Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The Commonwealth leadership in supporting Indigenous businesses has created a real shift in the Indigenous business landscape. It can be called nothing else but the soft bigotry, the passive racism of low expectations that had to be overcome. Many had a perception that Indigenous businesses simply could not deliver.

One of the most outstanding successes of this procurement policy is that we have been able to demonstrate that Indigenous businesses are fantastic business partners. They provide fantastic competitive goods and services on time and on budget. States and territories have recognised this and, for the first time, are now introducing by agreement their own Indigenous procurement policies through COAG. The City of Sydney has led the pack with local government, and I congratulate them. I recently met with the City of Brisbane and they are keen to make Indigenous procurement part of their business. I was pleased at the Supply Nation-Connect 2017 conference that the Business Council of Australia— (Time expired)