Joe Biden and Indigenous leader Tom Calma put focus on First Nations business
The prominent Indigenous leader was the only Australian singled out by US President Joe Biden for a lengthy chat during the arrival ceremony for Anthony Albanese at the White House.
University of Canberra chancellor and prominent Indigenous leader Tom Calma – the only Australian singled out by US President Joe Biden for a lengthy chat during the arrival ceremony for Anthony Albanese at the White House – is backing a US-Australia commitment to drive closer business links between First Nations peoples.
The US President approached Mr Calma following the Prime Minister’s arrival at the White House South Lawn on Wednesday, local time, to discuss their 2016 encounter in Sydney and the US government’s commitment to Indigenous businesses and procurement.
A new US-Australia strategic co-operation alliance focused on innovation released by Mr Biden and the Prime Minister includes initiatives to drive greater collaboration between Native Americans and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Mr Calma, who attended the White House state dinner as a guest of the Prime Minister, said: “I was the only one who had a chat with him (Mr Biden).
“It was good. It was a brief reminiscence of when he was down in 2016 as vice-president and I had dinner with him down in Sydney and he recalled that,” Mr Calma told The Australian.
“We just talked about the American government’s commitment to Indigenous businesses and procurement and I indicated we had the same sort of commitment in Australia and that I was about to go into a roundtable after the event.
“The roundtable was between Native American and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and Supply Nation from our side and the American Indigenous business group here.”
The US-Australia joint leaders’ statement released following meetings at the White House, said: “We acknowledge the richly diverse cultures of Indigenous Peoples in the United States and Australia, and both governments reiterate our commitment to working in partnership with Native Hawaiians, Native American Tribes, and First Nations Peoples.
“We have also committed to work together – and in genuine partnership with Indigenous businesses and stakeholders from both the United States and Australia – to grow opportunities for our Indigenous Peoples to enjoy the economic prosperity created by our two-way trade and investment,” the statement from Mr Biden and Mr Albanese read.
“We welcome the opportunities that will be created by the US announcement of new funding that will work with Australian government programs to support ongoing dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and increased business opportunities for our Indigenous Peoples over the coming months and years.”
A roundtable was held in Washington on Wednesday, local time, bringing together Indigenous businesses and government leaders from across the US and Australia.
Supply Nation, whose Australian Indigenous business delegation is travelling across the US “to grow important Indigenous commercial and cultural ties”, is a successful Australian business established in 2009 with 13 certified suppliers and 32 corporate and government members. It now works with thousands of organisations.
Mr Calma, who attended the US-Australia roundtable, said there were differences between the US government’s interface with Native Americans compared with the Australian experience.
“It’s very different because on their tribal lands they have the ability to determine the tax regime and they also have subsurface mineral rights and petroleum rights. So, they’ve been able to generate income off their land whereas we don’t. There’s also other tax incentives that they get opportunities to access,” he said.
“Supply Nation from Australia has been working with the Indigenous business groups from over here and there’s been a number of trade missions coming over, so this was an opportunity to try and cement those relationships and to look at opportunities that will progress. It is a very positive move. Supply Nation is our peak body down in Australia and doing a great job.”
More Coverage
Price to retain business program
A Coalition government would retain the Indigenous procurement policy that has delivered $10bn to businesses owned or part-owned by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Indigenous-owned firms to get bigger contracts slice
Companies controlled and majority owned by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will be awarded more commonwealth contracts in an expanded Indigenous procurement policy.