Broome-based Morrgul wins major Supply Nation award for helping Aboriginal businesses grow

The annual awards acknowledge businesses, NFPs, government agencies and individuals who have strengthened the Indigenous business sector, with Morrgul – the name means “working together” – taking home the Dr Dean Jarrett Award for Outstanding Impact.

Fully Aboriginal-owned and operated, Morrgul is dedicated to helping remote and regional Western Australian Aboriginal businesses with business development and procurement opportunities, including mentoring, business establishment, capacity building, compliance support, and connecting with government and industry.

Supply Nation said Morrgul was recognised for a year of high-impact achievements: “Between September 2024 and August 2025, Morrgul supported 328 Indigenous businesses. Through one of its project funding streams alone, the organisation helped Aboriginal businesses secure more than $39.3 million in contracts, creating an estimated 118 jobs for Aboriginal people.”

The 2025–26 financial year showed more growth, as Morrgul assisted more than 350 businesses, corporations and NFPs across regional and remote Western Australia, of which 41 per cent were new clients.

Morrgul chief executive officer Patrick Le Lievre, a proud Nyikina man, said the major impact award – along with a second gong for Supplier of the Year – was especially meaningful because the 13-year-old organisation had expanded beyond Broome to Perth to increase its reach and support for Aboriginal businesses and community controlled organisations across the state.

“These awards are a significant milestone for Morrgul and a reflection of the incredible work of our team and the trust our clients place in us over the past 13 years. To be recognised on a national stage is something our whole organisation can be incredibly proud of,” he said.

“Born and raised in Derby, I understand the opportunities and challenges that come with living and doing business in regional and remote WA. But this has never limited our ambition. It has strengthened our determination to create opportunities for Aboriginal businesses to succeed wherever they are.”

Le Lievre acknowledged the ongoing support of partners and clients, as well as the Western Australian government, especially the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the Department of Treasury and Finance.

But he added that true success came from the growth of Morrgul’s clients, not the award itself. “These awards are an important milestone for Morrgul, but the real measure of our success is seeing our clients grow, overcome challenges and continue to thrive,” he said.

“There are still many Aboriginal businesses and organisations across regional and remote WA with the ambition to grow, and we want to continue building our own capacity so we can walk alongside more of them on that journey.”

Other award winners

Other winners included Sodexo (Corporate Member of the Year), Main Roads Western Australia and the Transport Portfolio Aboriginal Engagement Branch (Government Member of the Year), Jasmine Kadic (Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year), Kakadu Organics (Indigenous Exporter of the Year) and Samuel Coote (Young Entrepreneur of the Year).

Supply Nation CEO Kate Russell said the Connect tradeshow and forum and the awards were vital in bringing Aboriginal communities and businesses together.

“Procurement of quality products and services from our Indigenous businesses remains a foundation stone of business growth, but Connect is much more than contracts. It’s about knowledge sharing, building relationships and trust through personal connections and taking time to reflect on the achievements that are supporting economic empowerment, greater self-determination and improvements in the livelihoods of Indigenous peoples right across Australia.”