Jalun is the Kuku Yalanji word for ‘sea’ – a symbolic reflection of their commitment to sustaining and supporting community and culture through economic participation and a fair go for all, no matter their background.
“It’s about walking together, and sharing our collective experiences and cultures,” says Jalun’s co-founder, Gary Oliver. “The merging of our footprints is paramount to our success.”
Mr. Oliver is a Kuku Yalanji man himself, with over thirty years of experience working with Indigenous communities. Alongside Antoinette House, Paola Svagelli, Tony Carmona, and Springmount’s own Martin Stack, the directorial team at Jalun boast almost 100 years combined experience working for the advancement of First Nations opportunities, as well as over 75 years of experience in the property services industries.
Jalun’s core values of quality, opportunity and inclusion resonate strongly with us at Springmount, and we have faith that with Jalun’s expertise we can achieve all the goals we’ve set in our Reconciliation Action Plan. In return, we aim to provide Jalun with a support network to achieve their vision of becoming the provider of choice for clients and the employer of choice for First Nations peoples.
Jalun is an integrated services provider spanning contract cleaning, security, landscaping, hygiene services, and more. Alongside providing these core services, Jalun seeks to develop a framework for government and corporate companies to work alongside Indigenous businesses in a productive and respectful manner. Both Jalun and Springmount are strong believers in Closing the Gap for First Nations people, and together we aim to provide our local and federal governments and corporations with the means to build strong foundations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through cooperation while meeting their Indigenous Procurement Policy targets.
Supporting Indigenous businesses is an important part of being an Australian business committed to reconciliation. Our close partnership with Supply Nation has taught us much in this regard. Together, we believe that the full potential of Indigenous businesses is not being realised. Indigenous-owned businesses provide outsized opportunities and benefits for all Australians, not just other First Nations people. Compared to others, Indigenous-owned businesses are over 56% more likely to provide frequent pro-bono advice and support, 54% more likely to sponsor local cultural events, and 100 times more likely to hire Indigenous people. This commitment to the community has always been inspirational to us at Springmount, and we aim to emulate our Indigenous brothers and sisters in all our endeavours moving forwards.