Message from Mr Joseph Assaf AM
Australia’s longest running awards for commercial endeavour - and, some would say, the most prestigious - the Ethnic Business Awards celebrate the contribution of migrants to Australia’s business and cultural landscape, recognising innovation, application, and excellence in both small and large business endeavours.
The Awards have attracted significant support from a variety of sponsors over the years, headed by founding and still major sponsor The National Australia Bank, and currently supported by Etihad Airways, Telstra, Doric, MBF, SBS, the Aurora Community Channel, and the Australia Network.
The commitment and enthusiasm of sponsors is hardly surprising, because the compelling stories of resilience, ingenuity, and enterprise that are charted by these awards are truly inspiring and have originated from every state and territory, with nominations in 2009 coming from over one-hundred different countries of origin.
Last year, The Ethnic Business Awards turned 21. Now, like many 21 year-olds, they are stepping out into the future, breaking new ground, widening horizons. For the first time, in 2010, with the support of W.A business leaders and government, the Awards ceremony will be held in Perth, Western Australia - where some exciting new initiatives will be undertaken.
While these Awards have, to date, celebrated the achievements of our migrants, it is felt that they should afford similar recognition to the descendents of those first people- the traditional owners of the land.
In 2010 an exciting new Award category, recognising achievements in Indigenous business endeavour will be introduced. That panel already features Don Argus, the Chairman of BHP Billiton; Eve Crestani, a professional director and business consultant; Allan Gyngell AO, Director-General of the Office of National Assessments; Dr Ziggy Switkowski, Chair of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization; as well as Carla Zampatti AC AM, one of Australia’s leading designers and fashion pioneers, and a judge of the Ethnic Business Awards from their very inception, twenty-one years ago.
In 2010, then, the twenty-second Ethnic Business Awards will break new ground, both geographically and culturally, as they continue to grow, and continue to celebrate and reward business success in this vast and culturally diverse land that is Australia.
