1 00:23:29,151 --> 00:23:29,631 Speaker 1: Speaker 1 (Acknowledgement of Country): BlackCast. Unite our voices. The Black Magic Woman Podcast acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which this episode was recorded. We also acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands where you, the listener, are tuning in from. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and acknowledge that this always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land. Speaker 2 (Sponsor): This episode is proudly brought to you by ANZ, a new series of conversations with mob around the country to yarn about meaningful career opportunities within ANZ, building the capacity of Indigenous businesses and organisations, and supporting individuals and communities to achieve financial wellbeing and resilience. Speaker 1 (Mundanara Bayles): Welcome to the Black Magic Woman Podcast. I’m Mundanara Bayles. I’m joining you today on the beautiful lands of the Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) people here on the Sunshine Coast, and I’m bringing you one of the final episodes in our ANZ Partnership Series. This series has given me the privilege to yarn with First Nations people from across the country — both customers of ANZ and people working within the organisation — to talk about employment pathways, education, business opportunities, and ANZ’s ongoing commitment through its Reconciliation Action Plan. This yarn has been a long time in the making. I was really hoping to get over to Whadjuk Noongar Country in Perth to record this in person, which is always best, but today I’m on the east coast, yarning with brother Garry Jaffrey, who’s joining me from the west coast of Australia. Brother, I’ll hand it over to you to introduce yourself — who you are, your mob, and where you grew up. Speaker 3 (Garry Jaffrey): Thanks, Mundanara. My name’s Garry Jaffrey, and I’m the Managing Director of Kurtarra, which is a 100% Indigenous family-owned business. We work in partnership with other organisations across industry, which allows us to collaborate, build capability, and create pathways not just across Western Australia, but hopefully nationally and into the future. I’m a Pilbara man, born and raised. My wife is from the Kimberley — she’s a saltwater woman — and between us we’ve got family spread right across WA. Growing up in the Pilbara back then was very different. There was no mining industry like what you see today. Life was tough — travelling through Country, following old tracks, living off the land, hunting when we needed to. My mum is an Aboriginal woman, my father is a whitefella, so I grew up walking in both worlds. For the past 30 years or so, we’ve lived remotely, building an outstation around 150 kilometres out of town, near Beagle Bay in the Kimberley. Our outstation is called Bindeluk, and that’s where the vision for Kurtarra really began — trying to create opportunity, hope, and support not just for our family, but for the wider community and region. Starting out was incredibly hard. Hitchhiking to work, living on very little income, raising kids — it took 15 to 20 years of persistence to build the foundations. But here we are today, still learning, still growing, and still focused on creating safe, meaningful employment opportunities for our people. Speaker 1 (Mundanara): I’m keen to hear more about Kurtarra. The name means four brothers, right? Speaker 3 (Garry): That’s right. I’m the youngest of the brothers, and we’ve built Kurtarra together over time. The idea came from sitting out on the outstation and asking myself: How do we create something sustainable? How do we bring support into community when services and funding are hard to access? What started as a family idea has grown into something that now supports not just us, but communities across the Pilbara and Kimberley. It’s been a slow journey — a real snail race — but that’s how lasting change happens. Speaker 1 (Mundanara): It’s deadly hearing about your journey, especially your relationship with ANZ, and how the Contractor Purchase Program supported Kurtarra to purchase key equipment. Speaker 3 (Garry): Absolutely. Through ANZ we were able to secure funding for three loaders, three excavators, a water cart, and a roller. That support was life-changing. The ANZ team didn’t just provide finance — they provided relationship, trust, and ongoing support. Being able to pick up the phone, yarn things through, and have people genuinely back you makes a huge difference, especially when you’re coming from remote Country. Speaker 1 (Mundanara): A lot of our mob listening will be thinking about starting a business. What advice would you share with them? Speaker 3 (Garry): You’ve got to have vision, commitment, and passion. I didn’t have mentors early on, so I had to learn everything — admin, finances, contracts — by putting myself in the deep end. Relationships are everything. The people you surround yourself with will shape your journey. And mental health matters — not just for workers, but for their families too. Creating safe workplaces is critical. If you’re committed, ask questions, lean on community, find the right people, and stick with it. It’s hard, but it’s possible. Speaker 1 (Mundanara): Before we wrap up, were there other supports from ANZ that you found valuable? Speaker 3 (Garry): The relationship, without a doubt. The ANZ team showed real care, patience, and respect. That kind of brother-sisterhood support means everything when you’re navigating big decisions. Speaker 1 (Mundanara): Your story gives so much hope — especially for mob living remotely. Where you live should never limit what you can build. Speaker 3 (Garry): Exactly. If I can do it, anyone can. Stay committed, follow your passion, and keep logic and common sense alongside your heart. Speaker 1 (Mundanara – Closing): If you’d like to learn more about how ANZ can support your financial wellbeing or help you start, run, or grow a business, visit anz.com or call 13 13 14. A big thank you to all our deadly mob and allies who continue to listen, watch, and support the podcast. The Black Magic Woman Podcast is produced by Clint Curtis.