TRANSCRIPT:
Corey Turner is the owner of Adelaide's Living Kaurna Culture Centre, one of the many local businesses founded by members of the Indigenous community.
He says he wants to share the knowledge of his heritage.
"We are about really building people's education about First Nations people, particularly here in Adelaide. We want to make sure that everyone's familiar and they recognise that they're on Kaurna country. And we like taking younger people and educating them."
The family company is among a growing number of Indigenous-led businesses to expand the reach of their traditional knowledge through entrepreneurship.
Michelle Evans is an Associate Professor in Leadership Management and Marketing for the University of Melbourne.
"What you're seeing out of the Indigenous business sector is these businesses that are quite incredible, that individuals and family groups are able to put not only just an incredible work ethic to get these businesses growing, but are bringing their expertise, their cultural knowledge."
In 2022, the Reserve Bank reported the First Nations sector had expanded at a pace of four per cent between 2006 and 2018.
A new snapshot of the sector, which examined more than 13 and a half thousand First Nations led businesses and traders, suggests that percentage has now accelerated to between 6 and 12 per cent for small businesses.
Malandarri McCarthy is the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians.
"To have this kind of study reveal early indications of positivity around First Nations businesses thriving certainly is very encouraging."
Access to capital and financial knowledge remain potential barriers, making government support - including tailored contracts - crucial to success.
Professor Evans says local community support is also significant.
"Everyday Australians can get behind Indigenous businesses by buying from Indigenous businesses. And the best way to be able to find those excellent businesses is to look at the Indigenous business directories like your local Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce or Supply Nation."
Cain Polidano is an Associate Professor at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research.
He says Indigenous businesses help communities thrive.
"One of the most important benefits is just opportunities for Indigenous people to develop wealth - and also employment, including jobs in regional and remote areas. But also in terms of sharing cultural knowledge. So a lot of businesses, when they go about their day-to-day, they're sharing Indigenous knowledge that's been developed over 60,000 years."
