Business enterprise and aspirations
Overview
We aim to develop and expand the scope of business enterprises managed on our land which will provide more opportunities for participation of Aboriginal people in these businesses. Driving the change from passive to active land management is a process of self-determination which has been proven to be a successful strategy to achieve positive change. This success is based on key factors such as:
- The community having ownership of, and control over decision making.
- Culture must be central to the program; including an understanding of local context, history and community leaders.
- Local Indigenous staff work on the program or in the organisation.
- Good corporate governance exists.
- Trusted partnerships are established.
There are active business enterprises already being managed by our members. These include sheep and beef production, training and education, social services and catering. Our members aspire to further develop these existing enterprises while also adding to the mix of business activities. Bush food production, honey, sandalwood, cultural tourism, social services and other mainstream agriculture and horticulture enterprises have all been identified as future opportunities for growth.
As a grower group, we can provide opportunities for our members to benefit from collective scale in areas such as product branding, information sharing and trialling and testing new techniques such as bush foods propagation and establishment. Scale has benefits including maximising return on investment, coping with market downturns and/or poor seasonal conditions, developing stronger downstream supply chain relationships, natural resource management, and finding a more strategic approach to decision making.
NLE branding on products can promote cultural awareness, identify product quality and supply chain and support natural resource management. This may capture market premiums whether it be for honey, bush foods, cultural tourism or mainstream agricultural products such as lamb or beef.