MAKING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES STRONG THOUGH SMALL BUSINESS

Making Families and Communities Strong Through Small Business Mara West, Honours Thesis, Murdoch University, 2007role of the former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Commercial DevelopmentCorporation (CDC). Indigenous Business Australia was originally createdto assist and enhance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ economicadvancement, primarily through facilitating Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander equity involvement in sound commercial ventures. Under theenabling legislation, Indigenous Business Australia is required to meet thisrole by accumulating and using a substantial capital asset. The Actspecifically requires that IBA engages in commercial activities.In April 2002, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed totrial working together with Indigenous communities in up to ten regionsacross Australia to provide more flexible programs and service based onpriorities agreed with communities in those regions. The trial is informed bytwo principles:* responsibility for the condition and well being of Indigenouscommunities is one shared by the community, its families andindividuals and with governments called a Shared ResponsibilityAgreement (SRA).* communities and government will need to change their currentapproaches by building their capacity in different ways to be able todeliver on the SRA.In 2003 the report of the Indigenous Business Review, Report on Supportfor Indigenous Business was completed. The Report examined Indigenousbusiness in the public and private sectors, identifying barriers toIndigenous business development and how these could be overcome byprograms supported by the government.In 2003 the review of ATSIC was undertaken.On 15 April 2004 the Australian Government abolished ATSIC and newarrangements in Indigenous Affairs became effective from 1 July 2004.In 2005 the Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal Corporations(ORAC) reviewed its training and found the training was workingwell, contributing to safer communities and building Indigenouswealth and employment. The program improves the social capital ofcorporations, and is having sustained environmental, cultural, socialand economic impacts. Graduates stated the skills and knowledgegained lead to a transformation in the way in which they understoodtheir roles and responsibilities and had equipped them with thenecessary skills to perform their core functions effectively andefficiently'.Over recent years the number of Indigenous businesses hasincreased. Through the experience of this researcher and hernetworks, in Western Australia alone Indigenous peoples haveestablished businesses in the transport, tourism, mining, arts andcraft, pastoral, retailing and earthmoving industries. Many Indigenousindividuals, families and communities have opted for selfemployment rather than remaining in low level public servicepositions where the majority of Indigenous peoples are employed.5