2026-27 Federal Budget: Incremental Progression or Actual Reform

FNE analyses the Australian Government’s 2026–27 Federal Budget from a First Nations economic and policy perspective. While the Budget includes substantial investment across remote employment, community-controlled health, food security, education and family violence prevention, it argues the Budget remains primarily a service-delivery response rather than a structural reform agenda.

FNE examines key Indigenous-specific measures, broader cost-of-living and procurement reforms, and ongoing gaps in housing, justice reform, capital access and economic sovereignty. It argues that long-term outcomes will depend not only on government investment, but on whether funding strengthens Aboriginal-led delivery, economic participation, community-controlled infrastructure and decision-making authority.

Overall, we conclude that the Budget represents a meaningful operational investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, but falls short of delivering the deeper structural reforms required for long-term economic empowerment and self-determination.

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Gurminder Saro

Interim Chair

Associate Professor Rick Macourt is a proud, queer Gumbaynggirr man, lawyer, and economic specialist. He leads First Nations Economics as Managing Director of Strategy and Foundation and serves as Associate Dean of First Nations Strategy and Services at the University of Sydney.

With over 15 years of experience spanning government, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors, Rick is deeply committed to advancing the economic development of First Peoples. As the former Director of First Nations Expenditure and Outcomes at NSW Treasury, he spearheaded the state’s inaugural Indigenous expenditure reporting processes and established the groundbreaking First Nations budget process in 2021/22. Previously, Rick held an executive role at the Westpac Group, overseeing First Nations affairs, and has a rich history in government, monitoring, evaluation, and negotiation, with senior positions at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, City of Sydney, and Standards Australia.

Rick is a published author with Oxford University Press, a member of the First Nations Advisory Board of Siemens Australia, and a Non-Executive Director on the board of Barnardos Australia.