Indigenous businesses and the future of custodial health reform
Professor Kerry Arabena
Managing Director
Setting the scene
Across this seven-part series, we’ve explored how Indigenous businesses can reshape custodial health in Victoria and beyond. From applying contagion theory, to co-designing a theory of change, to drafting policies and protocols, each post has shown the distinctive role Aboriginal-led enterprises bring to reform.
The question that sits behind this work is simple: could these changes have happened without Indigenous businesses? Yes, perhaps. But the pace, depth, and cultural legitimacy would not have been the same. Development “sprints” in government demand quick results, and speed without Indigenous leadership risks sidelining community authority. What Karabena Consulting and other Aboriginal-led enterprises offer is the ability to move quickly while staying accountable to cultural values, lived experience, and community control.
This final post reflects on what was achieved, the lessons learned, and where this work can go next.
What we achieved together
The series began by rethinking custodial environments through contagion theory, showing how positive practices could spread just as quickly as negative ones.
We then looked at building common ground. Corrections staff, health providers, ACCOs, and people with lived experience came together in workshops. Simple exercises, like sharing smells that reminded people of childhood, created a shared human connection and opened space for harder conversations.
From there, a co-designed theory of change took shape. Tested through workshops and validation loops with ACCOs, it mapped how behaviours in custody could shift towards respect, cultural pride, and collective responsibility.
Innovation followed. At Margoneet Prison, the Integrated Aboriginal Justice Health Model introduced family-centred care, continuity of support beyond release, and peer-led programs run by Aboriginal men inside.
We also looked at how to measure success differently. Indicators based on Indigenous data sovereignty focused on identity, cultural connection, and family stability, rather than program completions or incident counts.
Finally, Karabena Consulting drafted policies and protocols on crisis intervention, cultural safety standards, and continuity of care. These were provided as working documents, deliberately unfinished, so stakeholders could debate, refine, and claim ownership.
Together, these steps moved Aboriginal Community Controlled Correctional Health Services from an idea to a structured, community-led model.
Lessons learned
Three clear lessons stand out:
Indigenous businesses speed up reform without losing legitimacy. They can deliver within government timelines while keeping Aboriginal authority central.
Community control shifts the focus. When ACCOs lead, the conversation moves from compliance towards culture, healing, and reintegration.
Procurement can drive reform. The Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) can be a lever for systemic change when governments contract Indigenous businesses to lead justice health innovation.
Why Indigenous businesses matter
Without Indigenous businesses, reforms risk being delayed, diluted, or stripped of cultural legitimacy. The tight timelines of policy “sprints” leave little room for the deep, trust-based work required.
Indigenous businesses bring decades of credibility, lived experience, and accountability to community. They are trusted by ACCOs, respected by governments, and able to bridge divides that have historically stalled reform.
Policy directions
The work points to some clear implications for government:
Embed Indigenous businesses in justice reform. Not just as service providers, but as facilitators, framework designers, and co-design partners.
Use procurement strategically. Meeting IPP targets through custodial health contracts creates both economic and systemic impact.
Resource ACCOs for delivery. Indigenous businesses can convene and draft, but long-term care must be in the hands of ACCOs, with stable funding and workforce support.
Redefine success. Evaluation must reflect Indigenous data sovereignty, measuring cultural safety, family stability, and reintegration outcomes.
Back innovation platforms. Sites like Margoneet show how models can be trialled and scaled. Policy should enable Indigenous businesses to keep driving that cycle.
Looking ahead
The work is far from finished. The theory of change can now be used by ACCOs for advocacy and cross-agency discussions. The innovations tested at Margoneet need further refinement and scaling. Indicators of success will evolve as communities continue to define them. Draft protocols need to move into agreements and practice.
The long-term vision is ambitious but achievable: Aboriginal Community Controlled Correctional Health Services embedded in justice reform agendas across Australia, delivered by Indigenous businesses and ACCOs, and aligned with Treaty principles.
Final thoughts
This series has shown the essential role of Indigenous businesses in custodial health reform. They bring cultural authority, community trust, and the agility to deliver under pressure. They draft frameworks, create common ground, and keep Aboriginal voices leading.
The Indigenous Procurement Policy gives governments a tool to make this approach standard. Used strategically, it can embed Indigenous businesses in justice reform nationwide. When that happens, custodial health is transformed.