What’s Next for National Indigenous Australians Agency & Indigenous Procurement after Jody Broun?

Examining the failures highlighted in the audit showing $70 billion in federal contracts bypassed Indigenous employment rules, this article explores whether a new CEO can rectify systemic issues in procurement accountability, transparency and accountability (includes Indigenous Identity Fraud) within government / Indigenous Affairs.

Under Broun’s leadership, the National Indigenous Australians Agency faced persistent issues related to transparency and accountability, particularly in the management and oversight of federal contracts meant to boost Indigenous employment and procurement.

And an audit highlighted that approximately $70 billion in federal contracts had effectively circumvented rules designed to encourage Indigenous employment, which indicated a profound gap in policy compliance, raising concerns about the integrity and effectiveness of government efforts towards Closing the Gap objectives.

This was further emphasised in the Productivity Commission’s Annual Data Compilation Report (July 2025), which stressed that without addressing structural inefficiencies and improving oversight, substantial funding risks benefit profiteers rather than vulnerable Indigenous communities.

And while government commitments (such as the Albanese Government’s $842.6 million over six years to deliver the Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment (NTRAI)) highlight ongoing efforts, concerns persist around the misuse of funds and accountability gaps that undermine genuine progress

So addressing these systemic issues will require more than new leadership; it necessitates a commitment to genuine transparency, stronger governance and meaningful engagement with First People (not just the ‘Middleman’).

And as the Productivity Commission highlighted, power-sharing, investing in community-led solutions and robust data sharing are critical components for lasting change.

Listen, the incoming CEO of the NIAA faces significant expectations.

And their approach to procurement reform will need to reconcile policy intent with practical outcomes.

They must address systemic gaps to ensure accountability mechanisms are not just enhanced but enforced.

For example, I was surprised to receive a response from NIAA (personally answered by Jody Broun) regarding my enquiry about Indigenous Identity Fraud / Blakwashing (like Greenwashing) – especially since my (many) enquiries to the NSW Aboriginal Land Council have consistently gone unanswered, but maybe that’s why so many Local Aboriginal Land Council’s are struggling… anyways, here’s a snippet from Jody’s reponse and full reply is below.

“I acknowledge the landmark case of Indigenous identity fraud in Canada and your concerns about people falsely claiming to be Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander in order to access certain benefits or services set aside for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians… An individual’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity should be respected and the Australian Government, would not seek to interfere in this matter.” – Jody Broun, CEO at NIAA

So although meaningful action and positive community development should be prioritised and rewarded, Indigenous affairs and government often seem more focused on public relations or influencer-like popularity… valuing social media likes and political image over delivering genuine community impact.

For NIAA, breaking the cycle of ‘business as usual’ requires a conscious shift away from familiar strategies and rhetoric towards robust actions and systemic reform.

Because without such changes, the agency risks mirroring / keeping to the status quo, continuing established patterns that offer surface-level adjustments without delivering substantive improvements for First Nations…

And the coming months will reveal whether the appointment of a new NIAA CEO signals meaningful reform or merely a continuation of existing approaches.