Reconciliation Queensland Incorporated - reconciliation queensland reconciliation queensland incorporated

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RQI general information

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RQI vision

An equitable and informed Queensland, which recognises a shared past and respects Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first Australians.

RQI purpose

Promote an ongoing process of reconciliation within Queensland through;

campaigning against racism and any other form of discrimination
facilitating and supporting mutually respectful and engaging relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Queenslanders
the development of strategic partnerships
supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, communities and organisations in aspirations related to education and training, health and well being, cultural sustainability, justice and self determination
advocating and supporting institutional and individual change with a focus on cultural competence and cultural safety
supporting individuals, organisations, local reconciliation and community groups by providing access to information and resources
creating an environment for greater understanding of the unique position, diversity of cultures, languages and histories of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples
providing an improved understanding of Australian history and contemporary issues from an Indigenous Australian perspective and advocating against injustices suffered by Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples
opportunities to support the educational and training desires of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander people
supporting community desires for the revival and maintenance of Aboriginal languages and cultures and Torres Strait Islander languages and cultures
supporting programs that improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples
supporting initiatives that encourage self determination and Indigenous rights of Aboriginal communities and Torres Strait Islander communities

Jackie Huggins

RQI Patron and lifetime member

Jackie has maintained a lifetime commitment to Reconciliation in Queensland and across Australia. RQI is honoured to have Jackie as a patron of Reconciliation Queensland and acknowledges her tireless work and advocacy in eradicating injustice for Indigenous peoples and educating non-Indigenous peoples through an action based reconciliation processes.

Jackie Huggins AM FAHA (BA Qld, BA Hons, DipEd Flinders, Doctor of the University honoris causa Qld) is of the Bidjara (Central Queensland) and Birri-Gubba Juru (North Queensland) peoples. Jackie holds many leadership positions in organisations across the country. She is a Director of the Telstra Foundation; Adjunct Professor in the School of Social Work and Applied Human Sciences, University of Queensland; Member of the Indigenous Advisory Board of the Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, Central Queensland University; former Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia; former Chair of the Queensland Domestic Violence Council (2001); former Commissioner for Queensland for the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families (1997); and former member of the ATSIC Review Panel (2003). She authored Auntie Rita (with Rita Huggins 1994) and Sistergirl (1999). In 2000 she received the Premier's Millenium Award for Excellence in Indigenous Affairs; in 2001 she was awarded an Australia Medal (AM) for her work with Indigenous people, particularly reconciliation, literacy, women's issues and social justice; and in 2007 Jackie was named University of Queensland Alumnus of the Year.

RQI Management Committee Profiles

Heather Castledine (Indigenous Co-chair)
Peter Jackson (Non-Indigenous Co-chair)
Renee Coffey (Secretary)
Alison Stevens (Treasurer)

Members: Rosalie Raciti; Mark Baumgart; Bill Lowah; Flo Watson; Bill Buchanan; Maree Klemm;Susan Willsteed and Rod Jarro.

Heather Castledine

Co-Chairperson (Indigenous)

I am a proud Murri (Aboriginal) woman. Born into Hooper Family at St George & raised in Charleville on the bank of the Warrego River. My family (Kent) moved from my tribal country to follow work for my father (Joe Kent). As a younger person, I worked in the outback for 27 years on Cattle & Sheep stations, shearing sheds & Earth moving camps at the back of Bourke. While studying at University for my Bachelor degree I was carer for my ex-husband for number of years who had a mental health disorder/disability, which gave me experience of the other side of mental disorders. For the past 4 years I have worked for Queensland Health with Child& Youth Mental Health Service as an Indigenous Cultural Consultant to team of 35 clinicians.

I have Bachelor of Social Work, Certificate IV in Indigenous Leadership, Certificate of Attendance to Attachment Theory & Practice Relevance for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders Peoples, Statement of Completion A& TSI Cultural Awareness Facilitator Training, Outstanding Achievement for Reconciliation Learning Circle Kit, Certificate of Participation in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills & Statement of Attainment Senior First Aid & I also attend a Women’s Workshop on Grief and Loss.

I have always worked with the belief of bridging the gap and understanding with Reconciliation in my heart and growing as equals together as one. I believe in reconciliation and consider we need to develop an understanding of all cultures that make up the island we call our country of Australia, that we love and want to share with the world not just one culture but many. Take into consideration the first settler to come to this land. They were the stolen generations of England, Scotland, Ireland & Wales removed because of criminal offences to their culture. They were sent here for life, not only their lives but for their descents, in country so alien to their home land and placed with culture so different from their own culture/ society. Yes, we need to join together and take time to respect and understand who we are and where to from here.

Peter Jackson

Co-Chairperson (Non-Indigenous)

Peter has been an active member of the Samford Reconciliation Group and RQI since 1995. In his professional capacity, Peter holds the position of Project Manager – Professional Development in the Department of Education Training and the Arts. Prior to joining the Queensland Government he worked, for many years, in the television broadcasting industry as an employee of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and in earlier years for a commercial network. Throughout his career, Peter has liaised, consulted and gained a mutually respectful and rewarding professional relationship with Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a large number of remote, rural and urban communities in every Australian State and Territory. Peter and his wife have a multicultural family and he is committed to the principles of Reconciliation.

Renee Coffey

Secretary

Renee has been involved in the reconciliation movement for over ten years, having first established Young Australians for Anti-Racism and Reconciliation (YAARR) in 1998 with a fellow secondary school student, Andrew Davison. Renee went on to obtain first class honours in Australian history at the University of Queensland with her thesis on frontier conflict in the Bundaberg/Gin Gin region and was the non-Indigenous youth speaker at Corroboree 2000 in the Sydney Opera House. She has worked for the Queensland Government in various roles, specialising in marketing, communications, sponsorship, events and project management. From 2006-2008 Renee was the State Manager of Reconciliation South Australia and completed her graduate Diploma of Education specialising in Aboriginal education. Renee was also a delegate of the Indigenous stream of the 2020 Summit.

Renee was an RQI committee member from 2004-2006 and is thrilled to be back in Queensland.

Alison Stevens

Treasurer

Alison believes that individuals need to engage and support the process of reconciliation with both their hearts and their minds. To this end, Alison sings with the Songlines Community Choir and the Inala Yarning Place Singers and is keen to support RQI as Treasurer of the Management Committee.

Rosali Raciti

Committee Member

My initial involvement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families was in 1972 when I was teacher in charge at the newly established kindergarten at Palm Island. My commitment to Indigenous issues continued through a career in education, with responsibilities for Early Childhood, Arts and Reconciliation, until my retirement in 2005.

My committee involvement has included the following organisations: SE Qld NAIDOC, Under Eights’ Week, Qld Children’s Week, Australian Early Childhood Association, Australian Association of Early Childhood Educators, Save the Children, Qld Women in the Public Service, Reconciliation Queensland and Diversity in Child Care Qld. I have been actively involved in the planning of Cultural Sharing Days for the early childhood sector for many years. Cultural activities and experiences are offered to young children within a culturally inclusive environment.

I am keen to see the membership base of RQI expand to include a greater number of Local Reconciliation Groups throughout Queensland. My interest in the visual and performing arts sees an opportunity for Reconciliation to take place through these media and I have worked to create an active partnership between RQI and Indigenous arts organisations in Qld. I see Reading for Reconciliation programs as another pathway towards Reconciliation and have been involved with a Reconciliation Reading Group for two years.

I believe that active networking and partnerships with other organisations and businesses is essential for the future growth and development of RQI .

Mark Baumgart

Committee Member

Mark has been involved in the Indigenous community most of his life, having served several years as a Queensland Reconciliation Consultant and held executive roles on the Governing Committee of Link-Up Queensland.

Mark works as a Senior Advisor with Main Roads specialising on managing Indigenous programs/events including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education toward Employment Scholarship Scheme. He also holds the current Indigenous Co-Chair position with the Queensland Sorry Day Journey of Healing Network (QSDJoHN) QSDJoHN is the Queensland affiliated body to the National Sorry Day Committee. This Network has a long history of assisting with the organising of annual National Sorry Day events held in Brisbane. The purpose and objectives of this Network is to progress the unfinished Sorry Day business and commemorative events with the view of assisting with bringing together 'Stolen Generations', their families and the general community across Queensland.

Mark has recently found out who his people are and where his homelands are. He is proud to now acknowledge his Cultural Heritage and Traditional Homelands: Woolwonga, North East of Katherine, up to Pine Creek, as far as the Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory.

Mark's personal drive and passion is to assist with the reconnection of families because for a long period of his young life he grew up without family. Mark's personal motivation also comes from the memories of some of his aunties and uncles from Darwin who were members of the Stolen Generations.

Auntie Flo Watson

Committee Member

Flo Watson (Jinnadirran) was born at the Yarrabah in North Queensland.
She is a member of the Ghunghanghi People (traditional owners of Yarrabah)
Who also has family ties to the Kuku-yelangi people of Maytown, Palmer River area and the Wulguru Kaba people of Magnetic Island near Townsville.
From 1996 to 2002 Flo was an active member of the Queensland Reconciliation Committee which is now known as Reconciliation Qld Incorporated (RQI) and has remained an active member and committee member for over 12 years. Flo Watson has had a varied working life across the public and private sectors, which has provided her with substantial experience in working with Indigenous communities and organisations. Flo is the Principal Director of Jinnadirran Training & Consultancy Services Pty Ltd, a Queensland Registered Company established in 1996. Its purpose is to establish a business, which would specialise in developing and delivering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Cross Cultural Awareness training and culturally appropriate skills training courses for all interested participants and organisations and provide a cultural approach to consulting services working with Indigenous People. Jinnadirran works in partnership with other Indigenous and non-Indigenous facilitators and consultants to promote self-determination for Indigenous Australians and to progress the process of reconciliation.

Bill Lowah

Committee Member

A Torres Strait Islander, Bill has lived in Brisbane for forty years. He is an original member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation(CAR), serving on that Council from 1990 to 2000. Bill has always been closely connected to the Aboriginal, TSI, and SSI Families – growing up in FNQ

Bill has and continues to be involved with Community, State and National Organisations, for the past four decades; and one of his passions is about the Future Generations. He is the Grandfather of a feisty 5 year old; and his journey is about a better deal for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies and youth. He advocates Human Rights for Everyone.

Bill Buchanan

Committee Member

Watch this space

Susan Willsteed

Committee Member

Susan Willsteed is a non-Indigenous associate lecturer who was born and grew up in Turrubal country (Brisbane’s north side), and is a graduate of QUT. Susan has an early childhood teaching background, but has for many years been involved in supporting Indigenous students at all levels of education, and in advocating for the incorporation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives at all levels of education and within the wider community. Susan currently teaches Indigenous Studies in the Education and Humanities Faculties at QUT, and is the liaison lecturer for Indigenous students enrolled in the faculty of Education.

Maree Klemm

Committee Member

Maree came to be a director and branch president of Amnesty International Australia, via activism for Refugees and multicultural equity around 2000. Her career commitment is to fulfil responsibilities to community, employer, professional and personal relationships, to the maximum of her capacity and in the spirit of excellence, equity and social justice.

In her community roles she is active in the areas of Social Justice and Human Rights; Internationalism and Multiculturalism; Sustainable Development; and Women’s Equity. Maree champions economic, social and cultural rights along side civil and political rights and is aligned to achieving the Millennium Development Goals with the ultimate goal to achieve world peace.

In her ~35 years in professional careers in the mining, financial and not-for-profit sectors, Maree has pursued many alternative extensions and progressions of her post graduate qualifications in science, finance and corporate governance. She currently works in corporate advisory and consulting roles.

Rod Jarro

Committee Member

Watch this space

Meeting Minutes

RQI Meeting Minutes (3 December 2009)

RQI Meeting Minutes (4 February 2010)

RQI Meeting Minutes (05 March 2010)

RQI Meeting Minutes (29 March 2010)

RQI Meeting Minutes (15 April 2010)

RQI Meeting Minutes (13 May 2010)

RQI logos and tagline for download

Versions of the RQI logo can be downloaded from the links below. If you require assistance with the logos or need another size or file format, please contact Rachel Rolfe, Lead Based Ink graphic design. Phone 0407 171 796 or email leadbasedink1@optusnet.com.au

PLEASE NOTE: where possible, use PDF or EPS versions of the logo when supplying to printers, signwriters, screenprinters etc.