In our 50th year, we reflect on our work with indigenous communities in Australia. In 1973, Cufa became involved with the Walgett Community Credit Union in NSW to develop credit unions in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

In 1974, Cufa provided an interest free loan of $4,000, worth $33,928 today, to allow the credit union to purchase a mobile office to facilitate the collection of funds. By 1979, Cufa continued delivering training on credit union functions and administrations to indigenous communities by endorsing campaigns to other credit unions in the Sydney Metropolitan Area alongside the State Government Employees Credit Union (SGECU).

Following the devastating cyclone Tracy, Cufa provided $391, worth $3,316 today, to assist members of Northern Suburbs Credit Union, then located in Rapid Creek, one of the most devastated areas by the cyclone. In the coming years, Cufa would also commit to provide travel funding for young Australian credit union members to attend youth forums and Australian credit union educational forums.