Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697636176779.pdf (Australia)
Chairperson Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia PO Box 6021 Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 11 November 2021 Dear Chairperson, RE: Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation ICN 9523 Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia Inquiry into the Opportunities and Challenges of the Engagement of Traditional Owners in the Economic Development of Northern Australia The Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation (IEBF) welcomes the inquiry into the Opportunities and Challenges of the Engagement of Traditional Owners in the Economic Development of Northern Australia by the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia (JSCNA), and thanks the Committee for providing the opportunity to produce a submission.
IEBF is a not for profit, focussed on employment and business development opportunities for First Nations People.

IEBF operates under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act) One of the key objectives of IEBF is to encourage and assist business development and bridging the digital divide, allowing for greater access to information and technology for community and economic development.
Our vison is to grow economic and social wellbeing objectivise by creating a forum of cutting-edge technology, business development, corporate networking, business advice and network introductions to encourage growth in Indigenous owned and operated businesses.

IEBF is designed to help and support Indigenous businesses to build capability and advance opportunities.
IEBF Directors are traditional owners belonging to Nyikina, Bardi (Kimberley) and Whudjuk Ballardong (Perth Southwest) regions in Western Australia.

The focus of this response from IEBF is the Nyikina Region.

Nyikina Mangala Native Title Determination was on the 29th of May, 2014.

It oversees approximately 26, 215 square kilometres of exclusive and non-exclusive possession native title.
(See below for location diagram) Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation ICN 9523 Suite 1/02 , 110 Erindale Road Balcatta WA 6021 PO Box 2410 Ellenbrook WA 6069 08 6245 9808 www.iebf.org.au Inquiry into the Opportunities and Challenges of the Engagement of Traditional Owners in the Economic Development ofNorthern AustraliaSubmission 56 1.
The current engagement, structure and funding of representative bodies, including land councils and native title bodies such as prescribed body corporates; IEBF believes funding must be vastly expanded to assist Land councils & PBC’s.
The funding would go a long way to allow further skills based and succession planning for next generation leaders, currently we feel as if a lot of the work done is reactive rather than proactive and the much needed funding could go towards building better boards with diverse skill sets.
Closing the technology gap that exists and getting better systems in place that allow direct and ongoing funding for not only meeting the obligations for NTA but also creating culturally relevant programs to safeguard Indigenous knowledge and on-country connection, in turn build this into a business and enterprise options for the regions.
Of particular interest to the enquiry may be the below report from AIATSIS which highlights the above and direct feedback from PBC’s Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation ICN 9523 Suite 1/02 , 110 Erindale Road Balcatta WA 6021 PO Box 2410 Ellenbrook WA 6069 08 6245 9808 www.iebf.org.au Inquiry into the Opportunities and Challenges of the Engagement of Traditional Owners in the Economic Development ofNorthern AustraliaSubmission 56 https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/research pub/AIATSIS%20- %20PBC%20Survey%20Report%20-%202021.pdf 2.
The role, structure, performance and resourcing of Government entities (such as Supply Nation and Indigenous Business Australia); IEBF acknowledges that government entities such as supply nation an IBA are doing some good work, however neither of these entities in our opinion are delivering this from a culturally appropriate way.

There are too many joint ventures without purpose, without equal benefit for first nations people or exit clauses and black cladding which is rife in the business community.
There's no quick way to identify and quantify which businesses are 100% owned and which ones are joint ventures.

there are examples of joint ventures where the party of the non-indigenous arm is not even in the same state.

Currently there are 521 registered business and 165 certified business on Supply Nation for WA.
Upon further investigation there a businesses that come up in the search that are in different states, for example search in telecommunications services in Western Australia on supply nations website renders the below results, • 5 x Businesses come up.
• 3 x ORIC Registered Businesses • 1 x Certified business which is not even in the state • 2 x ACNC registered business • 2 x 100% Western Australian Owned • 1 x Genuine direct Telecommunications Agreement • 1 X 100% Western Australian Aboriginal owned and operated The only 100% Western Australian Aboriginal business that has the direct telecommunications agreement should be highlighted as 100% Aboriginal owned.
Aboriginal owned businesses are one hundred times more likely to hire Aboriginal and TSI employees, which in turn will grow the business and create opportunities within the community.

We believe verification also should be done from a cultural focusing on connection to country and not from an online verification form.
Aboriginal people know who mob is and who is not, we need to translate this in a digestible way for non aboriginal businesses to understand and differentiate the differences between joint ventures and 100% aboriginal and businesses.

IEBF is recommending a consultative approach with Traditional Owner groups in the regions which would go a long way in further developing and understanding issues faced for first nations businesses.
There needs to be more work in developing Aboriginal business to become or strive towards 100% Aboriginal owned rather than joint ventures or partnerships which can create unfair advantages for 100% Aboriginal owned businesses that maybe don’t have the expertise, resources or financial means to compete in the market with the bigger companies.
One of Supply Nations full certification requirements is below: • Trading as a business with a minimum annual revenue of $50,000 or a demonstrated recent history of trade (ideally, at least 6 months’ trade history) This totally missus the emerging business segment of first nations businesses as it will force them to either partner or Joint venture with larger organisations to meet the annual minimum turnover to be certified.
Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation ICN 9523 Suite 1/02 , 110 Erindale Road Balcatta WA 6021 PO Box 2410 Ellenbrook WA 6069 08 6245 9808 www.iebf.org.au Inquiry into the Opportunities and Challenges of the Engagement of Traditional Owners in the Economic Development ofNorthern AustraliaSubmission 56 We believe that focus is needed in the emerging business market and more focus in training and upskill of potential First Nations business owners is needed.
IEBF also believes this should be delivered by a First Nation entity / and or Traditional owner groups on the lands that it operates on rather than an online system representing a national data base.

IEBF is advocating for more funds to be directed in this area to the above entities.

3. legislative, administrative and funding constraints, and capacity for improving economic development engagement; and IEBF Aboriginal Corporation makes no submission in this term of reference 4.
Strategies for the enhancement of economic development opportunities and capacity building for Traditional Owners of land and sea owner entities.

One of the main issues faced in the development of Northern Australia is connectivity to internet and telecommunications.

Basic services like wifi and telephone calls are not being able to be made due to lack of infrastructure.
This is turn creates problems from not being able to access training, support, health services and or opportunities that may arise from connections to internet and the outside world.

Small business owners with ideas or drive to stay on country and create companies are being forced away from country to peruse business opportunities if they are to succeed.
We refer to Telstra Network coverage map https://www.telstra.com.au/coverage-networks/our-coverage Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation ICN 9523 Suite 1/02 , 110 Erindale Road Balcatta WA 6021 PO Box 2410 Ellenbrook WA 6069 08 6245 9808 www.iebf.org.au Inquiry into the Opportunities and Challenges of the Engagement of Traditional Owners in the Economic Development ofNorthern AustraliaSubmission 56 There is very limited connection to LTE networks in Northern Australia.
Communities miss out on opportunities as the base stations and technologies are very expensive and do take up significant space once installed.

Communities have been missing out on black spot programs and regional connectivity programs issued by the government.

One strategy is to install technologies that are smaller in scall and allow access to communities in question.
Community can access these services to make telephone calls, access internet, access health services use of technology in the aid of business development and creating employment.

IEBF Alliance have been involved in designing the small-scale cost-effective technologies for community to access basic connectivity and connect to the outside world.
Once connectivity is achieved then First nations people can advance by gaining access to training and upskilling, education, health services, commerce, tourism, trade & export opportunities.

IEBF also believes that will encourage local & international investment in the region and will create employment opportunities for communities.

5.

The principle of free, prior, and informed consent.

IEBF would like to propose that funds be allocated to assist First Nations receive prior and informed consent.
The funds could be used to obtain expert information on decisions that impact country for further generations.

This expert information can be obtained prior to any decision being made on economics.
Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation ICN 9523 Suite 1/02 , 110 Erindale Road Balcatta WA 6021 PO Box 2410 Ellenbrook WA 6069 08 6245 9808 www.iebf.org.au Inquiry into the Opportunities and Challenges of the Engagement of Traditional Owners in the Economic Development ofNorthern AustraliaSubmission 56 6.

Opportunities that are being accessed and that can be derived from Native Title and statutory titles such as the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976.
IEBF Aboriginal Corporation makes no submission in this term of reference IEBF encourages the committee to take on board our submissions.

We strongly encourage the committee to implement the above submissions as IEBF believe that this will further develop and encourage economic development on northern Australia.

IEBF would be available to assist the committee further if needed.
Yours faithfully, John O'Driscoll Chief Executive Officer IEBF Aboriginal Corporation Indigenous Emerging Business Forum Aboriginal Corporation ICN 9523 Suite 1/02 , 110 Erindale Road Balcatta WA 6021 PO Box 2410 Ellenbrook WA 6069 08 6245 9808 www.iebf.org.au Inquiry into the Opportunities and Challenges of the Engagement of Traditional Owners in the Economic Development ofNorthern AustraliaSubmission 56