AIG has had the pleasure of working closely with three Aboriginal Corporations for almost a decade, providing food security, business support and project management.

Our involvement with the Bagala, Wirib and Gunamu Aboriginal Corporations peaked in 2022 when AIG was managing the operations of two stores, a commercial bus, a tourist park, short-term accommodation, leases for multiple properties, a remote laundry and over $7 million in grants and project management across the three entities.

Local decision-making and self-determination underpin our reasons for providing these services and our enduring goal is to have clients transition to self-management. 

The road to self-determination 

AIG commenced discussion about the transition to self-management with Bagala in early 2022. Since that time, we applied for funding for a general manager and recruited for this position in August 2023 and as of 30 June 2024, the two-year transition strategy back to Bagala was completed.

After four years of working with Wirib and Gunamu, in March 2023, having also secured funding for a general manager, they moved to self-management of the Wirib Store, Café and Tourism Park. Read more about the transition here.

Our business support services model ensures our experience and skill are imparted in such a way, that we build capability for the Aboriginal-controlled organisations we serve, and when they are ready to take the reins, as Bagala, Wirib and Gunamu are, they do so with an enhanced set of skills, knowledge and expertise, underpinned by strong processes and robust systems.

It’s been a privilege

Our business support services model is unique because we are an Aboriginal corporation too. We understand intimately the complex challenges for Aboriginal-controlled organisations to grow strong and successful, and to be a part of the growth of Bagala, Wirib and Gunamu Aboriginal Corporations towards self-determination has been a privilege.

We’re excited for these entities and the communities they support and we are truly delighted with the amazing outcomes that have been created across the last nine years.