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.
Watch SBS and NITV over the following two weekends to catch two of our customer stories that will feature as part of a NAIDOC special! Standley Chasm and Amber Days will each have a 5-7 minute segment about their businesses and each one includes an interview with an IBA Business Solutions representative.
Lots of opportunities to catch the episodes on air with all timings listed below (all times are AEST):
The short videos were also translated into Mandarin and Spanish as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is sharing them worldwide through their social channels during NAIDOC week, and it will be screened in the DFAT lobby in Canberra.
This special wraps up our 2022 SBS series and is the third year we have partnered with SBS to feature our outstanding business customers. You can catch all the episodes on our YouTube channel and we’ll be re-sharing content on our socials.
The NAIDOC special includes stories on the beautiful tourist destination in Alice Springs called Standley Chasm (known traditionally as Angkerle Atwatye, meaning ‘Gap of Water’) and the ethical clothing designs of Amber Days.
Earlier this year we featured Taungwurrung Kulin man Mick Harding and his art business, Ngarga Warendj (Dancing Wombat), and Yamatji/Noongar woman Sharon Brindley talked about her expanded venture with Cooee Café / JalaJala Treats.
If you want to find out how IBA may be able to support your business idea, find out more.
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.
When speaking with Reece Dumbell and Dean Sardellis, the co-founders of the Cameron Wellness Centre, their organisational values of Family – Community – Trust – Respect shine through in every word.
They started the Cameron Wellness Centre, a progressive and holistic treatment centre, after their wives (who are best friends) introduced them. Over time they realised they had a common motivation: seeing people with disabilities achieve the best outcomes in life.
The Cameron Wellness Centre provides multidisciplinary services to participants on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), ranging from children to adults, covering a large spectrum of disabilities and health issues.
Reece, a proud Minang Jupa Galk man, has been in the fitness industry since 2009 and saw first-hand the powerful link between mind and physical health. This was especially apparent during the Victorian Covid-19 restrictions of 2020 and 2021, when people had to stay at home for long periods of time and their movement and socialisation were restricted. Helping people get back on track after this life disruption has been very rewarding.
Dean, who is of Greek and Cypriot heritage, comes from a finance and accounting background. He is driven by a passion to see people from different ethnic backgrounds be able to confidently navigate the NDIS, making sure they get high quality treatment and care. He has a young child with special needs and therefore has first-hand experience of the importance of receiving consistent quality care.
Since its launch, the Cameron Wellness Centre, whose name is inspired by Reece’s great grandfather, Kenneth Cameron who was born on Ramahyuk Mission (Gippsland), has gone from strength to strength. They now have seven occupational therapists and one speech pathologist, all with different areas of specialisations and interests. This allows their clients to have a centralised treatment facility for all their therapeutic needs.
When asked how they have built such a successful business in such a short amount of time, they credited it to their values-based recruitment approach.
“Part of our ethos is making sure the cultural fit of staff is right. When recruiting, we look for people who have buy-in to what we’re trying to build here at the Cameron Wellness Centre,” said Reece.
Reece and Dean say providing ongoing development and career advancement to their staff is critical to keeping their practice at the forefront of best practice when treating patients. To ensure all employees have the knowledge, skills and confidence to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, they are given opportunities for cultural emersion.
“We don’t just give our new staff online training. We engage with a local Traditional Owner to take them out on Country and show them cultural sites and teach them about the local community, its people and history.”
When asked what advice they would give to other people thinking about starting a business, in addition to linking up with supporting organisations like IBA, they say:
“Make sure your business plan is tight. Make a plan and stick to it.”
IBA supported them to develop their business plans, and gave them a loan which they used to invest in good quality IT systems and office equipment. The IBA Start-Up Finance Package supports businesses to get their idea off the ground with a loan/grant package of up to $100k.
Reece and Dean walk the talk by looking after their own physical and mental well-being. Family time is important to them. They both have young children and making sure they set time aside to spend quality time with their families is of high priority.
After only six months in business, a bright future certainly lies ahead for the Cameron Wellness Centre, and its clients and staff. We’re looking forward to watching their growth – from strength to strength!
Find out more about Cameron Wellness Centre
Learn more about business support from IBA
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.”
Video celebrates the grand opening event for the IGA supermarket in Tennant Creek - the whole community was invited to participate in the celebrations.
Video done by Indigenous production company from Alice Springs NT called, Since 1788.
Mick Harding and his family business, Ngarga Warendj ('dancing wombat') showed over the weekend (10 April) on SBS Small Business Secrets, as part of IBA's 2022 partnership series to showcase Indigenous businesses.
Mick is a Taungwurrung Kulin man who is on a life-long journey to connect with his Indigenous heritage and culture. His authentic designs portray just that and we're lucky to have them in the world.
He started the business because he wanted to create authentic quality artwork that shares his culture with the world. He creates wood pieces like clapsticks and wooden boards as well as commissioned pieces like the four-metre shield he was finishing up in his workshop.
“I started by making Aboriginal artifacts, like boomerangs and shields. And then it grew to drawing and applying the artwork on all kinds of different items as giftware,” said Mick.
Although many of his pieces are hand-made, IBA supported the business recently with a loan/grant that helped him purchase a high-tech laser machine to expand their work. His wife can now take his designs and create manufactured pieces at lower cost to reach an additional market.
Find out more about IBA's Business Start-up Package. or check out the beautiful artwork at https://ngargawarendj.com/.
Read the article or watch the video below: "After rediscovering his Aboriginal heritage, Mick Harding now shares his art and culture worldwide" or watch the video link below.
PLEASE NOTE: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the below video contains images of the deceased. The pictures have been used with permission of the family.
Yamatji/Noongar woman Sharon Brindley shares the story of how her mob and her connection to Country is at the core of everything that she does in a segment with SBS Small Business Secrets . Sharon founded Cooee Café & Catering, then pivoted her business during COVID to launch Jala Jala chocolates with an Indigenous twist.
The segment is part of a partnership series with SBS where IBA showcases stories with strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. Sharon's segment was the first in the 2022 series which featured on Sunday 3 April.
"Food is the way to everybody’s heart isn't it," says Sharon. “Cooee means come home, come back, it’s time for lunch or dinner. As a child out in the bush, we'd be off on our own. And we could hear the call from far away, so it really was something close to my heart."
The café was hard hit by COVID but created new opportunities through their online business and expansion into chocolates with an Indigenous flavours like finger lime and lemon myrtle. Sharon also invests in the importance of the wider Indigenous community by selling their wares in her shop.
IBA supported Sharon with business capability and planning resources. She also received a start-up loan/grant combination to help her new ventures with Jala Jala. Find out more about IBA's Start-up Finance Package.
Sharon has sold more than 2.5 tonnes of chocolate so far and is exporting to the Asian region with big plans to grow further. Check out the delicious chocolates from Jala Jala and Indigenous owned and created products on the Cooee Café & Catering website.
Read the article or watch the video below: "Sharon's bush food business shares a taste of native ingredients with the world".
PLEASE NOTE: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the below video contains images of the deceased. The pictures have been used with permission of the family.
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.
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
