A few steps closer to reconciliation

GOLDEN Plains Shire councilors have supported the municipality’s draft Reconciliation Action Plan 2021 at their council meeting on Tuesday, 23 March.

A new flag-raising policy was also passed, meaning the Shire will fly the Torres Strait Islander flag beside the Aboriginal and Australian flags at the Golden Plains Civic Centre and Smythesdale’s The Well.

The RAP, created by the Wadawurrung Aboriginal Corporation, Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, and a Shire working group, has been endorsed as a framework for organisations to follow on their path towards collaborative reconciliation with First Nations Peoples.

The stages of the plan include reflecting, innovating, stretching, and elevating. Local government is now taking the first step to reflect, strengthening relationships with the area’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Cr Les Rowe said valuing “our indigenous heritage” is something that was raised in the Golden Plains Shire’s recently adopted Community Vision for 2040.

“We want to connect to the traditional owners of the land for which we’re on,” he said.

Cr Clayton Whitfield said the plan, and flag changes, demonstrate due recognition.

“This plan and process will complement and extend on what is already being done by council, particularly in NAIDOC Week, and with symbolism as we see with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags flown in the chambers,” he said.

“This plan provides us with a strategy to enhance our relationships with the traditional owners.”

Cr Owen Sharkey said the document is an important one.

“The organisation has chosen to do this. There is a lot of passion and commitment from staff to get involved in this process,” he said.

“We’re starting to see this implemented in a lot of organisations and it’s a genuine step in the right direction, so I commend the staff and everyone for taking part, and for being so passionate about it.”

Nunga Creations’ Shu Brown has created an artwork featured on the draft document, which responds to the Shire landscape.

“It’s fantastic to have somebody with Aboriginal heritage in Bannockburn itself provide some lovely artwork there,” Cr Sharkey said.

Reconciliation Australia is set to assess the RAP for approval. The Shire expects the plan will be launched officially in June during Reconciliation Week.

Director of community services Lisa Letic said the municipality is home to 204 people who identify as Aboriginal, or as a Torres Strait Islander.

“The Shire is proudly home to two traditional owner groups who have lived within the region for more than 25,000 years; the Wadawurrung and the Eastern Maar communities,” she said.

The installation of extra flagpoles at the Civic Centre and at The Well come under the Shire’s 2021-22 Capital Works Budget.