History

The Gidyea Tree

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been trading across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region for over 60,000 years.

The Gidyea Tree is one of the many Indigenous cultural stories that is a metaphor on how relationships are central to our ways of being in creating sustainability and prosperity.

“The Gidyea Tree is a metaphor for cultural hubs of family connections, places and communities that are the central core of strength upon which opportunities are grown”

Leann Wilson, Bidjara Kara Kara descendent
Managing Director – Regional Economic Solutions

Need

The-Need_graphic

The ABS (2016 Census) identified there were approximately 11,538 Indigenous/ First Nations business owner-managers in Australia.
In Queensland, it is estimated that there are approximately 3,176 Indigenous owner-managers.

The environment for growth in the Indigenous business sector is further fuelled by the focus on:

  • Federal and State Indigenous Procurement Policies under review
  • The National Closing the Gap target refresh included economic participation of Indigenous people and communities.
  • The 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympic Games procurement commitment

Queensland is the only Australian jurisdiction that does not have a dedicated independent body that represents Indigenous business interests.