About the Foundation

Established in 2008 as an initiative of the Aboriginal Congress of SA, under the leadership of business leaders Rick Allert AO and Eddie Fry, the Aboriginal Foundation of SA Inc. was given the purpose of providing experienced commercial guidance and support for all Aboriginal people and communities in SA.

The Primary Objective is to give commercial assistance to Aboriginal People and Aboriginal Corporations for the provision of Aboriginal wellbeing including education and training facilities and services, employment and economic opportunities, health and aged care facilities and services, youth, sports  and recreation services, housing and accommodation, the preservation, conservation and protection of Aboriginal heritage, culture and country, and any other initiatives that work towards the alleviation of poverty and the creation of social, cultural, economic and environmental wealth for Aboriginal People.

The Foundation's core objectives are to:

Raise money (through investments, commercial operations, gifts and donations or fundraising).

Support the application of grants (and other assistance to Aboriginal people and Aboriginal corporations and undertake or support projects that support Aboriginal well being in areas such as education and training, employment and economic opportunities, looking after heritage and country, purchasing of land, health facilities, youth, sports and recreation facilities, and housing and accommodation services).

Promote the Foundation and its objectives. Cooperate with like organisations. Enter into commercial arrangements (business).

The Aboriginal Foundation is established under the Associations Incorporation Act (SA) 1985 to identify, secure and manage viable business opportunities on behalf of Aboriginal people (native title claimants) in South Australia.

The Aboriginal Foundation's primary purpose is to seek out business partnering opportunities likely to benefit the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of individuals and communities and to make investments that generate long term benefit for Aboriginal South Australians.

The Aboriginal Foundation has evolved because South Australian Aboriginal people recognised they have, for a range of reasons, largely missed out on economic and business opportunities in this State.

The Foundation is the vision of the Aboriginal Congress of South Australia. The Foundation was devised for and by Aboriginal people; its its priorities are being driven by native title claimants and Aboriginal people in South Australia.

The Aboriginal Foundation, which has wealth creation and business priorities, will work largely independently of Congress. However, the Foundation's Constitution which was developed by Congress, provides the guide for the Foundation and requires the Foundation to report to and have a working relationship with Congress.

The Congress Chairperson and the CEO of SANTS have a standing invitation to attend meetings of the Foundation for an update on its activities. There is an objective for South Australian Native Title Services (SANTS), Congress and the Foundation to have a common vision for economic development.

Foundation Board Members bring a range of skills and experience to the work of the Foundation through a history of involvement in areas such as investment, commerce, legal, public relations, human resources, project management, marketing and Aboriginal community development.

Board Members are independent of Congress and are NOT representative of any company, sector, group, community or organisation.

Contact with the Foundation might be through direct contact by individuals, organisations, communities and native title claimants who have been presented with a business idea and want advice, or are seeking a joint-venture partner. The Foundation may also be contacted by private sector companies who wish it to consider business opportunities across a range of business structures.

The Foundation is regularly looking at business opportunities and is now linked to Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) in this endeavour.

The Aboriginal Foundation is established under the Associations Incorporation Act (SA) 1985 to identify, secure and manage viable business opportunities on behalf of Aboriginal people (native title claimants) in South Australia.

The Aboriginal Foundation's primary purpose is to seek out business partnering opportunities likely to benefit the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of individuals and communities and to make investments that generate long term benefit for Aboriginal South Australians.

The Aboriginal Foundation has evolved because South Australian Aboriginal people recognised they have, for a range of reasons, largely missed out on economic and business opportunities in this State.

The Foundation is the vision of the Aboriginal Congress of South Australia. The Foundation was devised for and by Aboriginal people; its its priorities are being driven by native title claimants and Aboriginal people in South Australia.

The Aboriginal Foundation, which has wealth creation and business priorities, will work largely independently of Congress. However, the Foundation's Constitution which was developed by Congress, provides the guide for the Foundation and requires the Foundation to report to and have a working relationship with Congress.

The Congress Chairperson and the CEO of SANTS have a standing invitation to attend meetings of the Foundation for an update on its activities. There is an objective for South Australian Native Title Services (SANTS), Congress and the Foundation to have a common vision for economic development.

Foundation Board Members bring a range of skills and experience to the work of the Foundation through a history of involvement in areas such as investment, commerce, legal, public relations, human resources, project management, marketing and Aboriginal community development.

Board Members are independent of Congress and are NOT representative of any company, sector, group, community or organisation.

Contact with the Foundation might be through direct contact by individuals, organisations, communities and native title claimants who have been presented with a business idea and want advice, or are seeking a joint-venture partner. The Foundation may also be contacted by private sector companies who wish it to consider business opportunities across a range of business structures.

The Foundation is regularly looking at business opportunities and is now linked to Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) in this endeavour.

New Initiatives

Building meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships.

Intract is a business formed by the partnership of the Aboriginal Foundation of South Australia and McMahon Services Australia to promote and encourage indigenous employment and training throughout the construction industry.

At Intract, we specialise in contracting and training services for the civil construction and mining industries throughout South Australia and beyond. Intract supports associated civil construction works with multi-ticketed plant and equipment operators as well as trainees for mining exploration, rehabilitation works, and community-based building works.

The Aboriginal Foundation of South Australia was established by the Aboriginal Congress of South Australia to represent the commercial interests of Aboriginal communities across the state. The Aboriginal Congress of South Australia represents 21 of the 22 Indigenous Native Title Claimants across the state.McMahon Services is one of Australia's largest privately owned construction, industrial and environmental services organisations. Starting off as a small family business in Adelaide in 1990, the organisation now operates nationally, employing over 400 staff. As the parent company of Intract, McMahon Services provides a wealth of resources to back this initiative, from plant and equipment through to on the ground experience and a comprehensive framework for training, health and safety.

Primarily, we provide contract services to the mining and civil construction industry. Our team comprises an Indigenous labour force, supported by highly skilled and qualified McMahon Services construction services personnel. We provide trained and experienced plant operators for on-site plant operation in addition to our wet hire services. Intract has access to McMahon Services' large fleet of company owned plant and equipment including excavators, graders, bobcats, front-end loaders, tippers and semi-tippers.

Intract respects the traditions and cultures of Aboriginal people, and recognises the unique relationship that Aboriginal people have to both the land and sea. intract believes that effective management of Aboriginal matters forms an integral part of successful operations.Intract as a minimum, will comply with the laws and regulations relating to Aboriginal People in the locations in which it operates. However, it also expects its non-Aboriginal people to be educated and active in fostering long-term relationships with Aboriginal People.

Through the involvement of local Aboriginal people, Intract enables local communities to take part in wealthgenerating activities on their traditional lands, and offers long-term economic benefits to their communities.Intract's vision is to provide a range of training, employment and community relations programs using the company's operations as a conduit to assist Aboriginal people to develop their own communities.Our goals and programs have been developed in consultation with Aboriginal people and focus on job skills training, business development, education, cross-cultural development and the preservation of Aboriginal culture and heritage.

Programs with Transfield Services Ltd:

The Foundation has participated with Transfield Services in specific programs supported with Government grants.

Transfield Services have an exemplary Reconciliation Action Plan, which drives their Aboriginal employment policy.

The Aboriginal Foundation of South Australia was established by the Aboriginal Congress of South Australia to represent the commercial interests of Aboriginal communities across the state. The Aboriginal Congress of South Australia represents 21 of the 22 Indigenous Native Title Claimants across the state.McMahon Services is one of Australia's largest privately owned construction, industrial and environmental services organisations. Starting off as a small family business in Adelaide in 1990, the organisation now operates nationally, employing over 400 staff. As the parent company of Intract, McMahon Services provides a wealth of resources to back this initiative, from plant and equipment through to on the ground experience and a comprehensive framework for training, health and safety.

Primarily, we provide contract services to the mining and civil construction industry. Our team comprises an Indigenous labour force, supported by highly skilled and qualified McMahon Services construction services personnel. We provide trained and experienced plant operators for on-site plant operation in addition to our wet hire services. Intract has access to McMahon Services' large fleet of company owned plant and equipment including excavators, graders, bobcats, front-end loaders, tippers and semi-tippers.

Intract respects the traditions and cultures of Aboriginal people, and recognises the unique relationship that Aboriginal people have to both the land and sea. intract believes that effective management of Aboriginal matters forms an integral part of successful operations.Intract as a minimum, will comply with the laws and regulations relating to Aboriginal People in the locations in which it operates. However, it also expects its non-Aboriginal people to be educated and active in fostering long-term relationships with Aboriginal People.

Through the involvement of local Aboriginal people, Intract enables local communities to take part in wealthgenerating activities on their traditional lands, and offers long-term economic benefits to their communities.Intract's vision is to provide a range of training, employment and community relations programs using the company's operations as a conduit to assist Aboriginal people to develop their own communities.Our goals and programs have been developed in consultation with Aboriginal people and focus on job skills training, business development, education, cross-cultural development and the preservation of Aboriginal culture and heritage.

Programs with Transfield Services Ltd:

The Foundation has participated with Transfield Services in specific programs supported with Government grants.

Transfield Services have an exemplary Reconciliation Action Plan, which drives their Aboriginal employment policy.

The Board

Board Members

Ted is an experienced company director and commercial lawyer, who for over 40 years has specialised in the areas of commerce and public law, corporate governance and international business.

He is a specialist strategic advisor for major projects and has focused on advising companies undertaking development and infrastructure projects within Australia and commercial joint ventures in China.

Ted has been a business advisor and board member of several leading organisations in South Australia including Bedford Industries Inc, the Port Adelaide AFL Football Club, the Development Assessment Commission, and the SA Housing Trust.

He is presently a board member of the Aboriginal Foundation of SA, Chairman of Papyrus Australia Ltd, the China Cluster and several other technology companies.

Chair of Indigenous Business Australia, Eddie is the founder, owner and director of Gimbulki Resources, a consulting advisory business providing services and expertise in Land Management/Access and Indigenous Participation and Engagement and Relationships within the Australian resource sector and other related Australian Industries.

Eddie brings more than 23 years? experience in Indigenous Affairs and the Mining and Exploration Industry issues as a Non-Executive Director of TNG Limited and Chairman of the Indigenous Advisory Board for Transfield Services Pty Ltd.

His experience in the areas of Land Management/Access within the Australian resources sector, and Indigenous and Native Title issues, has seen him involved in facilitating a range of Indigenous community and corporate engagement processes over a number of years. He has held executive roles within Corporate Mining Australia and has gained wide business exposure and experience in Australia and Internationally.

With a career in financial services spanning more than 45 years, Colin Dunsford brings extensive experience working with a wide range of corporate, government and incorporated clients in Australia and the United States of America.

Colin was Division Head of the Adelaide Assurance and Business Advisory Division at Ernst and Young prior to his retirement in 2010, a responsibility he also held at Arthur Andersen before the merging of the two firms. He remains a member of the Ernst and Young's Advisory Board, as well as Chairing a number of other boards including the Independent Gaming Corporation, South Australia Health Risk Management & Audit Committee, Leaders Institute of South Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

The Hon. Gregory Crafter AO was admitted as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of South Australia in 1978. In March 1979 Greg was elected to the seat of Norwood in the South Australian Parliament following the resignation of the sitting Member for some 26 years, Don Dunstan. He contested seven elections in Norwood and served the Parliament for more than 14 years, eleven as a Minister of the Crown holding eight portfolios including Education and Children's Services, Community Welfare; Aboriginal Affairs; Housing, Urban Development, Local Government Relations, Recreation and Sport.

He was the South Australian Minister of Education for seven years. Greg is a former President of the Geneva-based International Baccalaureate Organisation and Chairman of its Executive Committee. He is also a former Director of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Trust for Young Australians and Chair of the South Australian Regional Committee (1995-2005) ? now called The Foundation for Young Australians.

Mr Crafter was Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Don Dunstan Foundation from 1999 to 2010. Since 1994 Greg has been a consultant at the Adelaide law firm Johnston Withers. He has developed a career as a Non Executive Director and consultant serving on private company, public and charitable boards and has been appointed to Public Sector Boards and Commissions of Enquiry by both Liberal and Labor governments.

Ted is an experienced company director and commercial lawyer, who for over 40 years has specialised in the areas of commerce and public law, corporate governance and international business.

He is a specialist strategic advisor for major projects and has focused on advising companies undertaking development and infrastructure projects within Australia and commercial joint ventures in China.

Ted has been a business advisor and board member of several leading organisations in South Australia including Bedford Industries Inc, the Port Adelaide AFL Football Club, the Development Assessment Commission, and the SA Housing Trust.

He is presently a board member of the Aboriginal Foundation of SA, Chairman of Papyrus Australia Ltd, the China Cluster and several other technology companies.

Chair of Indigenous Business Australia, Eddie is the founder, owner and director of Gimbulki Resources, a consulting advisory business providing services and expertise in Land Management/Access and Indigenous Participation and Engagement and Relationships within the Australian resource sector and other related Australian Industries.

Eddie brings more than 23 years? experience in Indigenous Affairs and the Mining and Exploration Industry issues as a Non-Executive Director of TNG Limited and Chairman of the Indigenous Advisory Board for Transfield Services Pty Ltd.

His experience in the areas of Land Management/Access within the Australian resources sector, and Indigenous and Native Title issues, has seen him involved in facilitating a range of Indigenous community and corporate engagement processes over a number of years. He has held executive roles within Corporate Mining Australia and has gained wide business exposure and experience in Australia and Internationally.

With a career in financial services spanning more than 45 years, Colin Dunsford brings extensive experience working with a wide range of corporate, government and incorporated clients in Australia and the United States of America.

Colin was Division Head of the Adelaide Assurance and Business Advisory Division at Ernst and Young prior to his retirement in 2010, a responsibility he also held at Arthur Andersen before the merging of the two firms. He remains a member of the Ernst and Young's Advisory Board, as well as Chairing a number of other boards including the Independent Gaming Corporation, South Australia Health Risk Management & Audit Committee, Leaders Institute of South Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

The Hon. Gregory Crafter AO was admitted as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of South Australia in 1978. In March 1979 Greg was elected to the seat of Norwood in the South Australian Parliament following the resignation of the sitting Member for some 26 years, Don Dunstan. He contested seven elections in Norwood and served the Parliament for more than 14 years, eleven as a Minister of the Crown holding eight portfolios including Education and Children's Services, Community Welfare; Aboriginal Affairs; Housing, Urban Development, Local Government Relations, Recreation and Sport.

He was the South Australian Minister of Education for seven years. Greg is a former President of the Geneva-based International Baccalaureate Organisation and Chairman of its Executive Committee. He is also a former Director of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Trust for Young Australians and Chair of the South Australian Regional Committee (1995-2005) ? now called The Foundation for Young Australians.

Mr Crafter was Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Don Dunstan Foundation from 1999 to 2010. Since 1994 Greg has been a consultant at the Adelaide law firm Johnston Withers. He has developed a career as a Non Executive Director and consultant serving on private company, public and charitable boards and has been appointed to Public Sector Boards and Commissions of Enquiry by both Liberal and Labor governments.

Contact Us

Aboriginal Foundation of South Australia Inc., Rinaldi and Co.
60 Hindmarsh Square
Adelaide 5000
(08) 8215 0041
info@aboriginalfoundation.com