WA’s $250K Push for Aboriginal Business Leadership Signals Long-Term Growth Potential

June 23, 2025 12:01 PM AEST | By Team Kalkine Media

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WA’s $250K Push for Aboriginal Business Leadership Signals Long-Term Growth Potential — Image source: shutterstock

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Highlights

$250,000 invested in Aboriginal business leadership

72 Indigenous start-ups supported since 2017

Rising Indigenous participation in WA’s resources sector

Western Australia is strengthening its support for Indigenous enterprise development with a new $250,000 investment through its Aboriginal Business Leadership Initiative. Aimed at uplifting Aboriginal-led businesses, the 2025-26 program will be rolled out in the Goldfields-Esperance region, building on a successful framework launched in 2017.

The initiative is administered by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development along with the Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission. A key focus of the program is to engage an Aboriginal service provider to facilitate the delivery, ensuring cultural alignment and deep community impact.

Since its inception, this leadership initiative has supported 72 Aboriginal start-ups across six major regions including the Mid West, Goldfields-Esperance, Wheatbelt, Great Southern, South West, and Gascoyne. It’s a clear sign of commitment to grassroots business capacity building, especially in areas rich in mining activity.

Stephen Dawson, Regional Development Minister, emphasized the program’s tailored and flexible design. Participants are offered a unique six-month mentorship covering both personal leadership and business development — creating a strong foundation for sustainable growth. This aligns with broader efforts to bring more inclusivity into Australia's economic fabric, particularly within the mining and resources sector.

Such initiatives resonate with the evolving landscape of the ASX200-listed resources companies, many of which are investing in community-focused frameworks.

The shift goes beyond tokenistic engagement. As highlighted by the Minerals Council of Australia’s Principal Advisor of Indigenous Partnerships and Communities, Matt Denyer, building partnerships tailored to the distinct needs of each Indigenous community is key. Denyer’s work focuses on collaborative co-design between Indigenous groups and the resources sector to forge stronger leadership pipelines.

Recent data reinforces this positive trajectory. According to Mining.com.au, Indigenous participation in WA’s resources industry has increased by 0.4% since 2021, now representing 5.6% of the workforce. The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA further reports that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples now account for 3% of management roles — up from 0.9% in 2021.

With leading mining players such as BHP Group (ASX:BHP) and Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) operating in these regions, the increased focus on Indigenous inclusion may pave the way for long-term, mutually beneficial outcomes. Such empowerment models offer both economic and social returns, embedding resilience and local expertise into regional development.

As attention intensifies on ESG performance and inclusive growth, WA’s targeted investments in Aboriginal business leadership are shaping a more equitable and collaborative future.

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