Together Business First Nations

Who we are

Together Business was set up because mainstream accounting was not built for Indigenous businesses. These businesses often face different conditions, such as grant-based income, remote locations, and a lack of trust after being poorly served in the past. The practice has chosen to work only in this space.

It serves sole traders, family businesses, Aboriginal corporations, and community-controlled organisations, which are run by and for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It builds long-term relationships, and most clients stay for more than two years.

Its approach is based on cultural and emotional safety, so clients feel respected and free to ask questions without shame. It supports clients through six stages: trust, stabilisation, confidence, capability, agency, and growth.

What we do

Together Business offers two streams of work, sharing the same team and standards. The first conversation is free, and all work is priced in writing before it begins. An independent study found the practice created $5.50 in social and economic value for every dollar invested.

Crisis advisory and stabilisation
This stream helps Indigenous businesses facing serious financial problems.

• Debt relief includes support with Small Business Restructuring, a legal process that lets eligible businesses reduce debts while continuing to trade.
• Australian Taxation Office (ATO) negotiation covers payment plans, penalty reductions, and disputes.
• Record rebuilding brings broken-down financial records and overdue reports up to date.

Clients who can’t afford this support may be eligible for help through the Indigenous Business Resilience Fund.

Compliance and strategy
This stream supports Aboriginal corporations and not-for-profits that rely on grants.

• Compliance helps Aboriginal corporations meet their legal reporting duties to the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, which regulates them.
• Audit and grant reporting prepares accounts for independent checks and reports on how grant money was spent.
• Financial advice includes long-term planning, structuring, and plain-language reports for boards.