Conference History

20 years of annual conferences

From the 3rd Annual Conference in Cairns in 2007 to the 20th Anniversary gathering in Darwin in 2025, the AEMEE Annual Conference has been the national platform where Indigenous businesses, Traditional Owner groups, industry leaders, and government come together every year — to build connections, advance advocacy, and celebrate excellence across Australia's resources and energy sectors.

Annual conference Excellence awards Past events gallery Conference History

16+

Annual conferences held

10+

Cities across Australia

2005

Year AEMEE was founded

2026

Next conference · Broome

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2025 20th

20th Anniversary

"Beyond Boundaries: Partnerships, Power, Prosperity"

Darwin, Northern Territory · 3–4 September 2025

Day 1 — Opening ceremony, keynote sessions, panel discussions, cultural performance

Day 2 — Aboriginal Mining Strategy, critical minerals, mine closure streams

AEMEE & Djarindjin National Resource Sector Awards Gala Dinner

Keynote: Jyi Lawton, Derek Flucker and industry leaders

2024 17th

"From Sparks to Flames"

Fremantle, Western Australia · 2–3 October 2024

Session 1 — Grounded Leadership: Finding Purpose, Juggling Wealth and Influence

Next-gen entrepreneurship, mine closure, clean energy transition, capital access

AEMEE & Djarindjin Gala Dinner

Keynote: Mechelle Turvey, Steve Noy, Jeremy Donovan · MC: Brendan Bishop

2023 16th

"Our Voice, Our Choice"

Cairns, Queensland · 13–14 September 2023

Day 1 — Our Voice

Day 2 — Our Choice

Keynote: Jules Allen, Greg Brown & Stan Yarramunua

2019 15th

"Our History, Our Future — Laying the Platform for Future Generations"

Darwin, Northern Territory · 5–6 September 2019

Day 1 — Our History — A Journey In Time

Day 2 — Our Future — Laying the Platform

Keynote: Josef Asaf, Gail Mabo, Adam Drake & Albert Wiggan

2018 14th

First ever awards night

"Listen to the experienced, Learn from the past, Lead for the future"

Fremantle, Western Australia · 11–12 October 2018

Day 1 — Recognising the Foundations for Success

Day 2 — Building a Bigger Better Future

Inaugural AEMEE National Resource Sector Awards Dinner

Keynote: Dr Tracey Westerman, Professor Marcia Langton, Stan Grant & Peter Sharp

2017 13th

"Survival, Revival, Success — Making the most of the upturn in the resource sector"

Cairns, Queensland · 11–12 October 2017

Day 1 — Measuring performance and delivering results

Day 2 — Out of the black and into the red: recipes for success

2016 12th

"Sustainable Indigenous Businesses and Communities — Lead the Way to Closing the Gap"

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory · 24–25 August 2016

Day 1 — Resilience through Innovation

Day 2 — Inclusion and Collaboration the Key to Closing the Gap

2015 11th

"The Tender Trap — The Pearls and Perils of Procurement"

Glenelg, South Australia · 27–28 October 2015

Day 1 — Equity of Opportunity

Day 2 — Time to Diversify

2014 10th

10th Anniversary

"The Lifelines for Business Success"

Darwin, Northern Territory · 14–15 October 2013

Day 1 — Learn from Success

Day 2 — Adapt and Thrive

2013 9th

"Getting Down to Business — Changing the game"

Surfers Paradise, Queensland · 19–20 September 2013

Day 1 — Working Together

Day 2 — The Key to Winning Work

2012 8th

"The Great Balancing Act"

Alice Springs, Northern Territory · 25–26 October 2012

Day 1 — Think Big

Day 2 — The Devil is in the Detail

2011 7th

"Keeping Black Business in the Black"

Mackay, Queensland · 27–28 October 2011

Day 1 — Financing and Business Models

Day 2 — Exploring Different Business Opportunities around Mining, Energy and Exploration Activities

2010 6th

"Cracking the Code on Contracting"

Perth, Western Australia · 14–15 October 2010

Day 1 — What Companies want from Aboriginal Contractors and Suppliers

Day 2 — What Aboriginal Contractors and Suppliers need to be Successful

2009 5th

"Out of the Shadows — Aboriginal Business in the Spotlight"

Adelaide, South Australia · 29–30 October 2009

Business ideas and support · Getting it right · Building successful businesses

Q&A with ABC's Tony Jones and a panel of experts

2008 4th

"Community Wealth Creation"

Darwin, Northern Territory · 18–19 September 2008

Building Indigenous capacity and economic opportunities in communities and individual businesses

2007 3rd

3rd Annual AEMEE Conference

Cairns, Queensland · 1–2 November 2007

Joint event with the Aboriginal Enterprises in Mining and Exploration Conference

Professional development workshops to grow Indigenous engagement in mining and minerals processing

JOIN US IN BROOME

Be part of Australia's premier Indigenous resources sector conference and connect with the businesses, leaders,Traditional Owners and partners shaping the future of Indigenous enterprise.

4–5 November 2026 | Broome, Western Australia

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