In time for NAIDOC week, CGU Insurance is proud to announce local St Kilda First Nations small business, Abstarr Consulting, as a winner in the 2020 CGU Kayku Kumpa awards program.
CGU Insurance is awarding Professor Gregory Phillips, owner of Abstarr Consulting, a $5,000 professional development grant. “I’m really proud to have been recognised as a winner of this year’s award. Receiving the
CGU grant will allow me to invest in further professional development in advanced organisational psychology and evaluation so that I can reach my business goals,” Professor Phillips said.
Abstarr Consulting works with communities, businesses and government to provide strategy solutions and training in cultural safety and decolonisation.
The business was founded by Professor Gregory Phillips, who is from the Waanyi and Jaru peoples. Professor Phillips leads change in decolonisation and belonging, including Aboriginal health, policy and social institutional transformation. CGU Indigenous Engagement Manager Phil Lockyer said: “We’re excited to announce Abstarr Consulting as a winner of our CGU Kayku Kumpa awards program. We were inspired by the innovative approach and progress Professor Phillips and his business has made towards closing the gap and delivering better outcomes for First Nations people and businesses.”
“As an insurer of businesses around Australia, we proudly support the ambition of small business owners. We were really impressed with the quality of entries we received from First Nations small business owners for our awards program this year, and congratulate all the winners,” Mr Lockyer said. The CGU Kayku Kumpa award takes its name from the local language of the Gringai people of the Wonnarua nation of the Hunter Valley in NSW. Kayku Kumpa (pronounced Kuy – koo Koom – pah) means ‘strong yesterday, stronger tomorrow’. It was chosen as it represents the opportunity for participants to become stronger business owners and help create a better future for themselves, their communities and their business.
The five winners of the CGU Kayku Kumpa Awards are:
• Abstarr Consulting – A consulting agency that works with communities, businesses and governments to provide strategy solutions and training in cultural safety and decolonisation. abstarr.com
• Barra-gi – An agency that sources and creates employment opportunities, provides mentoring services and creates job-ready programs for Indigenous people by partnering with non-Indigenous businesses in the corporate and private sector. barragi.com.au
• Little Black Duck Aus – A creative business that makes unique Aboriginal handpainted teapots, serving boards, terracotta pots and wall art. littleblackduckaus.com/
• Luggarrah – An education management business that runs events and workshops in regional areas to upskill First Nations people and communities, and provide them with career opportunities within the technology industry. luggarrah.com.au
• Yellow Balloon – A marketing and digital agency that specialises in helping small and medium businesses across Australia succeed through connected marketing strategies that create enduring customer connections. Yellowballoon.com.au
About CGU
CGU is a leading business, rural and personal insurance company and a top-three provider of workers compensation insurance.
CGU distributes an extensive range of market-leading products and each year delivers their customers the insurance protection for more than 125,000 businesses, over 60,000 farms and hobby farms, nearly half a million properties and over one million motor vehicles. CGU is proudly backed by IAG, the largest general insurer in Australia and New Zealand. CGU is proud of its 165-year history of supporting customers in a time of need.