About the Alliance
The First Nations Economic Empowerment Alliance (Alliance) is an association of First Nations-led organisations and experts committed to advancing First Nations economic rights and interests in Australia. The Alliance advocates for economic policy solutions to drive First Nations economic prosperity and to support improved national economic outcomes.
We are guided by evidence, united by purpose and committed to securing long-term economic empowerment for First Nations people.
We bring experience from across the country — in community, business, academia, finance and government — and we are working in genuine partnership to design a stronger, more inclusive economy.
We believe economic empowerment must be rooted in the inherent rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the original owners and custodians of Australia’s lands and waters. It must honour and protect our cultural practices, languages, values, and ways of life, ensuring our distinct identity as First Peoples is respected and sustained.
Why We've Come Together
For too long, the economic system has excluded First Nations people. Despite our deep knowledge, innovation and connection to Country, structural barriers continue to limit our participation — and Australia is poorer for it.
We’ve come together to change that. The Alliance is working with the Australian government, the Coalition of Peaks, industry and communities to implement the First Nations Economic Partnership and co-design the Economic Empowerment Framework. This work will ensure Indigenous inclusion is built into the foundations of our economy — not added on at the end.
This is about more than closing gaps. It’s about creating opportunity, unlocking potential and making economic empowerment a reality for all First Nations people.
Economic empowerment must be advanced from a rights-based foundation where we are seen as equals, as partners in the nation and its economy. This is, and has to be, the first principles of any reform.
Our Vision
We envision a self-determined and thriving First Nations economy where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are not just participants, but leaders in shaping an inclusive, prosperous, and globally respected future. This economy is founded on sovereignty, innovation, and cultural integrity, with Indigenous-led institutions driving lasting, generational change.
Our Goals
Structural change: lasting reform that embeds First Nations leadership and participation in economic policy, investment, and decision-making, driving tangible outcomes for First Nations people through increased economic autonomy, wealth creation, and opportunities for self-determined growth.
Shift the narrative: Drive a transformative shift in how Australia views and engages with First Nations economic potential, and ensure First Nations economies are visible, valued, and recognised as essential to the nation’s prosperity.
Quote by Professor Peter Yu: “We need to embrace change through economic reform that draws a line in the sand and enables us to set a new path defining Indigenous modernity and our relationship with modern Australia based on a new fiscal and economic partnership.”
Our Priorities
Our work is focused on achieving meaningful, measurable progress through:
A formal partnership with the Australian Government to embed First Nations leadership into economic policy and the co-design of a long-term, structural blueprint for ensuring economic inclusion, investment, and opportunity across all sectors.
policy reforms
Conduct applied research that is “in service of community” and reforms economic policy, financial, and institutional frameworks.
Bringing together voices from across Country and industry to shape practical solutions rooted in lived experience.
Foster First Nations-to-First Nations knowledge exchange, cultural diplomacy, and international collaborations.