RAP Champion Statement

Simon Lockwood, RAP Champion

I am pleased to have the opportunity as the Chair of Country SA PHN to have a role in supporting and promoting the Reconciliation Action Plan of our organisation across country South Australia.

Reconciliation is a process with the aim to bring together Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal Australians. It means working to overcome the division and inequality between Aboriginal and nonAboriginal people. In our domain this means working to overcome the very real differences that we see in health outcomes, living standards and life expectancy with Aboriginal people, and also acknowledging the scourge of racism and prejudice.

As an organisation we have the capacity and will work to promote reconciliation through our relationships with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and other programs which are focussed on improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes across the state.

Our plan will assist us to maintain focus on the important work of reconciliation by improving relationships and addressing disadvantage. Only once we have reconciled the past can we walk together into a shared future. Helen Exley, RAP Working Group member

For me while I’ve been connected with the work that we do with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the actual process has allowed me to reflect on my own practice – how I behave, how I think and being able to do that journey within the organisation has allowed the opening of discussions around that and bringing those thoughts and thinking out to the fore which has enabled conversations with other people in the organization which is helping a group think and a consideration to look at what reconciliation could be, should be and how we can be facilitators in that.

Our plan will assist us to maintain focus on the important work of reconciliation by improving relationships and addressing disadvantage

Country SA PHN 30 Tanunda Road, Nuriootpa SA 5355 PO Box 868 Nuriootpa SA 5355 Ph: 08 8565 8900