Indigenous economic sovereignty in Australia remains constrained by colonial labour systems that position Indigenous peoples in extractive relationships. While industrial relations scholarship has examined European settler interaction with Indigenous peoples, the relationships between non-European migrants and Indigenous Australians remain under-examined. Hence, this paper proposes a transcultural employment framework that supports Indigenous economic sovereignty.
Historical, sociological and policy literatures reveal precedents for Indigenous–non‑European migrant collaboration, including longstanding patterns of reciprocity and solidarity that were later obscured by protectionist and assimilationist regimes. The increasing participation of non-European migrants from post-colonial contexts in Australia’s workforce and entrepreneurial sectors enables the reactivation of these relational legacies.
Three conceptual pillars comprise the framework:
- Pillar #1 Recognising intersecting yet distinct colonial histories as the foundation for solidarity and relational repair;
- Pillar #2 Relational economic justice promotes reciprocal partnerships that deliver mutual benefit, respect Indigenous sovereignty and resist extractive logics; and
- Pillar #3 Transformative policy co-governance positions Indigenous and non-European migrant communities as co-designers of economic participation policy.
Reframing employment relations through these pillars encourages a shift from deficit-based approaches toward collaborative, culturally responsive models that enhance the agency of both Indigenous and non-European migrant peoples. This aligns with Australia’s Closing the Gap Priority Reforms and the Indigenous Economic Empowerment agenda. Conceptually, the paper extends industrial relations and business scholarship by highlighting transcultural collaboration as a neglected site of innovation and social impact, inviting stakeholders to reimagine industrial relations in an increasingly plural and post-colonial world of work.