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The Indigenous in Business Award The first Business Award for the first peoples of the nation
Since 2010 the EBA has acknowledged and celebrated the Indigenous contribution to business. The Indigenous in Business award category was the first award of its kind in this country and now it is the longest running and most prestigious.
As the EBA Indigenous Alumni grows, so too do the number of nominees. Each year more step forward to take to the stage and become role models just as the EBA had seen the migrants do since starting the awards in 1988.
Past Indigenous finalists and winners are now the core supporters of these awards and often express to us their appreciation for the EBA.
"THIS AWARD IS THE FIRST OF ITS TYPE THAT I AM EXTREMELY PASSIONATE ABOUT. ABORIGINAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SHOULD BE FOSTERED AND ENCOURAGED AS IT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES". THE HON. KEN WYATT PRESENTING AN AWARD TO THE 2011 WINNER
CLICK TO LISTEN TO FULL SPEECH
"FOR THE AWARDS SYMPHONY TO BE COMPLETE WE NEEDED TO INCLUDE THE CULTURE OF THE EARLIEST MIGRANTS, THE CUSTODIANS OF THIS LAND. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE INDIGENOUS BUSINESS CATEGORY ADDS SOUNDS AND HARMONIES THAT RESONATE BACK THROUGH THOUSANDS OF YEARS. TO THE VERY PLACE THAT HAS NURTURED US NEW AUSTRALIANS." JOSEPH ASSAF AO
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The Indigenous in Business Award Highly acclaimed and greatly supported by business
The creation of the Indigenous Business Award was believed to be an incentive to those Indigenous entrepreneurs who were forging successful careers on their own. The EBA created the platform to share Indigenous Success Stories with a wider audience, just as it had done for the migrant stories for the decades before.
The strong ties between SBS and NITV were particularly useful in this regard. Watching the Indigenous finalists speaking of their own journeys, their difficulties and their ultimate successes has been a key motivator to grow the award and establish its permanence. The EBA always believed Aboriginal entrepreneurs would accept and participate in the awards and stand with business owners from different backgrounds and cultures. All EBA finalists be they Indigenous or migrants are united by the desire to achieve and succeed.
"I THINK THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INDIGENOUS BUSINESS AWARD IN 2010 WAS A MASTERSTROKE OF JOSEPH'S". THE LATE MAJOR GENERAL MICHAEL JEFFERY AC, CVO, MC. CLICK TO WATCH SPEECH IN FULL
The Ethnic Business Awards History The Ethnic Business Awards (EBA) were created in 1988 by Mr Joseph Assaf AO to recognise the contribution of migrants to Australian business and the economy at large. In 2019 we proudly became a recognised not for profit charity foundation
The EBA’s are the longest running national business awards in the country. They have been attended by most of Australia's leaders. They have also been attended by Ambassadors, Premiers, Ministers, heads of business, Industry and media organisations. The event itself is by invitation only with approximately 300-400 guests attending.
With a rich 32 year history, the awards have had
“THIS IS THE COUNTRY WHERE I LIKE TO SAY IF YOU HAVE A GO, YOU GET A GO. AND THOSE WHO HAVE COME HERE TONIGHT AS FINALISTS I CONGRATULATE YOU FOR HAVING A GO, AND ENSURING THAT YOU’VE BEEN ABLE TO TRANSLATE THAT PASSION INTO SOMETHING VERY REAL.”
over 21,000 nominations from 102 countries of origin which have resulted in 247 Finalists and 94 Winners. The Indigenous in Business Award was created in
THE HON. SCOTT MORRISON PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA 2018 - PRESENT
2010, making it the first of its kind for Australia.
The Awards attract high quality business entries from an incredibly diverse group of nominees. All migrant nominees must be born in any country outside of Australia. The Indigenous nominees are all born in Australia.
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Judges Currently our judges are:-
General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK AC (Mil) CVO MC
Adam Goodes
Allan Gyngell AO
Eve Crestani
(Retd)
Sadly we recently lost our longest serving judge, Carla Zampatti AC AM who had been a judge since the awards began in 1988.
Past judges have included:- The late Major General the Honourable Michael Jeffery, AC, AO(Mil), CVO, MC (Retd) (2016-2020), Don Argus AC AO (2008 - 2014), Ziggy Switkowski (2008 - 2011), King Fong OAM (1988- 2006), Joseph Elu AO (2010 - 2012) the late John Saunders
“I THINK THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE AWARDS IS THAT THEY’RE NOT SIMPLY TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME TO AUSTRALIA AND THE DIFFICULTIES THEY HAVE OVERCOME AND THE SUCCESSES THAT THEY HAVE HAD, BUT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH IN THE BROADEST SENSE OF THAT TERM. SO I SEE THESE AS AUSTRALIAN STORIES AS MUCH AS I SEE THEM AS ETHNIC OR INDIGENOUS STORIES.”
(1988 - 1997), and the late Sir Nicholas Shehadie (1988 – 1998).
EBA Board Joseph Assaf AO (Chairman and Founder) The Hon Tony Abbott AC Tony Geagea Dr Van Nguyen Sunny Ngai Marko Franovic
ALLAN GYNGELL AO
2010-2019 EBA Indigenous in Business finalists men and women from all over the country, representing many industries
PICTURED ABOVE ARE SOME OF OUR EBA FINALISTS
The three Awards Categories
01
Indigenous in Business Open category for Indigenous Business owners
02
Small Business
03
Medium-Large Business
(with a turnover less than $10 million per annum)
(with a turnover greater than $10 million per annum)
Click to watch a link to a short four minute highlight video of the awards which captures much of the spirit and importance of the awards.
The Ethnic Business Awards Reach Since inception the Awards have been televised nationally.
In the last decade SBS as a sponsoring partner, has supported the awards with a minimum of two national screenings, each one being approximately two hours as well as additional coverage on SBS radio. NITV (National Indigenous TV) feature one broadcast of approximately two hours and Aurora Community Channel (173 Foxtel) screens the Awards approximately six times throughout the year with each one being approximately two hours. The Awards were also live on ABC Asia Pacific broadcasting to more than forty countries from 1990-2000.
In 2019 the EBA’s were broadcast via Facebook Livestream and reached 70,000 + viewers.
In addition to the above, there is extensive coverage through various media outlets especially non english media outlets and in particular in the following
"THIS IS A RATHER HEALTHY OPTION FOR THOSE ON A
STRICT DIET"
foreign language publications in Chinese, Arabic, Korean, Vietnamese, Indian and Greek.
In 2013 the Awards were held in the Great Hall of Parliament House as part of the Centenary Celebrations of Canberra. It was also the 25th anniversary of the awards. There were no calls for nominations that year however all previous finalists and winners competed for what we called the Champion of Champions.
On the occasion the Founder's speech drew attention to the mammoth financial success of people who are migrants and born overseas.This speech has been quoted many times since.
A commemorative book - 25 years of Celebrating Diversity was also produced to mark the occasion.
Click here to listen to the Founder and Chairman's speech.
The Vision WHAT THESE AWARDS BRING TO THE NATION The vision for the Ethnic Business Awards:-
To celebrate and highlight the myriad of benefits that cultural diversity brings to the nation, including the rich cultural heritage of our First Australians, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
To recognise and reward the contribution of migrants to the business landscape of Australia.
To provide role models for migrant and Indigenous communities to emulate.
Quotes...
Over a rich 32 year history the Ethnic Business Awards have been attended by almost every sitting Prime Minister. All are deeply moved and humbled by the contributions made by the finalists.
THE ETHNIC BUSINESS AWARDS FOUNDATION
The Founder JOSEPH ASSAF AO In 1967, at the age of 22, with no English, no money and no family, Joseph migrated to Australia from Lebanon in someone else’s shoes.
"Joseph has made a towering contribution to multiculturalism and to the business
In 1977, Joseph pioneered multicultural
community. His deep commitment to the
communications. He also served on many
values of innovation, tolerance and social
committees and worked on policy both
equity has become legendary.”
nationally and internationally. — The Hon Julia Gillard - 27th Prime Minister of Australia In 1988, Joseph founded the Ethnic Business Awards. These awards continue to celebrate the diversity and highlight the contribution migrants and Indigenous Australians have
In 2018 the National Archives of Australia produced a documentary on Joseph. This is his story in his own words.
brought to the nation.
Click here to view the interview.