Indiginomics - Developing Capacity and Representation in Indigenous Economics

 Indiginomics - Developing Capacity and Representation in Indigenous Economics

Join us for the Victorian launch of an exciting new animation designed by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, demystifying economics and showcasing its relevance to communities. This engaging resource aims to inspire the next generation of young minds to consider economics as a pathway for creating positive change.

The event will feature a screening of the animation, followed by a panel discussion with educators, economists, and community leaders. The discussion will focus on why we should encourage more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to pursue economics and how we can go about it.

Together, we'll discuss ways to remove barriers, spark curiosity, and create meaningful opportunities for young people in this field. This is an opportunity to connect with like-minded educators, policymakers, and community advocates who are passionate about empowering the next generation. We would love for you to be a part of this important conversation.

This event has been supported by Deakin University. It is free of charge and open to non-members of the ESA.  Catering will be provided. 

About the Panellists

Selwyn Button, Commissioner, Productivity Commission

Selwyn is a Gungarri man from Southwest Queensland and an experienced leader of health, education and governance organisations across the public, private, not-for-profit and community-controlled sectors. Prior to joining the Commission, Selwyn was partner of PwC Indigenous Consulting (PIC), where he worked with a range of organisations to realise the commercial and community potential of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business, projects and initiatives. Previously, Selwyn has been the national Registrar of the Office of the Registrar for Indigenous Corporations, the Assistant Director-General for Indigenous Education in Queensland, Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, and Chair of the Lowitja Institute.

Selwyn has led major policy, service delivery, governance and legislative reforms in his various leadership roles. He has also made significant contributions through his service as a board member of numerous sporting, arts, culture, health and early childhood education and care organisations.

A former primary school teacher and Queensland police officer, Selwyn holds a Bachelor of Teaching, a Master of Public Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration. He was a Wolfensohn Scholar at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and is an active member of the Harvard Club of Australia.
Selwyn co-leads the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stream of work at the PC.

 Dr Bronwyn Coates, Associate Professor, RMIT University

Dr Bronwyn Coate is an Associate Professor in the School of Economics, Finance and Marketing at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. Her research involves economic analysis of the arts and creative industries. Areas her research has focused upon include art markets, creative entrepreneurship, cultural valuation and the cultural/creative industries. Much of Bronwyn’s research is undertaken within multidisciplinary teams and focused upon addressing issues with policy relevance for the arts and cultural sector.  Bronwyn has previously served as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Association for Cultural Economics International and is the current editor of Book Reviews for the Journal of Cultural Economics. 

  Kaley Nicholson, Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

Kaley Nicholson is interim chief executive officer of the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations. A proud Koori woman with family lines throughout the state, Kaley brings deep cultural knowledge and a strong strategic lens to this role. With a Master of Indigenous Business Leadership from Monash University and extensive experience across community, government, and advocacy sectors, she is committed to advancing Aboriginal self-determination, cultural integrity, and systemic change. Her leadership is grounded in cultural values, a deep commitment to justice and equity, and empowering Traditional Owners to lead decision-making about their country, people, and futures.

 Michelle Mitchell, Victorian Commercial Teachers Association

Michelle spent nearly 27 years as a secondary teacher of Economics, Accounting and Business before taking on the role of Executive Officer at the Victorian Commercial Teachers Association (VCTA) in 2022. In this position, she leads the development and delivery of professional learning programs for teachers of commerce-based subjects, manages the annual Comview Conference, which attracts around 800 educators from Victoria and beyond, and oversees the production of teaching resources published in the widely respected Compak journal, distributed to over 3,500 teachers each year.

Siddharth Shirodkar, Indigenous Business Australia

Dr Siddharth Shirodkar is the Principal Economist at Indigenous Business Australia (IBA). Siddharth has a passion for First Nations economic development, having worked in the space for almost a decade at the Commonwealth level. Prior to that he built his skills working as an economist in the Australian Government, including at the Treasury, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Prime Minister and Cabinet, the National Indigenous Australians Agency, and as Ministerial Adviser with the former Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio. In 2018, Siddharth was awarded a Sir Roland Wilson PhD Scholarship to undertake research into the pathways and barriers that First Nations Australians face when starting a business. Now working at IBA, Siddharth is putting his research findings into practice, supporting greater First Nations economic self-determination, inclusion, and prosperity.

Event Details