A Guide to First Nations Financial Supports + Services

Money 101
Written By SOTM Team

Before we dive in, it’s important to acknowledge something upfront. She’s on the Money isn’t a First Nations business, and we’ll never pretend to speak on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. What we can do is use our platform to spotlight the incredible First Nations-led organisations, financial counsellors and advocates who are already doing this work in culturally informed, community-first ways.

These links and resouces come from our podcast episode with Leah Bennett from the First Nations Foundation who are all about empowering financial prosperity for First Nations people. Whether you’re looking for help with debt, navigating ID issues, dealing with financial abuse or simply wanting money education that respects culture and lived experience, the services below are a great place to start.

Where to Get Support:

Financial Counsellors (Free Support)

If you’re in debt, feeling overwhelmed, or dealing with financial abuse, a financial counsellor is completely free and confidential.

Financial counsellors can:
• Negotiate with lenders, banks or utility providers on your behalf
• Help you create a realistic budget or repayment plan
• Support you to escalate complaints through ombudsman services
• Advocate for you if you’re experiencing financial abuse or coercion
• Provide culturally informed support, including access to First Nations financial counsellors who understand cultural obligations, kinship responsibilities, shame barriers and community pressures.

Find a First Nations Financial Counsellor

Mob Strong Debt Help (Free, First Nations–Specific Support)

Mob Strong Debt Help is a national phone service dedicated specifically to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who need support with debt, financial stress, or dealing with banks, payday lenders, super funds, telcos or insurers.

Visit: https://mobstrong.org.au

First Nations Foundation (FNF)

All content is created by Mob, for Mob and everything is completely free.

First Nations Foundation

• Tomorrow money education PlatfoRm

FNF’s financial wellbeing hub designed to educate and empower Indigenous Australians to take control of their financial future. It’s full of resources, guides and helpful articles that cover everything from home ownership to super to credit and debt.
Visit: https://tomorrowmoney.co/


• My Money Dream

A foundational money program covering budgeting, saving, debt and confidence.
Visit: https://firstnationsfoundation.org.au/programs/my-money-dream


• My Business Dream

Equips First Nations business of all sizes with the financial skills and knowledge needed to achieve success at the start-up, expansion and governance stages of an operation.
Visit: https://firstnationsfoundation.org.au/programs/my-business-dream

• Rich Blak Women

A series celebrating First Nations women in business, money and leadership.
Visit: https://firstnationsfoundation.org.au/programs/indigenous-womens-financial-wellness

Podcast: https://firstnationsfoundation.org.au/resources/rich-blak-women

• FINANCIAL WELLNESS Outreach

FNF’s award-winning First Nations outreach program connects regional and remote communities with the finance sector to improve outcomes and accessibility across banking, superannuation and government services.
Visit: https://firstnationsfoundation.org.au/programs/financial-wellness-outreach


• Superannuation

FNF advocate for culturally safe access to super, beneficiary rules, and support for Mob facing systemic barriers. They also provide resources in their tomorrow money hub.
Visit: https://tomorrowmoney.co/super-and-insurance-articles/

Ombudsman Services

If you’ve been treated unfairly by a bank, super fund, telco, insurance provider, or government department, ombudsmen can step in.

 • Australian Financial Complaints Authority (banking, insurance, super)
Visit: https://www.afca.org.au/

• Taxation Ombudsman
Visit: https://www.igt.gov.au/

• Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
Visit: https://www.tio.com.au/

Domestic & Family Violence Support

• 13YARN
24-7 crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Visit: https://www.13yarn.org.au/

ID, Know Your Customer (KYC) & Alternative Identification Options

If you or a family member have trouble with ID because of mismatched documents, remoteness, stolen documents or crisis situations, you still have the right to access your bank accounts, superannuation and essential services.

What KYC Actually Means

KYC stands for Know Your Customer.

It’s a set of rules that banks, super funds and other financial services must follow to verify someone’s identity.

KYC is designed to:
• Prevent fraud
• Stop identity theft
• Protect people from money laundering or financial crime

KYC has a special rule set for people who cannot provide standard ID.

This is called the Alternative Forms of Identification Guidelines, and it was created specifically to support people experiencing:
• Missing or mismatched documents
• Disconnection from birth records
• Remoteness
• Domestic or family violence situations
• No access to original ID
• Cultural naming differences

Under these rules, banks must accept alternative ID options such as:
• Community ID cards
• Referee forms signed by Elders
• Letters from community organisations
• Any combination of documents that reasonably confirm identity

AUSTRAC’s Alternative ID guidelines:
 https://www.austrac.gov.au/business/how-comply-and-report-guidance-and-resources/customer-identification-and-verification/alternative-customer-identification-procedures

Setting Boundaries with Community (Humbugging)

How to Honour Your Boundaries and Deal With Humbugging 

Visit: https://tomorrowmoney.co/new_article/how-to-honour-your-boundaries-and-deal-with-humbugging/

Money can feel heavy, especially when you’re carrying cultural, family or community obligations on top of everyday life. But you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Our role at She’s on the Money is simply to make sure you know these services exist and to help point you toward support that’s available.

SOTM Team
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