How do we reframe the current social issue narrative to economic uplift for Indigenous Australians?

Candid Conversation with Ian Hamm

Hosted by Dr Marianne Broadbent

The most productive direction we can take to improve Aboriginal Equity is shifting discussion from one of social policy alone and expand to economic policy.  What is being done to accelerate economic equity by governments, Indigenous organisations and the wider private and NFP sectors? Why have the ‘Closing the Gap’ initiatives delivered disappointing results?  On any measure the achievements and advancements from interventions to date have been small compared to the large investments made. 

The short answer is that social policy alone does not improve whole of life outcomes; at best it can stop a bad day getting worse and sometimes make an incremental gain. Real improvements in life circumstances comes through economic uplift – so why have we not seriously applied the potential of economic opportunity to First Peoples?  There are multiple reasons for this, but primary one – a failure of aspiration and imagination.

It is time to expand from the social to the economic lens – to reframe the narrative around what it is that Aboriginal people bring to the economy that will benefit all Australians. How can and should this impact can be better known and how can it continue to improve?
 

Ian Hamm (FAICD, FIPAA) is a Yorta Yorta with extensive government and community sector experience, particularly at executive and governance levels. He has had wide exposure to, and led, policy reform and program implementation for both the State and Federal Governments at executive level, mostly notably in Aboriginal Affairs. 

Since 2000, Ian has been a board member of a range of NFPs, including a number as Chair. Ian currently chairs the Indigenous Land & Sea Corporation and First Nations Foundation. His other current Board appointments include being a Director of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance, the ACNC, The Healing Foundation, Holmesglen TAFE and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is a sessional Panel member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority and Planning Panels Victoria. 

He has been actively involved in the Victorian Indigenous community in a personal and professional capacity for over 30 years. He is passionate about and devoting himself to improving the representation of Aboriginal people on boards and other high-level governance, through strategic action, advocacy and mentoring.

Please join us to hear from Ian, an active leader in the Victorian Indigenous community in a personal and professional capacity for over 30 years.