Established by the alumni of Melbourne Business School’s MURRA Indigenous Business Master Class program, Indigenous Business Month was created to gather the best in Indigenous business owners, entrepreneurs and managers to develop new opportunities for Indigenous people. The initiative also uplifts business as a way of providing positive role models for young Indigenous Australians and improving the quality of life in Indigenous communities.

Continue reading to learn more about this year’s event and how you can get involved.

Indigenous Business Month 2022 – Theme and Awards

The 2022 theme is “Actions today. Impact tomorrow,” and focuses on inspiring the next generation of First Nations business leaders.

This year’s theme acknowledges that for many Indigenous business owners, the path is not linear, and can be full of ups and downs. That’s why sharing these unique stories, experiences and journeys is crucial for inspiring the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entrepreneurs, enabling them to learn from those who have gone before them.

The Indigenous Business Month Awards for 2022 will showcase the outstanding achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and provides identifiable national and local role models to inspire all Australians. The winners of the 121, Indigenous Digital Inventiveness, Indigenous Ingenuity and Regional Business Awards will be announced in late October.

How You Can Get Involved

If you would like to get involved in Indigenous Business Month, consider raising awareness through your business or the local community, or participating in the various virtual or in-person events happening throughout October.

This is also an opportunity for all Australians to find new ways to support Indigenous businesses through investment as part of supply chains and as consumers. Whether you are an organisation needing suppliers or an individual doing your Christmas shopping, making a point to buy from Indigenous-owned businesses is a worthwhile way to contribute. How are you helping to bolster Indigenous businesses during this time? We’d love to hear what you’ve come up with.

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Read on to learn more about Indigenous Literacy Day and find out how you can contribute to positive change.

The History of the Event

Indigenous Literacy Day (ILD) is hosted by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, an Australian not-for-profit charity that aims to improve literacy in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It started in 2004 when former teacher and Brisbane bookstore owner Suzy Wilson created the Riverbend Readers Challenge to raise funds to boost literacy levels, eventually becoming the successful national event we now celebrate annually.

Taking place on the first Wednesday of September each year, the event raises awareness of the educational struggles facing many Indigenous groups in Australia, while also serving as a fundraiser to collect literary resources for children living in more isolated areas of the country.

Providing more than just books, Indigenous Literacy Day celebrates Aboriginal culture and the stories and languages that helped to build the country we know today. Indigenous literacy is important not just for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, but for everyone who believes in preserving our unique heritage and creating opportunities for fellow Australians.

The Purpose of Indigenous Literacy Day

Aboriginal groups face many challenges in today’s world, with education and literacy being some of the most prominent. Did you know that there is an approximate gap of 2.5 years between the literacy rates of non-Indigenous and Indigenous children? Plus, only 34.9% of Indigenous students in isolated areas met or exceeded the National Minimum Standards for Year 7 reading in 2014.

While the books purchased by the Foundation help to improve lives and open doors to further education for Indigenous Australians, there is also a focus on providing resources that cover a wide variety of Aboriginal languages. It is important for these children to have access to literature in their native tongue; this helps to strengthen the culture and allow it to thrive for future generations.

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation connects with schools to inspire change in their curriculums and support further education for Indigenous youth. Right now, the statistics aren’t good, with school attendance rates as low as 14% in very remote areas of Australia – and only 24% of children in remote Australian communities having a school that goes up to Year 12. This means that many Indigenous young people are unable to finish their education, missing out on the chance to study at university or even apply for many jobs available to those with higher levels of education. These figures demonstrate fewer opportunities are presented for Aboriginal children to excel academically, emphasising the opening for further literacy resources to make a real difference.

Ways to Get Involved

Whether you’re a school, a business or an individual, there are plenty of ways to get involved this Indigenous Literacy Day. Here are just a few ideas:

• Bring an ILF donation box to your school or workplace.
• Hold a fundraising event, such as a morning tea, book club or online fundraising drive.
• Buy an ILF t-shirt or tote bag for your family and friends to raise awareness.
• Purchase Indigenous children’s books to read to your kids.
• Become a regular giver or set up workplace giving.
• Make your organisation a partner.
• Support the cause on social media and tag @IndigenousLiteracyFoundation on Facebook and Instagram, and @IndigenousLF on Twitter.

So, how are you planning to participate in Indigenous Literacy Day this year? Reach out and let us know – we always love to hear about the ways Australians are uplifting Indigenous culture, stories and languages and providing opportunities for Indigenous people.

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Supply Nation has a database of over 2,000 verified Indigenous businesses, along with more than 440 member organisations committed to supplier diversity. Throughout the month of September, they will showcase Indigenous business on their social media, share success stories and provide insights into increasing engagement between members and suppliers.

The annual celebration serves as a springboard for conversations around the efforts of organisations to support, engage with and develop a prosperous Indigenous business sector, as well as work to close the economic gap.

How to participate:

• Hold a meet-the-buyer event and invite Indigenous businesses to attend
• Host a morning tea or information session for your employees or clients
• Incorporate an article on supplier diversity into your company newsletter
• Visit the Supply Nation website to download the #SupplierDiversitySeptember promotional pack for your email signature and social media

Kennelly Constructions is a Supply Nation Certified Indigenous-Owned Business, and we also use the Supply Nation directory to source other Indigenous-owned businesses to include in our supply chains. To learn more about how we strive to cultivate Indigenous participation at an organisational and community level, feel free to get in touch.

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The commemoration was originally set aside by the United Nations General Assembly to mark the day of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, which took place in Geneva in 1982. This annual day is an opportunity to honour the strength, resilience, dignity and pride of Indigenous peoples around the world, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples has a different theme each year, with the 2022 theme being, “The role of indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge”.

It’s well known that Indigenous women are and have always been the strength and backbone of Indigenous communities. Women play a crucial role in the preservation and transmission of traditional ancestral knowledge and this year’s theme is all about reclaiming their role as heroines of their culture.

Despite their critical role in their communities, Indigenous women often suffer from intersecting levels of discrimination – whether this is gender, class, ethnicity or socioeconomic status. The women are breadwinners, caretakers, knowledge keepers, human rights defenders and leaders in their culture, and they preserve as much of the traditional teachings and knowledge as possible.

2022 Virtual Commemoration

As part of the observance, the UN’s Indigenous Peoples and Development Branch will be bringing together Indigenous peoples’ organisations, UN agencies, Member States, civil society and the general public for a live webinar on Monday, 9 August (EST). You can join a virtual dialogue in which knowledge and experience will be shared about the transmission of traditional ancestral knowledge in fields such as climate change and the protection of natural resources.

For details on the webinar and to learn more about the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, visit the UN website – and don’t forget to let us know how you will be celebrating!

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Running for more than 30 years, this is an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to celebrate the strengths and culture of their children, and for all Australians to learn about the crucial role that culture, family and community play in the life of every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child.

Here’s what you need to know about this important national day, as well as some ideas for getting involved.

History of the Day

Children’s Day has been run annually since 1988, and is an initiative of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC), a national organisation that provides a voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

It is a day of celebration and pride for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families, which was originally created to communally mark the birthdays of children in orphanages and institutions who did not know their real dates of birth due to being taken from their families at a young age. It was intended to give these children – the Stolen Generations – confidence, and to make them feel special and included.

NAICD has since grown significantly, becoming a major event in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and community organisations.

Ways You Can Celebrate ‘My Dreaming, My Future’ – This Year’s Theme

Every year, NAICD has a different theme, with the 2022 one being, ‘My Dreaming, My Future.’ This theme reflects the experience Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have as they are born into stories of their families, culture and Country. They carry the song lines of their ancestors and their Dreaming is a part of their history – with their future their own to shape.

This year, we ask our children what Dreaming means to them and teach them to interpret this into their lives and identities. There are more than 500 Children’s Day events held across Australia each year, including cultural events, storytelling, open days, morning teas, arts and crafts, concerts and community barbecues.

For people who can safely gather with others, here are some great ideas:

• Organise a picnic, sporting event or activities for children and young people
• Hold a fundraising event for children in your community
• Have a flag raising ceremony with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags
• Bring Elders, families and their children together in your school or neighbourhood for storytelling and cultural activities.

For those needing to social distance, some of the other ways you can celebrate include:

• Share the Children’s Day website on your social media feed, website or in your email signature to raise awareness amongst your family, friends and colleagues
• Post a picture on social media showing how your child/children are connecting to their culture using the hashtags #ProudInCulture #StrongInSpirit #NATSIChildrensDay 
• Learn more about the day through a range of educational resources, activities, posters, images and videos available here – and don’t forget to share them with others.

How are you going to celebrate this Children’s Day? We’d love to hear about your plans.

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Taking place on 3-10 July, NAIDOC Week is a great opportunity for not only Indigenous people but Australians from all walks of life to participate in a range of activities and support local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Learn more about the event and the ways you can get involved, below.

Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!

The 2022 NAIDOC Week theme is “Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!” and is both an acknowledgement of those who have been champions of change for generations, and a call for continued momentum to secure collaborative institutional and structural reforms for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. While there are many ways to take action, from calling out racism to seeking proper environmental, cultural and heritage protections, this can only be achieved by rallying around our mob, our Elders and our communities.

The relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non Indigenous Australians should be based on equity, justice and recognition of the innate rights and unique heritage of First Nations peoples. Getting up, standing up and showing up means moving beyond good intentions and empty commitments to amplify the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and create lasting systemic change.

Ways to Celebrate

During NAIDOC Week, people across the country are encouraged to participate in local community celebrations organised by government agencies, local councils, businesses and schools. Whatever your interests and schedule, there are a variety of ways to celebrate and raise awareness.

Here are a few suggestions for how you can get involved:

• Attend a NAIDOC Week event in your local area (options include art competitions, virtual poetry readings, webinar presentations and video conferences)
• Plan your own NAIDOC event for your friends, colleagues or community
• Learn the meanings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander place names and words, and visit local sites of significance
• Download the 2022 National NAIDOC Poster, ‘Stronger’, and display it around your classroom or workplace
• Watch a movie about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history or listen to Indigenous musicians
• Use the 2022 National NAIDOC logo in your email signatures and social media profiles
• Research Indigenous history online or visit your library to find books about First Nations Peoples
• Share NAIDOC teaching resources with teachers, schools and students in your area
• Invite local Elders to speak at your school or workplace

How are you planning to participate in NAIDOC Week 2022? We’d love to hear how you’re celebrating!

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This year is particularly notable because it marks 20 years since the founding of Reconciliation Australia and almost three decades of Australia’s formal reconciliation process – an important milestone and a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come, as well as how far we still have to go.

Read on to find out why this event is so important and how you can contribute to building a truly equitable, reconciled Australia.

What is National Reconciliation Week?

National Reconciliation Week is bookended by the anniversaries of two important milestones in our reconciliation journey: the successful referendum where two parts of the Constitution that excluded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were amended (27th May 1967), and the High Court Mabo decision, which legally acknowledged First Nations people as traditional custodians of Australia for the first time (3rd June 1992).

These historic dates still hold significance today, reminding us of the impact we can have when we join together as one to stand up for what’s right.

Be Brave. Make Change: 2022 Theme

In 2021, Reconciliation Australia encouraged Australians to take continuous action to create lasting change, not just during this week but all year round. The 2021 State of Reconciliation in Australia Report provides guidance on practical actions we can take to collectively build communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, histories and futures.

There was an unprecedented response from the community, and this year’s theme, “Be Brave. Make Change”, is building on this by calling for us to continue working for change in our everyday lives.

By being brave, we can address the unfinished business of reconciliation and create change for all. When each of us takes small actions where we work, play, live and socialise, together we have a lasting impact on the systemic racism, inequality and rights issues that affect Indigenous Australians. Taking a stand isn’t always easy, but a little bravery changes everything!

Ways to Participate

Today, National Reconciliation Week is celebrated by organisations, education providers and individuals across the country, with hundreds of events taking place – big and small! From hosting a morning tea and participating in local events to promoting National Reconciliation Week on social media and attending online discussions, there are so many ways to participate.

Looking to get involved but stuck for ideas? Click here for a full list of the events you can organise or take part in, and don’t forget to show your support by downloading a free poster, social media tile, Zoom background and email signature.

Whether you’re engaging in honest conversations or relearning what you know, this journey requires all of us to walk together as one. In National Reconciliation Week 2022, we encourage all Australians to contribute to the national movement towards a unified future.

To find out more about National Reconciliation Week and the initiatives that are being carried out to reconcile Australia, visit the Reconciliation Australia website.

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Female participation sits at just 18% of the total workforce, but within trade roles the figure is just 2%. At the other end of the scale, women make up just 15% of top management roles, 11% of director roles and 3% of CEOs.

According to UNSW’s Demolishing Gender Structures report, women are leaving construction professions almost 39% faster than their male colleagues. So what is stopping women from pursuing long-term careers in construction and how can we work towards building and maintaining a more diverse workforce?

The Challenges Facing Women in the Construction Industry

The barriers women face in the construction industry fall into two categories – cultural and structural.

From a workplace culture standpoint, construction and other male-dominated industries are often very ‘macho’ or ‘blokey’, which can make women feel uncomfortable or even unsafe. Sexual harassment takes on many forms including leering and staring, using offensive language and inappropriate touching. This can lead to women feeling like their privacy has been invaded, as well as being treated differently to their male co-workers. A recent interview on ABC radio cited examples of construction sites without female toilets, or showers that didn’t lock and women didn’t feel safe to use.

Another problem is one of social exclusion – where male workers avoid interacting with their female colleagues personally and professionally. Examples include not inviting women to social occasions like lunches or drinks after work, making sexist jokes or sharing inappropriate photos and expecting women to do administrative tasks regardless of their roles. All of this culminates in the creation of a “boys club” work environment.

We asked our Brand Ambassador, Tallisha Harden, if she’d ever experienced social exclusion in her sporting career.

“I remember attending a formal sporting event when I was in my early 20s. The event was largely male-dominated and I found it very challenging to join in on conversations. I would make eye contact and smile at different people to generate some sort of response with no luck. I also couldn’t seem to find an ‘in’ conversational topic. I definitely felt out of place,” she said.

Structural barriers for women are no less significant. They include a lack of job flexibility, little or no career progression, significantly lower levels of pay compared to men for the same roles and a lack of commitment from leadership teams for improving gender diversity and equality.

Bias against women in the recruitment process is also both a structural and cultural issue in many construction businesses. Research for the Victorian Government’s Women in Construction Strategy identified a raft of obstacles for female candidates, including employers hiring through informal networks that ‘women do not have ready access to’ and using a metric of ‘cultural fit’ when hiring workers, which often excludes women.

The research also found most male workers are hired via informal recruitment processes, while most women workers are hired using formal processes. And that hiring managers are reluctant to offer roles to women ‘based on the belief that construction work is too difficult for women or that they will require parental leave’.

Tallisha has experienced firsthand what’s it’s like when women accomplish things that men don’t expect them to be able to do.

“I broke down on the side of the road with a flat tyre when I had just got my red p-plates. A lovely middle aged gentleman pulled over to help me. He honestly couldn’t believe that I had already managed to change the tyre by myself. I’m not sure if this shock was because of my age or my gender, but he was definitely impressed!,” she said.

“Sometimes this kind of stereotype is not malicious, but it does show what men sometimes think about women’s capabilities – especially with more physical tasks’.

How To Make the Workplace Fair for Women

While it seems there is a long way to go, there is certainly light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to gender diversity in the construction industry. As with the barriers and issues, it comes down to changing social/cultural norms and implementing structural pathways that encourage women to succeed.

Cultural change
• Using gender neutral language onsite
• Calling out discriminatory language or offensive behaviour
• Role modelling positive behaviour and identifying as an ally

Structural change
• Ensuring worksites are set up for female workers, e.g. toilets and showers
• Offering flexible work arrangements and parental leave entitlements
• Implementing zero-tolerance sexual harassment and discrimination policies
• Regularly reviewing salaries to close the pay gap
• Unibased recruitment, reward and recognition processes
• Creating opportunities for mentorship and networking for women in construction
• Setting quotas across all levels to create a more diverse workforce

The benefits of a diverse workforce have been proven time and time again, with examples stretching from increased productivity and communication, to improvements in the bottom line. Within construction specifically, there’s an opportunity to challenge the “old boys club” mentality and look to the future for ways to deliver new, innovative ways of working.

Thankfully, the tide is slowly turning, and more women are enrolling in construction and trades courses, while organisations such as The National Association for Women in Construction (NAWIC) are delivering new approaches to encourage high school-aged girls to pursue a path in the industry.

To Tallisha, the future is bright and there are many opportunities for everyone to make a difference.

“I’m really excited for what the future holds, and look forward to the day when we don’t talk about ‘gaps’ and ‘inequality’. We’ve got a long way to go in a few different industries – sport in particular – but we are slowly getting there,” she said.

Conclusion

Improving gender diversity in construction requires a shift in attitudes, assumptions and bias based on stereotypes. Such a shift would be part of a widespread and long-term campaign to affect social and workplace culture, with the support of employers, managers and the entire workforce.

An Indigenous-owned construction company, Kennelly Constructions is committed to making Australian workplaces more diverse and equitable for women and other marginalised groups. We pride ourselves on giving back to the communities we work with and strive to make Australian work sites excellent places to work. To find out how we can help with your next project, contact our team.

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According to research from Supply Nation, supplier diversity, specifically Indigenous procurement, represents an $8 billion opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, and could create around 19,000 jobs for Indigenous Australians. But what does this really look like in the lives of Indigenous individuals, communities and business leaders?

Teaming Up for Diversity

For Tallisha Harden – NRL player, Speech Pathologist at the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) and Brand Ambassador for First People Recruitment Solutions and Kennelly Constructions – the impact of supplier diversity is evident in both her personal and professional experiences.

As a proud Torres Strait Islander woman, diversity as a whole is something close to her heart and is a major “why” behind her many accomplishments. “I grew up in a low socioeconomic area, I’m in a same-sex relationship, I was one of the first in my family to get a tertiary education – these are all important components that make up who I am,” she explains.

This passion for promoting diversity is also a key reason why she actively connects with like-minded people in the community, including when she reached out to our Co-Director, Shane.

“Hearing Shane speak about the work his teams do, it really hit home how much significance they place on family and community,” she says. “That’s why I’m so excited about my role – when Shane was so open to having an Indigenous female Brand Ambassador, it was immediately clear to me that our values aligned in a big way.”

A Ripple Effect

Growing up, sport was always a big part of Tallisha’s life. Where she went to school (as with most primary schools at the time), girls typically played netball while rugby league was reserved for the boys. Tallisha spent an entire term trying to convince her Health and Physical Education teacher to let her play one game with the boys’ league team. Eventually, it worked! Tallisha had a formative encounter with the sport she loves, and in granting her the opportunity, her teacher unwittingly helped shape her adult life.

This experience perfectly encapsulates the spirit of supplier diversity; how the willingness to give people a fair go can create ripple effects that extend well beyond just one individual or business. In fact, Tallisha recently received an invitation to visit her former primary school, where she learned that girls now participate in rugby on a regular basis. Her determination set a precedent that created opportunities for the next generation of sportswomen; an impact that she is dedicating to replicating throughout her career.

Tallisha is a firm believer that, “you can’t be something if you can’t see something”, which is why uplifting people and businesses from minority groups is so crucial for making real change.

Driving Real Community Impact

In its ideal form, supplier diversity means supporting underrepresented businesses and the communities they operate in, and removing the barriers that prevent them from thriving. This has the roll-on effect of strengthening local economies, creating jobs and generally creating a more equitable world for all.

The work that Tallisha does with IUIH is the perfect example of what this looks like in action. The organisation delivers holistic health service that focuses on empowering the Indigenous individuals and families they work with to take control of their health and wellbeing.

In addition to having one of the highest Indigenous employment rates in the region, IUIH also facilitates a training program to create opportunities for local secondary school students, and actively maintains relationships with other organisations to create services at a grassroots level, ensuring there is consistent community involvement. Even the recent Queensland Murri Carnival, run by IUIH health promotion initiative Deadly Choices, intentionally utilised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers to support the event.

“It’s about responding directly to the needs of the community, listening to their feedback and taking the time to reflect when something doesn’t go right,” says Tallisha. “It’s also important to make a concerted effort to liaise with and include Indigenous-owned businesses. Ultimately, we’re operating on the land of the community we serve, so it’s vital that we acknowledge their cultural and intellectual property.”

Diverse Perspectives, Better Business

For Tallisha, supplier diversity comes down to being aware of our own world views – and the ways in which they are limited.

“Our unique perspectives are shaped by our values, how we grew up, the media and all the other little things that make up our unique journeys,” she explains. “My world view as a 29-year-old Torres Strait Islander female from a low socioeconomic community is going to be very different from peers of mine who grew up in rural or remote communities.”

Tallisha emphasises that supplier diversity doesn’t just benefit the Indigenous businesses themselves. All organisations stand to gain from embracing diverse supply chains.

“When we embrace diverse suppliers, there is a huge opportunity to benefit from these different world views, skill sets and ways of doing things. At the end of the day, this is only going to improve your product or service and make you more competitive in the marketplace.”

Kennelly Constructions is a leading Aboriginal contractor committed to increasing the participation of Indigenous people, and in particular Traditional Owners. In addition to being a Supply Nation certified business, we also use the directory to source other Indigenous-owned businesses to include in our supply chains.

For more information about our services or to find out how we’re supporting Indigenous engagement, feel free to get in touch.

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