In May 2026, The Australian journalist Paige Taylor ran a major investigative piece examining fears of 'cartels' and fraud within Australia's $13.4 billion Indigenous procurement policy - shining a national spotlight on an issue IBIR has been calling out for months.
The article explored how the Commonwealth's Indigenous Procurement Policy has been exploited through "black cladding" - where non-Indigenous businesses use Indigenous names, partners, or structures to access contracts set aside for First Nations enterprises, while delivering little genuine economic benefit to Indigenous Australians.
IBIR Strategic Advisor the Hon. Ken Wyatt AM JP featured prominently in the reporting. In a letter to the Prime Minister copied to Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, Mr Wyatt wrote:
"The extent of black cladding in Indigenous business today is so profound it has infiltrated most areas of the sector, including the Aboriginal business chambers."
Mr Wyatt also called for verification to be independent and governed by professional standards - and specifically advocated for the tough verification process developed by Noongar businessman and IBIR Founder Gerry Matera.
For IBIR, the story confirms what our work has shown on the ground for years. We welcome the national conversation - and we're ready to deliver the solution.
Read Paige Taylor's full report in The Australian here. (subscription may be required)