NSW Aboriginal Business Taskforce 

In March 2025, the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, David Harris announced a new Aboriginal Business Taskforce to lead the growth of the state’s Aboriginal business sector.  

Taskforce members are providing the Minister and NSW Government with timely, strategic advice on the Aboriginal business sector and how it can be supported to grow.     

The taskforce members bring extensive knowledge and experience of setting up and running Aboriginal businesses across the state.    

The taskforce is a key initiative of the NSW Roadmap for Aboriginal Business Growth and the bi-annual NSW Aboriginal Business Roundtables, to help ensure the voices of Aboriginal business owners and managers are heard by government.    
 

videocam 1:16

• Adam Goodes  

• Doug Delaney      

• Luke McIlroy-Ranga      

• Malinda Rutter      

• Melissa Fletcher    

• Phillip Usher      

• Sharon Winsor      

• Terri-Anne Daniel     

NSW is unique in having a specific Closing the Gap priority reform (Reform 5) that focuses on Aboriginal economic prosperity, jobs and nurturing business.    

A thriving Aboriginal business sector is a great thing for NSW. It leads to economic prosperity and employment for Aboriginal people, which is fundamental to supporting better life outcomes and opportunities for everyone.   

It supports better outcomes in skills, education and training; increased home ownership, better outcomes in health and justice; and greater independence, empowerment and self-determination.   

The NSW Government is committed to supporting initiatives such as the Taskforce that empower Aboriginal businesses because they have a proven multiplier benefit for Aboriginal communities.    

Aboriginal businesses are also much more likely to employ and upskill Aboriginal people.  

First Nations businesses contribute more than $16 billion to the Australian economy, employ more than 116,000 people and pay $4.2 billion in wages.

In NSW, we have more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses than any other state, accounting for 30% of Australia’s share.