The sixth meeting of the pilot First Nations Trade and Investment Advisory Group (pilot Advisory Group) was held virtually on Thursday, 17 September 2026.
Chaired by the Ambassador for First Nations People, Mr Justin Mohamed, members exchanged views on current trade and investment priorities with the Chair, Austrade’s Head of Indigenous Engagement and Export, Ms Melanie Harris, and Assistant Secretary of DFAT’s Stakeholder Engagement Branch, Ms Alison Airey.
By invitation, Ms Aideen Calabria, acting Director of IP Australia’s Trade Agreements and Indigenous Knowledge Section, joined the meeting to discuss Australia’s domestic intellectual property (IP) framework and provided an overview of the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge and its relevance to the protection of First Nations traditional knowledge. Members discussed implementation considerations and the importance of ongoing engagement on IP issues.
Members also exchanged insights with an invited representative from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Future Drought Fund First Nations Advisory Group on the role and operation of First Nations advisory bodies across government. Discussion focused on respective mandates, governance and engagement approaches, and how First Nations advice can be effectively provided to government.
The pilot Advisory Group is expected to next meet in the fourth quarter of 2026.