Conference puts boosting Indigenous accounting and finance skills on the business agenda

The vital role accounting and business skills play in the success of Indigenous communities will be explored at a Deakin University conference in Geelong today.

Hosted by the Deakin Business School, the Indigenous Accounting and Business Conference will bring together business and finance leaders, researchers and policymakers from Australia and overseas to raise awareness of cultural issues and address the underrepresentation of Indigenous individuals in business professions.

“Of the approximately 200,000 qualified accountants in Australia, less than 40 are self-identified as Indigenous Australians,” said Dr Luisa Lombardi, conference organiser and Deakin Business School senior lecturer.

“There is clearly still work to be done to raise the participation and employment of Indigenous peoples in the business professions and to show how skills in accounting and finance are equally valuable to Indigenous communities as are law, teaching, medicine and nursing.

“Through this conference we aim to continue to raise the consciousness around the role business and finance can play and the strategies for economic development, business education and business growth; and do so in a positive, interesting and culturally safe manner.”

This year’s conference will build on the success of the inaugural event on 2015. Conference presentations will follow the theme of ‘Cultural Inclusion in Business’.

Topics to be covered include: the national and international perspective on Indigenous businesses; government initiatives and outcomes; embedding cultural knowledge in the business professions; perspectives from Indigenous business students; Indigenous not-for-profit organisations; the role of financial literacy in Indigenous communities.

The keynote speakers will be Robynne Quiggin, Deputy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner; Laura Berry, Chief Executive Officer of Supply Nation; Professor Mark Rose, Chair/Chancellor of Batchelor Indigenous Institute of Tertiary Education Darwin and Executive Director of the Office of Indigenous Strategy and education, La Trobe University; and Amanda Young, Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Foundation.

Dr Lombardi said that the presentations and feedback from last year’s conference showed that Indigenous representation in business was heading in a positive direction.

“There was a great sense of inclusiveness and comradery and passion among participants to ensure Indigenous representation is firmly on the business agenda across the spectrum of business and finance companies, policy makers and the education sector,” Dr Lombardi said.

“Historically, there have been barriers to Indigenous peoples world-wide taking on roles in business.

“For example, through my research I have found that whilst accounting in the hands of non-Indigenous peoples has acted as a tool of disempowerment, it is possible to move to a place where accounting in the hands of Indigenous peoples for Indigenous peoples can be a tool of empowerment.

“The conference will provide an open forum where participants can raise awareness of the cultural issues and expand and further cement knowledge of a culturally inclusive approach to Indigenous business.”

The Deakin Business School Indigenous Accounting and Business Conference will be held from 26—27 October at Deakin University’s Geelong Waterfront Campus.