This week marks a significant milestone. It has been 50 years since landmark reforms recognised the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and established NAIDOC as a national movement.
Today, Indigenous businesses are one of Australia’s fastest-growing business sectors, demonstrating that economic empowerment is fundamental to reconciliation.
The 2026 NAIDOC Week theme, “Fifty Years of Deadly,” celebrates five decades of NAIDOC Week and honours the survival, strength, resistance and creativity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It recognises the Elders, leaders, artists, activists and change makers who have carried the torch over generations and paved the way for future success.
While all Australians should take time throughout the year to deepen their understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture, NAIDOC Week provides a unique opportunity to reflect on how far we have come and how far we still have to go.
It is a time to acknowledge what has been achieved and to recognise those who have dedicated so much to advancing economic empowerment and greater self-determination for our people.
Trading and business have always been part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. For thousands of years, communities across Australia developed extensive trade networks through songlines and dreaming tracks that connected people, goods and knowledge across the continent.
From at least the early 1700s, Indigenous communities in northern Australia traded trepang (sea cucumber) with Makassan seafarers from what is now Sulawesi, Indonesia. This sophisticated international trading relationship connected First Nations communities to broader Asian markets through demand from China.
Entrepreneurship also continued despite the significant barriers imposed by colonisation.
Research undertaken in Western Australia found that between the introduction of the Land Regulations Act in 1887 and 1933, Indigenous men and women lodged at least 440 applications for agricultural leases.
In the 1960s, William Dunn OAM became the first Indigenous person to be granted a pastoral lease in Western Australia after decades of perseverance.
The land rights movement of the 1970s laid the foundation for greater asset ownership and created new opportunities for Indigenous enterprises, including conservation businesses and ranger programs that continue to make an important contribution to Australia’s economy.
The recognition of Native Title in the 1990s enabled new commercial partnerships and resource agreements, creating lasting economic opportunities, local employment and stronger communities.
More recently, the establishment of Supply Nation in 2009 and the introduction of the Indigenous Procurement Policy in 2015, which encourages Australian Government agencies to procure goods and services from verified Indigenous businesses, have helped accelerate the growth of today’s Indigenous business sector.
These businesses are delivering economic and social benefits across Australia. They are driving innovation, creating jobs, developing skills, strengthening communities and contributing to the prosperity of the nation.
Building a successful business requires understanding, respect and trust. It requires listening and ensuring every voice is heard.
These are the same principles that inform conversations within a Sand Circle.
A Sand Circle celebrating performance, knowledge sharing and conversation will form the centrepiece of this year’s Indigenous Business Tradeshow as part of Supply Nation’s Connect 2026, to be held in Boorloo (Perth) on 11–12 August 2026.
More than 220 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned businesses from across Australia will exhibit at the Tradeshow, and showcase their products and services to corporate, government and not-for-profit buyers.
This year’s exhibitors represent an extraordinary breadth of industries, including mining, engineering, industrial services, information technology, cybersecurity, creative industries, health and safety, consumer products and professional services.
The Connect 2026 Knowledge Forum on 11 August and the Indigenous Business Tradeshow on 12 August, provide opportunities to learn, share ideas, build relationships and create new commercial partnerships.
Connect is Australia’s largest and longest-running event dedicated to the Indigenous business sector, attracting thousands of attendees across the two-day program. It is where real deals are done.
In the 2024-25 financial year Supply Nation’s corporate, government and not-for-profit member organisations spent $5.83 billion procuring products and services from verified Indigenous businesses.
During this NAIDOC Week, I encourage more Australians to learn about the remarkable contribution Indigenous businesses are making to our national economy. One of the best ways to do that is by attending Connect 2026.
I believe many people will be surprised by the calibre, diversity and innovation of the Indigenous businesses on display.
As we celebrate 50 years of NAIDOC, it is important to honour the sacrifices and determination of the Elders and leaders who fought for the opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to participate fully in Australia’s economy.
At the same time, we should celebrate today’s Indigenous business owners and entrepreneurs who are turning those hard-won opportunities into lasting prosperity, stronger communities, and greater economic empowerment and self-determination for future generations.
For more information on Connect, visit: https://supplynation.com.au