Why is this important?
Councils are major consumers in local economies, especially in rural and regional areas.
They can play a greater role in supporting Aboriginal economic development by purchasing goods and services from Aboriginal owned and run businesses. A business relationship can benefit council, the Aboriginal business and the local community.
What can your council do?
The 2012 Victorian Local Government Aboriginal Engagement and Reconciliation Survey found that 64% of councils have to varying levels procured some goods or services from Aboriginal businesses. The services includes performance, heritage services, catering and land management.
Good Practice Example
The City of Melbourne has developed an Aboriginal Procurement Strategy to help Aboriginal businesses supply their services to council. The City of Melbourne has set a target of 0.9 percent of its annual budget ($2.25 million) over three years. To commence and promote this strategy the City of Melbourne delivered an Aboriginal Supplier Expo in partnership with Supply Nation. The expo showcased a wide variety of service providers, from Aboriginal recruitment and catering to horticulture and construction. Open to all City of Melbourne employees, the expo was an opportunity for staff to meet Aboriginal service providers and better understand how they might procure goods and services from them. The City of Melbourne also participates in the Jawun Secondment Program, which connects council employees with the Aboriginal community across Australia through a six-week secondment program. Now in its second year, four City of Melbourne staff participate in the program each year.
Last Updated: March 22, 2017 at 12:07 pm
