Strength through collaboration: How Aboriginal Investment NT is enabling growth for Mob
Indigenous Business Month is a time that always feels special to me. I live and breathe Indigenous business; working alongside mob, celebrating their wins and pushing for more opportunities to make sure our voices are heard in every room and across every sector.
For me, this month is not just a celebration. It is a reminder of the resilience and brilliance of our people, and the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses continue to shape the future of this country.
The 2025 theme, Strength through Collaboration, speaks strongly to the way we operate as a collective. Our people have always worked together. Collaboration is part of who we are. It is how we share knowledge, support one another and make sure no one is left behind. In business, it means finding those
partnerships grounded in culture and respect that help us build something bigger than ourselves.
When I think about collaboration in this space, I want to recognise the impact being made by Aboriginal Investment NT. Based here in the Northern Territory, the organisation is enabling the growth of Indigenous businesses and communities by showing how Aboriginal-led governance, financial discipline and cultural responsibility can come together to build something powerful. It is not just about managing money. It is about creating futures grounded in self-determination and intergenerational prosperity.
This year, Aboriginal Investment NT reached an important milestone. Its Future Fund has hit 50 per cent of its $500 million target, with $250 million now invested for the long-term benefit of Aboriginal Territorians. That figure represents more than capital. It represents trust, discipline and the strength of a vision that puts Aboriginal people firmly in control of their own resources and priorities.
Aboriginal Investment NT manages two funds that work hand in hand. The Future Fund focuses on steady, long-term growth, creating intergenerational wealth that sets up future leaders. The Community Ready Fund supports Aboriginal-led projects happening right now in communities across the Territory. It is a balance between looking after today and building for tomorrow; and it is a model that reflects the way our people have always worked.
Chief Investment Officer Brian Wyborn describes it best.
"Crossing this 50 per cent milestone signals that we are well on our way to ensuring Aboriginal Territorians have greater control over the resources to support their future," he said.
"The Future Fund is about creating a secure foundation so communities can contribute funds towards what matters to them, in ways that reflect their cultures and aspirations."
Since its first investments in December 2024, the Future Fund has already delivered a return of 3.1 per cent in its first financial year. That might sound technical, but what it really means is this: the Fund is not only growing in value, it is creating a stable income stream that will provide support for generations without eroding the capital that sits at its heart. That is long-term thinking in action.
The organisation itself is Aboriginal-led and grounded in culture. Its Board is made up of Aboriginal members fromthe four Northern Territory Land Councils, bringing both professional knowledge and lived connection to Country and community. That blend of expertise and cultural insight ensures every decision is made with accountability and respect.
Right now, Aboriginal Investment NT manages $680 million in capital, sourced from the Aboriginal Benefits Account, which comes from mining royalty equivalents under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (Northern Territory) Act 1976. By putting this capital in Aboriginal hands, it ensures that wealth is not extracted away from communities but invested back into them in ways that strengthen culture and create opportunity.
The plan ahead is clear. The Future Fund will continue to grow in $62.5 million instalments each quarter until it reaches its $500 million target by September 2026. Reaching the halfway point shows what is possible when Aboriginal-led investment strategies are backed with vision and discipline.
As someone who works in this space every day, I see how achievements like this ripple across our communities. They create confidence, fuel opportunities and prove that Aboriginal-led solutions deliver real and lasting results.
Aboriginal Investment NT's milestone is more than a financial achievement; it is a statement of self-determination, a recognition of the power of culture in shaping investment, and a promise to future generations that prosperity will be built and shared on our terms.
Nicole Brown, National Indigenous Times, October 7 2025