after the SOLD sticker goes up. The ability to buy a home and pass it on to the next generation has been shown to greatly enhance pride and empowerment for Indigenous Australians.
First Nations Foundation (FNF) launched a new podcast series, Beyond the Gap, to explore best practice reconciliation and Indigenous engagement for corporate Australia and beyond. The conversations investigate the influences and constructs that should be considered for Reconciliation Action Plans, and what is the best path forward to engage and empower our country’s First Nations people.
The host, Phil Usher, is a proud Wiradjuri man who grew up in the rich culture of the Gamilaroi people. He chats with a variety of guests to dig deep into our country’s history to better our future.
“There was so much out there about the need for corporate Australia to engage First Nations people, without really getting to the meat of how, and what does this even look like, and how organisations can do it meaningfully,” said Phil.
Research done by FNF along with NAB and the Centre of Social Impact in 2019 exposed the harsh truth about the personal wealth and finances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (see Money Stories). Phil comments about the research and why he created the podcast:
“Most of our life skills are a product of what our parents can work with us on or at least someone from our family. When we don’t have that type of role model, those skills are lacking…It is time for initiatives involving reconciliation and closing any gaps to factor in the unique position of Indigenous Australians; to truly understand who we are, and to build the bridges that we all need to bring our cultures closer together.”
The Beyond the Gap series has 7 episodes already with guests including David Aitkin, Ian Hamm, Karen Mundine, and Minister Ken Wyatt.
IBA are proud to partner with FNF on their mission to better the financial wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. We support their initiatives including My Money Dream program, Tomorrow Money website and Big Super Day Out events (this last one kicking off in 2022 again once we can get back on the road).
Listen now to Beyond the Gap podcast.
Love a good podcast? Listen to Black Magic Woman podcast as Mundanara Bayles talks to IBA's business and homes customers about their journeys.
Housing security not only builds generational wealth but the flow-on effects are good for all Australians - the numbers speak for themselves.
Home ownership is crucial to fostering a safe, healthy and prosperous community. Indigenous Australians remain overrepresented among financially vulnerable Australians, but new research from Deloitte shows that owning a home leads to significantly improved social outcomes.
Supporting home ownership for Indigenous Australians addresses not only the issue of housing but also the financial security, social engagement and wellbeing of the whole community. It can make a difference to many critical issues facing both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
To support their resilience and ingenuity in their aspirations for home ownership, the Indigenous Home Ownership Program (IHOP), facilitated by Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), has been helping Indigenous Australians to buy their own homes for more than forty years. The Deloitte report shows the incredible impact home ownership outcomes facilitated by IBA have had on individuals, their families and their communities.
Indigenous Australians have historically faced greater than average barriers to home ownership. Until at least the 1967 referendum, they were deliberately excluded from participating in the economy: they were not legally allowed to move freely, control their own children or own property. Even now, home ownership rates are only 38% for Indigenous households, compared to 66% for the overall population. And this figure drops by around half in regional areas, 18% home ownership rate for indigenous households, compared to 57% for the overall population.
Home ownership plays a critical role in providing stability, security and safety, and is key to building economic independence - through the ability to build wealth over time and freeing up time and resources to focus on other aspects of their lives. And as the Deloitte report shows, becoming a homeowner has a drastic impact on the lives of
Indigenous Australians, providing measurable outcomes in personal wellbeing, education, income and employment.
The vast majority Indigenous Australians surveyed (84%), say home ownership has helped them to feel safer for themselves.
Deloitte’s research found that home ownership resulted in improved physical health in nine out of ten Indigenous homeowners. Most also said their physical comfort, self-esteem and overall happiness have improved. When asked to use their own words to describe their experience, some of the most popular responses were ‘stable’, ‘security’ and ‘safe’.
The Australian Institute of Family Studies shows wealth in the home is a principal way for parents to provide for their children.
Deloitte’s survey also found homeowners feel less reliant on others for help, both on their friends and family and the government. More than half (53%) report their household income has increased since they bought their house.
Gaps in learning, income and employment are improved by home ownership: those surveyed feel more focused at work (68%) and almost half say they have planned, begun or finished further education for themselves since becoming homeowners. Owning a home also sets families up for the future: one-third of those surveyed say their children have become more interested in further education.
People living in their own homes are more likely to engage socially, and 70% now have more confidence in social interactions. An overwhelming 87% say they are more confident about the future.
Across the board, in Australia, home ownership is in decline. It’s expensive, there’s a shortage of suitable dwellings, and it’s tricky to secure finance. Only 66% of us own our own home, and less than a third own it outright – a drop of 10% over the past 20 years. Rising housing costs have amplified the inequality between those on high incomes and those who cannot afford to buy into the property market.
In supporting Indigenous Australians to become homeowners, IBA buoys the economy. In 2017-18, it saved $2 million in government rental assistance and $370k in avoided homelessness.
Since its inception in 1975, the IHOP program has generated an average of 29 full-time equivalent jobs per year, and $483 million in economic activity. Through health, education, employment and community engagement, it has created $895 million in social and economic outcomes for Indigenous homeowners over more than forty years.
Having a secure home is a powerful tool to drive generational wealth and stability. When you are no longer struggling to fund your family’s basic needs it allows you to put your mental and emotional energy into other areas of your life and reap the rewards this provides. It benefits family and community groups alike, whether it’s through better access to education and providing a stable and consistent home environment to raise your kids or by promoting better job outcomes and contributing to the growth of the Australian economy. By supporting Indigenous Australians to become homeowners, IBA generates significant, direct economic and social benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families, and in turn, the wider community.
IBA CEO, Rajiv Viswanathan, says ‘Home ownership should be accessible to all those that are ready and is a critical step in creating equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.’
‘While demand for IBA’s home loan offering continues to grow at unprecedented rates, we are committed to investigating as many ways as possible to grow available funds to assist more people to get into home ownership, building on the tremendous success of the Indigenous Home Ownership Program,’ Viswanathan says.
‘Home ownership is one of the most important things our customers do. We know when we approve a home loan for someone, we change their lives and their children’s lives.’
The power of one simple tool - funding Indigenous home ownership - to solve multiple obstacles to building generational wealth, education, employment, health and wellbeing, is indeed a cause for optimism, for all Australians.Find out more about the IBA Indigenous Home Ownership Program.
Read other articles in this series.
Figures show Indigenous home ownership can create a better and more prosperous Australia for everyone.
Indigenous Australians who own their homes feel safer, more positive about the future, and more engaged in work and school, according to recent research from Deloitte.
And the benefits are far-reaching. Work undertaken by Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into home ownership has a positive economic impact on the economy and all Australians, the research shows.
Reduced pressure on the wider economy
Nicki Hutley, a partner at Deloitte and leader of Deloitte Access Economics’ Urban Advisory practice, says the benefits of home ownership are multidimensional. “Social policymakers understand that a housing-first approach to dealing with social issues is so important,” she says.
Hutley has driven research on IBA’s Indigenous Home Ownership Program (IHOP), a government initiative offering financial assistance for Indigenous home ownership. In 2017-18, it reduced reliance on rental assistance by $2m, and saved $370k in avoided homelessness.
The avoided costs of homelessness is valued at $7 million in total for the period of 1975-76 to 2017-18, and $370,000 for 2017-18.
Source: Deloitte Access Economics.
The avoided costs of homelessness due to the IHOP program is valued at $7 million in total for the period of 1975-76 to 2017-18, and $370,000 for 2017-18. Source: Deloitte Access Economics.
These statistics are impressive, but the real impact of IBA’s work is much broader. IBA’s work not only reduces government expenditure, but also helps free up social housing, making it accessible for others who would otherwise be facing homelessness, making a better life for more families, and their communities.
Watch video: Why Indigenous Home Ownership Makes a Difference to us all
Economic injections that would not otherwise happen
IBA chair, Eddie Fry, says economies are flatlining as people become more nervous about how they use their money. But that makes people think less about themselves and more about how we can all do better.
“I think when we get into the same boat, people tend to think more broadly about the wider community,” he says.
Supporting home ownership for people who would otherwise not have access stimulates financial activity. Hutley says it injects new funds into the economy, both at a federal and local levels.
“As a result of more stable employment and better education outcomes, the next generation gets to have better employment opportunities,” she says. “That doesn’t only help avoid social transfer payments to people who are unemployed; it actually generates greater taxation revenues to government.”
These revenues come from income tax, payroll tax, and higher GST collections because people with higher incomes are spending more. This increased government revenue can be used for the benefit of all Australians.
“This [IBA] program enables investment in housing that wouldn’t otherwise occur and actually adds to the amount of economic activity that’s happening,” Hutley says.
Improved overall wellbeing
IBA’s work supporting Indigenous home ownership outcomes generates further ripple effects that benefit all Australians and the broader economy. Deloitte’s research shows Indigenous homeowners feel less reliant on others for help. That feeling of agency is reflected in general wellness: those surveyed said they felt more motivated about work, were earning more and encouraging their children to further their education. All these factors stimulate local economic activity.
“But then it also generates additional benefits in terms of better social outcomes, including health, education, employment, safety and self-esteem,” Hutley says. Financially, Hutley says, IHOP has delivered almost $895m in social and economic benefits over its lifetime.
Home ownership is an important economic indicator of wealth and saving, and is positively related to employment and income indicators.
Home ownership is an important economic indicator of wealth and saving, and is positively related to
employment and income indicators.
Fry agrees that the combination of outcomes is significant. “The focus on Indigenous home ownership is so important for the nation,” he says. “Home ownership leads to sub-text outcomes that make up the wellbeing of a family unit.”
It also improves the wellbeing of the wider family network, he says. “And that extends into the non-Indigenous sector.”
Home ownership creates long-term generational wealth
In Australia, home ownership is critical to creating long-term wealth. The Grattan Institute reports that, in an ageing population, property contributes the majority of total net wealth, while the figures from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute show those of us who inherit property wealth will be able to invest more, and in areas with greater capital growth.
Hutley says: “We know that Australians use home ownership as a primary means of generating wealth. We also know increasingly that if you retire without owning your own home, you are much more likely to be living in poverty.”
Indigenous Australians have faced decades of intergenerational disadvantage, which Hutley says is among the most difficult challenges they face. But programs such as IHOP help to break that cycle. “You’re not only taking the current generation potentially out of poverty by building an asset for them,” she says. “You’re then able to pass it on to future generations.”
In addition, as Fry explains, the program supports lateral wealth generation. As Indigenous home ownership grows, loan repayments are used to support further loans for other families.
As a program that is financially sustainable in its own right, Fry hopes support for it will continue to grow, commensurate with the overwhelming demand that IBA experiences from customers who are locked out of accessing mainstream lending options for home ownership because of lower incomes, lower savings, lack of credit history and limited experience with loans.
“Acceptance by society is when society realises everyone’s pulling in the one direction,” he says.
“We don’t want to forget the past, but we want to be looking out the front window. That’s where the demand is, and that’s where we need to be putting all of our strategic thinking.”
Find out more about the IBA Indigenous Home Ownership Program.
