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:: Reconciliation Australia
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Reconciliation Queensland Inc works with Reconciliation Australia on
various projects and initiates. As Reconciliation Australia is
federally funded our partnership provides an opportunity for national
networking, educational resources, national projects and competitions
and administration of key Reconciliation projects including
Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs).
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Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (1991-2000)
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The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation was established in 1991 as a
statutory authority under the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Act
1991. The Act was passed with the unanimous support of both houses of
parliament.
The original Council, with Chairperson Patrick Dodson, comprised
25 community leaders "drawn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities, the industries which have most impact on Aboriginal people
and from business and other sectors." The Federal Government appointed
all Council members.
The Council was given a 10year life, which ended on the 31st December
2000. In the final period of its term the Council, following an
extensive community consultation process, produced the “Document
Towards Reconciliation” and the “Roadmap for Reconciliation”. These
documents were launched at Corroboree 2000 at the Sydney Opera House on
the 27th May 2000.
At the end of 2000, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation released
its final report, with recommendations stressing the need for
comprehensive action to address the significant issues of 'unfinished
business'. The Federal Government took almost two years to
formally respond to the Council's recommendations. The Government's
response was disappointing, rejecting most of the Council's
recommendations, including those which set out processes for formally
advancing the reconciliation process.
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Reconciliation Australia (2001 - )
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In January 2001, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation was replaced by Reconciliation Australia,
an independent, not-for-profit organisation. This peak national
organisation aims to provide national leadership for the reconciliation
movement. There are state offices of Reconciliation Australia in each
state and territory.
For more information on Reconciliation Australia visit www.reconciliationaustralia.org
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Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs)
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Reconciliation Australia is dedicated to closing the unacceptable
17-year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
children.
One of Reconciliation Australia's key strategies in achieving that
ambition is to support and encourage organisations to sign up to their
own tailored Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
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A Reconciliation Action Plan is a tool to help your organisation build
positive relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. It
gives you a format for exploring how reconciliation can advance your
business/organisational objectives. And it’s your public contribution
towards the national effort to close the 17-year life expectancy gap
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children.
A RAP formalises your contribution by encouraging you to identify clear
actions and realistic targets, as well as lessons learnt. While each
organisation shapes their own RAP, all plans include a creative blend
of relationships, respect and opportunities.
Developing a meaningful RAP takes time. But the final product is a simple, easy to read plan of no more than five pages.
The RAP community includes:
- Large corporations
- Small & medium businesses
- Local, State and Federal government agencies
- Indigenous organisations & enterprises
- Community organisations and not-for-profits
- Schools, universities, TAFEs
- Hospitals and health organisations
- Peak bodies and industry associations
- Faith groups
- Festivals, bands, sporting and creative arts
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Learn online and share pride in Australia's Indigenous cultures
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Developed to meet the huge, post-apology demand for information
about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their history and
cultures, Reconciliation Australia has developed a
ground-breaking, new resource for workplaces, schools and
individual Australians. The site is being launched this week to
coincide with the first episode of SBS TV’s series The First Australians which is also generating great interest in our shared history.
Share Our Pride is a cultural
awareness website which brings together facts and figures, answers to
common questions and lots of inspiring stories to help build
respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
Australians. The site was developed with funding from the Westpac
Foundation and Coles Group Community Fund and is now available
free of charge to schools, public and private sector organisations and
individuals wanting to understand more about the special place of
Australia’s first peoples.
"Every day, particularly since the national apology, businesses,
government agencies and schools have been asking us for simple
information to help staff and students feel they have an understanding
of this important part of Australia," said Barbara Livesey, chief
executive of Reconciliation Australia. "We developed Share Our Pride
to give non-Indigenous people a glimpse into Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples’ lives and cultures, and to offer some
ideas and encouragement about how we can work together to build
stronger communities."
Users can follow the content step-by-step from start to finish, or they
can dip in and out of the site looking for information when they need
it. Users will have ongoing, free-of-charge access to the site, which
includes sections on:
- Indigenous Australians –
covers topics of broad interest including Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander identity and acknowledgement of country
- Culture – builds understanding of culture, country, the Dreaming, family and kinship, customary law and environment
- Our shared history –
covers the history of contact between Indigenous and
non-Indigenous people, including a timeline and information about how
history continues to have an impact on people’s lives today
- Beyond the myths – dispels common myths and misconceptions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Respectful relationships
– inspiring partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
Australians that show how we can work together and get great
results
- Success stories –
information on successful Indigenous Australians who are role models, not just for their own communities but for all
Australians
- ‘What’s on’ – gives users
the rundown on Indigenous festivals, books and movies, as well as all
sorts of useful links outlining ideas of how non-Indigenous people can
experience Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, and learn
more about Indigenous people.
In welcoming users to the site, Matilda House, a Ngambri Elder on whose land Reconciliation Australia is located, says:
Many Australians haven’t had the
opportunity to experience our culture firsthand. Then, when they do get
the chance, people sometimes feel awkward asking questions directly – they may feel embarrassed or worry they'll say something
wrong.
Getting the basics from this site
should give you confidence to start developing two-way
relationships and to an interest to continue your journey of learning
about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
To use the site, all people have to do is go to
www.shareourpride.org.au and
register their name, email address and their organisation once
only.
“Knowledge and understanding is the first step in the reconciliation
journey and encouraging it makes people and their organisation part of
the national effort to close the 17-year life expectancy gap between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous children,” said Ms Livesey.
“Reconciliation Australia would like to see every Australian make use
of this timely, new resource.”
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© Reconciliation Queensland Incorporated 2008
Images courtesy of RQI and Tourism Queensland |
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