Local and Connected

The 2026 theme – Local and Connected – we turn our focus to where business has always begun: on Country, in community, and in the relationships that tie us to place.

From the smallest town to the most vibrant urban centres, both here and overseas, Indigenous businesses have always understood that true economic strength grows from the ground up. It is woven into local knowledge, sustained by local relationships, and measured not only in revenue, but in the well-being of the communities it serves. Local and Connected invites us all, Indigenous business owners, their customers, their partners, and their community-recognised allies, to look around and ask: who is doing business near me, and how can I be genuinely connected to them?

The Indigenous business sector has grown, and we tend to understand that from a national level. However, the growth is realised locally, in regional towns, remote communities, on suburban streets, and in CBDs, where Indigenous entrepreneurs are quietly reshaping what it means to do business in this Country. Indigenous businesses are meeting service gaps, generating exciting products, creating employment, and are accountable to their communities in ways that the broader market rarely considers.

When we think about what makes an Indigenous business extraordinary, it often comes down to the depth of connection to the people it serves. These are businesses that know their customers’ names, that understand the history of the Country they operate on, and that feel the weight and the joy of what it means to be present for their community. That is what Local and Connected celebrates.