Skip to content
Business Company News, Indigenous

Melbourne hearing for inquiry into improving the economic self-determination for First Nations Australians

Parliament of Australia < 1 mins read

The Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs will hold a public hearing in Melbourne on 19 July for the inquiry into improving the economic prosperity for First Nations Australians.

The Committee is looking forward to hearing firsthand from Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations at the forefront of business enterprise, about the barriers to and opportunities for economic development for First Nations people.

The Committee will discuss the latest research from the Dilin Duwa – Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership and the University of Melbourne about the enormous contribution of Indigenous businesses to the Australian economy and job creation in local communities.

Other First Nations organisations will provide insights into opportunities offered by Treaty and renewable energy projects for boosting the First Nations workforce and unlocking economic potential.

Chair of the Committee, Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba woman Senator Jana Stewart, said ‘Blak-owned organisations in Victoria are at the cutting edge of creating economic prosperity in their communities. It is critical that we examine their knowledge and insights about the pathway to economic independence and long-term wealth creation.’

Further information on the inquiry, including the program for the public hearing at the Legislative Council Committee Room, Parliament of Victoria on Friday 19 July is available on the Committee’s website.

Media enquiries

Office of Senator Jana Stewart
Media contact: Hannah Purdy
0438 003 838

More from this category

  • Indigenous, Oil Mining Resources
  • 06/03/2026
  • 10:11
House of Representatives

Critical minerals: have your say

TheHouse of Representatives Standing Committee on Primary Industriesis conducting an inquiry into factors shaping social licence and economic development outcomes for critical minerals projects across Australia and is seeking written submissions to guide the inquiry’s findings. The inquiry has already received over fifty submissions from a range of stakeholders, but the Committee is keen to hear from more individuals and organisations, especially those operating directly in the critical minerals field and communities with an interest in or who are impacted by critical mineral developments. Committee Chair,Meryl Swanson, said: ‘We have heard from miners, farmers, local governments, community organisations, Indigenous organisations…

  • Government Federal, Indigenous
  • 05/03/2026
  • 15:21
Centre for Indigenous People and Work (CIPW)

Parliamentary Inquiry should look at workplace racism

Racism against First Nations people in the workplace should feature in the parliamentary inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people announced today, according to UTS Sydney’sCentre for Indigenous People and Work (CIPW). Director ofCIPW,Prof Nareen Young,welcomed the Inquiry as an important mechanism to explore the extent of workplace racism and recommend strategies to eradicate this. “Our research has found that racism against First Nations people in the workplace remains stubbornly prevalent,” Prof Young said. “At the current rate of progress, without further policy or legislative change, it could take another 118 years for…

  • Government Federal, Indigenous
  • 05/03/2026
  • 14:32
Australian Human Rights Commission

Commissioners welcome Senate Inquiry into racism against First Peoples

The Australian Human Rights Commission welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement of a Senate Inquiry into racism against First Peoples, to be conducted by the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. TheInquiry was announced by Indigenous Affairs Minister Malarndirri McCarthyandwill examine the forms, impacts and drivers of racism experienced by First Peoples, and the changes needed to address it. Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss and Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman said the inquirycannot be another exercise in diagnosis.This new Inquiry must drive action - not replace it. Decades of evidence For decades, national processes have documented the…

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.