ASFI focuses on elevating First Nations voices and lived experience into all areas of ASFI’s work to ensure these perspectives, knowledge and expertise are shaping the development of sustainable finance in Australia.
Elevating First Nations People, Perspectives and Outcomes into Finance
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First Nations and Finance
The finance sector must play an influential role in supporting First Nations self-determination. Financing and investment underpin all corporate and business activities, and the right financial products can unlock and accelerate an Indigenous economy.
The focus of ASFI’s work in this area is on system-level changes in the financial system, with an institutional rather than retail finance focus. During 2025, ASFI will continue to grow this area of work by improving disclosures of First Nations impacts and outcomes by corporates and financial institutions, elevating First Nations perspectives into sustainable finance, and through policy and regulator engagement to enable success.
ASFI has established a First Nations Reference Group to guide our work.
ASFI has established a First Nations Reference Group to guide our work in this area.
First Nations Reference Group
ASFI has established a First Nations Reference Group to guide our efforts for the four focus areas mentioned above and across our other work programs.
Our members are listed below. We value the lived experience, subject matter expertise and community and industry connections they all bring to the table:
Rebecca Blurton, First Nations Affairs (Co-Chair)
Brendan Moore, Noongar Boodja Trust (Co-Chair)
Craig North, Firesticks Alliance
Sarah Parriman, Kimberly Land Council
Raylene Belottie, Australian Financial Complaints Authority Board
Tyrone Bean, McKinsey
Gaala Watson, UQ
Rekeesha Fry, Jitta Consulting
Brian Cahill, Moody’s
Danille Abbott, ASIC
Darren Hammond, IAG
Kate Gill-Herdman, Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Kia Dowell, Indigenous Business Australia
Adam Davids, First Nations Equity Partners
Romy Faulkner, ACSI
Brooke Scott, CBA
Renee Eaton, Allianz
Darren Chong, NAIF
Charis Martin-Ross, HSBC
Ethan King, First Sentier
Will Leak, Mercer
Mary Watt, REST
Andrew Niven, QIC
Allen Roberts, Westpac
Caleb Adams, E & P Financial Group
Interested in partnering with us?
If your organisation is interested in how you can partner with us to make this work happen and unlock billions more in private capital to support First Nations outcomes in Australia, please get in touch.
ASFI has partnered with First Nations Projects Group (FNPG) to incubate a peak body that will provide support to First Nations groups in developing partnerships with industry and government.
First Nations Economic Project
ASFI has partnered with First Nations Projects Group (FNPG) to incubate a peak body that will provide support to First Nations groups in developing partnerships with industry and government on major projects where there are shared interests.
FNPG and ASFI will scope and incubate this peak body to support First Nations groups, the finance sector and the renewables and extractive sectors to come together and deliver effective partnerships and commercial agreements based on the principles of self-determination, equity and participation.
Register your interest to stay up to date with the project and future consultations by subscribing here.
Our First Nations and Finance Work
ASFI supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart
ASFI supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the establishment of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament as the first step of its implementation. ASFI has been established to realign Australia’s financial system so that it supports a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive Australia.
Recognition of the First Nations people of Australia, and support for better outcomes for First Nations Peoples is an important foundation to achieving that mission.
The Australian Sustainable Finance Roadmap has a strong focus on self-determination, and the right of Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) for First Nations Peoples in Australia. This provides the basis for our support. ASFI’s work to elevate First Nations Peoples perspectives and outcomes into all our work on sustainable finance over the last 2 years is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to self-determination and FPIC as an organisation.
We will continue to work with partners, particularly First Nations organisations and people, to support self-determination, FPIC and reconciliation in Australia, including through the development and implementation of our Reconciliation Action Plan and our First Nations work program.
