Mr Carr was responding to a Question Without Notice from Wollongong Labor MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Aboriginal Affairs, Mr Col Markham – one of the State’s strongest supporters of Aboriginal reconciliation.

Ten senior business people -- five indigenous and five non-indigenous -- would provide high-level advice and contacts to advance indigenous economic development and job creation.

Mr Carr said the Roundtable would support the implementation of the Budyari Ngalaya: First Peoples’ Business Partnerships program.
The objectives of the Roundtable include:

• Assisting the setting up and growth of sustainable Aboriginal businesses;
• Increasing the capacity of Aboriginal communities to implement strategic plans for the development of their own local economies;
• Provide advice and recommendations to the State Government on initiatives and strategies to help promote economic development for Aboriginal communities; and
• Provide leadership and ideas to create partnerships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal individuals, communities and businesses.

Leading Aboriginal businesswoman, Ms Leah Armstrong, would chair the Roundtable.

Ms Armstrong is general manager – economic division – of Yarnteen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation, a Hunter based company providing bulk warehousing and rural commodity handling, conference and catering services, tourism, accommodation and property investment.

Mr Carr said this Roundtable would build on the work already being done by the State Government to support and encourage business development in Aboriginal communities.
Already in train, the State Government supports the Aboriginal Communities Development Program and the Indigenous Advisory Service.

Members of the Australian Business Roundtable:

• Ms Leah Armstrong- General Manager Yanteen Aboriginal Corporation (Chair);
• Mr Andrew Hegedus- General Manager Durahrwa Training and Development Corporation;
• Mr John Moriarty, Chair and Head of Design, Balrinji Design;
• Mr Sam Jeffries, Chair, Murdi Paaki ATSIC Regional Council;
• Ms Adell Hyslop, Policy and Research Officer, NSW Aboriginal Land Council;
• Mr Guy Russo, Managing Director and CEO, McDonalds Australia
• Mr Dugald Russell, CEO, Eurest Australia;
• Mr Roger Bamber, Managing Director, Telstra Country Wide, NSW Region;
• Mr Neville Roach, Chair, Fujitsu Australia; and
• Mr Rick Farley, Managing Director, Farley Consulting Group.