The North Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Service (NAAFLS) is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation that services 45 remote communities across the Top End and Big Rivers Regions of the Northern Territory. NAAFLS provides culturally appropriate wrap-around legal and non-legal support to victim survivors of domestic and family violence that is holistic, strength-based and trauma-informed.
For over 12 years, NAAFLS has been tenants at AIG’s Indigenous Hub at 32 Dripstone Road, Casuarina. In 2022, we strengthened our partnership further, with NAAFLS engaging our business support services to fill a gap in their finance services. In mid-2024, we expanded our services to provide full bookkeeping and accounting services.
Our business support services
An exciting arm of AIG, we have been offering business support services to Aboriginal corporations for over 10 years.
Our services comprise five support categories: governance training, project management, grant writing, CEO, COO, CFO outsourcing, and bookkeeping.
The uniqueness of our business support is twofold:
- We too are an Aboriginal corporation, and we understand the complexities and challenges of the sector we work in.
- We have a team of highly skilled individuals as found in professional firms but at a discounted or free-of-charge service rate.
We recently sat down with NAAFLS’ new CEO, Cindy Torrens, to learn how our business support services have contributed to the organisation’s success.
“I joined NAAFLS in April 2024, at which time AIG was providing some business support services to the organisation. As a new CEO, I found AIG staff extremely competent, easy to deal with and 100% responsive to the changing financial needs of our organisation, this was particularly important as we were approaching the EOFY. Due to the need to streamline functions and continue to build financial efficiency, the decision was made shortly thereafter to completely outsource NAAFLS financials to AIG.
“This arrangement has allowed us to focus on the core business of the organisation while being confident that our business support needs were being managed by highly skilled and appropriately qualified accountants.
“I have seen firsthand how a lack of transparency can impact efficiency and jeopardise future funding. With AIG, there is an appropriate separation of duties and advice, and we are confident that, as an organisation, we are compliant with our funding obligations; our board is also confident that this part of the business is well in hand.”
If it wasn’t for AIG, would you have been able to achieve what you wanted with your business?
“AIG has provided best-practice business advisory and financial support. In a short amount of time, they have helped us move to Xero, providing financials in real time, helped us invest in our staff by creating a training budget, and supported us with some intricate human resources queries.
“We have grabbed hold of Talia with both hands! She is receptive, responsive, calm, and easy to understand, and her proximity and availability are incredible—she is literally next door!
“The price is highly competitive with an executive salary. I am telling anyone who will listen about AIG as I don’t know why others wouldn’t access this incredible service.”
You can get support too
If you’re an Aboriginal corporation or Aboriginal-owned business, we can help you too. AIG is a fast-moving, agile organisation staffed by highly skilled people who aren’t afraid of new ideas and trying new things.
When starting out, it isn’t feasible to have top-notch CFOs or experts in grant writing, for example. By using our business support services, you get quality staff when you need them.
Call (08) 8922 2666 to discuss your business ideas and how we can help bring them to life.
