Moree reconciliation action plan 2014 final

Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2014-2017

Moree Plains Shire is located in northwest of New South Wales. Moree is 640km from Sydney and 480km from Brisbane. The Shire covers approximately 18,000 square kilometres.

The townships of Boggabilla, Mungindi and Pallamallawa are the other major centres, with the remaining population dispersed across the Shire.

The mild to hot climate and fertile land supports a strong agricultural industry. The Mehi, Gwydir, Barwon and Macintyre Rivers flow through the Shire. The abundance of water – particularly the bore water of the Great Artesian Basin – is a major tourist attraction and community asset.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Message from the Mayor......................................................................................................................2 2. Message from the General Manager........................................................................................3 3. Our Vision for Reconciliation.............................................................................................................4 4. Our Business.......................................................................................................................................................5 5. Our Reconciliation Action Plan Journey................................................................................6 6. Reconciliation Working Group.........................................................................................................7 7. Acknowledging the Past, Looking to the Future..........................................................7 8. Key Priority Areas..........................................................................................................................................9

- Relationships................................................................................................................................ 10 - Respect.............................................................................................................................................. 12 - Opportunities.............................................................................................................................. 14

9. Tracking Progress and Reporting.............................................................................................. 16

In the spirit of Reconciliation, Moree Plains Shire Council acknowledges and pays respect to the Kamilaroi people and their Elders, both past and present, of the land on which Moree Plains Shire Councils offices and operations are located.

Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this document contains images and names of people who have since passed away.

Moree Plains Shire Council recognises the different spelling and pronunciations used to represent the original inhabitants of the Moree Shire. The word Kamilaroi will be used throughout the entirety of this document.

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MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR Hello to all, my name is Katrina Humphries, and I am the Mayor of the Moree Plains Shire Council. I am a fourth generation NonAboriginal plains person and immensely proud of the fact that I live in such a diverse area rich with respect and an outlook on life that points to a fabulous future.

A love of the land is very important if you have an affinity with the bush, sunshine, water, soil, wildlife and of course, people.

Moree has a history that will always be acknowledged, I see it as a turning point in reconciliation and with a history that has been well documented, not only for the Freedom Rides, but also for the agricultural aspects in which so many Aboriginal people have excelled.

As well as a place of great history, we are also a place of great promise.

I am a firm believer that health, education and employment for all people is an essential ingredient to life.

Moree has shown with its actions that it is a place for harmony. 2013 was the year that Moree had its first Aboriginal year 12 Dux. Many children from all walks of life play sport together, study together, in adulthood work together, but most importantly to me, is that we all party together.

Life needs to be enjoyable, we all need the opportunity to work for a living, so that we may all take in the pleasures of life, clean air, good water, hope and a future where health and education are a given rite.

Moree and the Moree Plains offers all the opportunity, and more than many other places in the world. As carers, parents and grandparents, we all want the very best for our descendants, importantly we have the opportunity of choice, and that is invaluable.

With respect and opportunity for all, Katrina Humphries

Katrina Humphries Mayor 2

MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER The First Peoples of our Shire are the Kamilaroi people. Today, around twenty-one percent of our population identifies as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Reconciliation is about us all working together to build better relationships between the wider Australian community and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for the benefit of all Australians. This is a journey that we make together and should not be treated as a process.

The outcome will provide a better future for us all. A future built on common respect, honesty, recognising each person’s rich cultural heritage and supporting each other’s rights to be proud Australians with a common future.

To create positive change we need more people talking about the issues and coming up with innovative ideas and actions that make a difference.

This Reconciliation Action Plan will provide the basis for us to bring those ideas together and deliver the actions that will make a difference.

Our Council is looking to honour and celebrate our Aboriginal, pioneering and multicultural heritage as well as foster a strong, positive sense of identity/place and connection to Country. This is an area that has significant importance to the culture and beliefs of the Kamilaroi people.

It is also an area that has a rich and diverse modern history built on a pioneering spirit of working together, facing adversity and building strong communities. Both are great platforms to work from, and because of this our mutual future can be far greater than what we can achieve without working together.

I am pleased to endorse the Moree Plains Reconciliation Action Plan and I look forward to the results to come.

David Aber General Manager

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OUR VISION FOR RECONCILIATION In making this statement we recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as Australia’s First Peoples and respect their connection to lands, waters, places and cultures.

Our vision for Reconciliation is to be an organisation advocate, participant and employer that recognises and respects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and diversity through developing opportunities and respectful

relationships.

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OUR BUSINESS Moree Plains Shire Council (MPSC) is the local government authority that delivers infrastructure and services to the towns and villages across our Shire. Moree, the largest town, is situated at the heart of the Shire on the Gwydir and Mehi rivers and is made up of a diverse rural and urban community.

The Moree Plains Shire has a population of 13,429 of which 2,791 (21%) (ABS 2011) identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people. MPSC is proudly the largest locally based employer in the Shire and has a workforce of 210 full time equivalent staff of which 35 (17%) are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.

MPSC is the number one employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples out of all Local Government authorities in NSW. Our Council has achieved this through a continued focus on meeting the goals set out in Councils Aboriginal Employment Strategy 2010.

Aboriginal people are employed across all levels and areas of our Council and we continually seek ways to build skills to meet both future organisational and community needs.

MPSC formally committed to developing a Reconciliation Action Plan as identified in Council’s Aboriginal Employment Strategy April 2010 and more recently in MPSC’s Delivery Program (2014–2017) and Operational Plan (2014–2015).

MPSC affirms its commitment to the reconciliation process through the development and implementation of this Reconciliation Action Plan.

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OUR RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN JOURNEY Moree Plains Shire Councils journey to the development of our first Reconciliation Action Plan began approximately fifteen years ago.

Prime Minister John Howard in June 2000 signed a declaration which reads “Moree: Leading the way in reconciliation�.

Following early industry based employment programs through the Moree Aboriginal Employment Strategy, community strategic planning sessions in 2001 focused on developing further employment opportunities in the Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This has remained a key focus area for MPSC ever since. Over the past decade Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees as a percentage of total employees has grown from 6% in 2001 to 17% in 2014.

In 2009, MPSC unveiled a significant statement that acknowledges the Kamilaroi people as Traditional Custodians of the land on which the MPSC Council chambers stand. Many other plaques have also been commissioned throughout the shire for significant Council buildings.

MPSC developed an internal Aboriginal Advisory Committee and our first Aboriginal Employment Strategy in 2010.

MPSC will launch its first Reconciliation Action Plan in 2014.

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RECONCILIATION WORKING GROUP Moree Plains Shire Council has utilised the expertise and tools provided

by Reconciliation Australia in developing our Reconciliation Action Plan.

MPSC formed a RAP working group in July 2013, with the aim of turning good intentions into measurable outcomes. The Working Group members include representatives from MPSC staff, Elected Councillors, Moree Local Aboriginal Land Council, Moree Reconciliation Committee and community members. Various organisations in the shire have also provided input that has guided the development of our RAP document.

RAP Working Group members include Pastor Miles Berghan Community Representative, Mitchell Johnson MPSC Director Corporate Services, Glen Crump Chairperson Moree Reconciliation Committee, Dave Aber MPSC General Manager, William Beale Consultant, Katrina Humphries MPSC Mayor, Mick Cikota MPSC Councillor, Debbie Baxter-Tomkins MPSC Manager Human Resources, Kylie Benge MPSC Aboriginal Employment & Careers Coordinator, Absent Theo Tzannes MPSC Councillor, Lloyd Munro Chairperson Moree Local Aboriginal Land Council and Cathy Duncan Community Representative.

ACKNOWLEDGING THE PAST, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE‌ The Kamilaroi people are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which MPSC operates. The Kamilaroi are one of the largest Aboriginal nations in Australia and their traditional lands cover an area of over 48,000 kilometres.

Explorers and settlers first came to the Shire in the early 1800’s and Aboriginal family groups as a result were dispersed throughout the area. In 1895 the Government granted a 102 acre parcel of land for the creation of a reserve at Terry Hie Hie. Many people settled on this reserve for the next 20-30 years before moving into Moree where they set up camps along the Mehi River.

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Aboriginal people in the Moree Plains Shire also resided in camps located at Whalan Station, Euraba, Old Toomelah, and Toomelah (present site) Top Camp, Middle Camp, Bottom Camp and the Common amongst others.

Aboriginal people in the early years were aware that their presence in Moree was not supported by the majority of other people in the town. There were local laws enacted by Moree Municipal Council that restricted the rights of Aboriginal people. These local laws were collectively known as the ‘colour bar’.

Moree gained national and international media coverage for the 1965 Freedom Rides, which came through Moree and were led by Dr Charles Perkins. The Freedom Ride aimed to create awareness of the fact that Aboriginal people did not have the same privileges and rights as other people had in Moree. A focal point was the rally held at the Moree town pool complex.

The student actions at the Moree Pool highlighted the racial discrimination that existed in Australian rural towns and forced the wider Australian community to look at the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were treated.

The protest was a significant contributor to the change process that led to the 1967 Referendum ‘Yes’ vote to change the Australian Constitution regarding the status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Consequently, the Moree Baths and Swimming Pool Complex is of outstanding heritage value to the nation and was included on the National Heritage List 6th September 2013 and is the 100th place added to the list.

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MPSC recognises the past injustices faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia and as an organisation we commit to ensuring that our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are treated with respect and feel that they are a valued part of our local community.

Moree Plains Shire Council as an organisation is committed to contributing to the ongoing implementation of our Reconciliation Action Plan through a committed focus on Relationships, Respect and Opportunities.

RELATIONSHIPS

Moree Plains Shire Council will: “Strive to develop and maintain respectful relationships with internal and external stakeholders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by promoting greater Council awareness and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures”.

RESPECT

Moree Plains Shire Council will “Foster respect through recognising the importance of reconciliation and creating a workplace that is welcoming to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities”.

OPPORTUNITIES

Moree Plains Shire Council is “Committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive workforce and will continue to explore opportunities to increase supplier diversity through engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses ”.

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RELATIONSHIPS Moree Plains Shire Council will: “Strive to develop and maintain respectful relationships with internal and external stakeholders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by promoting greater Council awareness and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures�.

Focus area: Partnerships, Consultation, Education and Mutual Learning.

Action

Responsibility

Timeline

Target

1.1 Moree Plains Shire Council (MPSC) RAP Working Group actively monitors RAP development and implementation of actions, tracking, progress and reporting

MPSC- Director Corporate Services

June 2014

RAP Working Group established to oversee the development, endorsement and launch of the RAP. Committee membership includes Councillors, staff members, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members Quarterly meetings to provide general advice and feedback on RAP

1.2 MPSC will celebrate National Reconciliation week annually by providing opportunities for employees to build upon existing relationships based upon mutual understanding and respect.

MPSC- Manager Human Resources

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27th May to 3rd June 2015, 2016, 2017

Organise at least one internal event each year at each MPSC location and depot.

Action

Responsibility

Timeline

Target

1.3 MPSC will support reconciliation within the MPSC local government area by building strong mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, community and organisations

MPSC- Director Corporate Services

July 2015

Identify and communicate with local Aboriginal organisations, Elders, community members and leaders and Community Working Parties.

MPSC- Director Corporate Services

June 2014

Establish two mutual beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or community organisations.

1.4 Increase MPSC’s participation and community visibility in the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community

MPSC- Manager Human Resources

June 2015

Participate in a minimum of two community based events annually.

1.5 Build relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples wishing to become a Councillor at the next Local Government election.

MPSC- Director Corporate Services

June 2016

Arrange a presentation by current Aboriginal Local Government Councillors to local persons interested in becoming a Councillor.

Meei Dreaming (1996), Margaret Adams

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RESPECT Moree Plains Shire Council will “Foster respect through recognising the importance of reconciliation and creating a workplace that is welcoming to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities”.

Focus area: Protocols, Cultural Understanding.

Action

Responsibility

Timeline

Target

2.1 MPSC will engage employees in understanding the protocols around Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country ceremonies to ensure there is shared meaning behind the ceremonies.

MPSC- Director Corporate Services

June 2014

Develop, implement and communicate a protocol document for Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country ceremonies for the council.

June 2014

Moree Plains Shire Council is to Identify at least one significant event for which a Welcome to Country from a Kamilaroi Elder will be included.

June 2015

Moree Plains Shire Council to develop and pilot a cultural awareness training strategy for Council. In particular, provide opportunities for RWG members, RAP champions, HR Managers and other key leaders to participate in training.

2.2 MPSC will engage employees in cultural learning to increase understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, heritages and achievements.

MPSC- Manager Human Resources

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Action

Responsibility

2.3 MPSC will provide MPSC- Manager opportunities for Aboriginal Human Resources and Torres Strait Islander employees to engage with their culture and community through NAIDOC Week events.

Timeline

Target

1st Sunday to 2nd Sunday in July 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

Provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to participate in local NAIDOC Week events.

May 2014

Review HR policies and procedures to ensure there are no barriers for staff to participate in NAIDOC activities.

2.4 MPSC will create a welcoming workplace environment by continuing to encourage all staff to wear MPSC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander designed corporate wear range.

MPSC- Director Corporate Services

January 2015

Moree Plains Shire Council to review and develop the work attire to include designs reflective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork designed by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander artist.

2.5 Explore options of erecting a Reconciliation Bell in Moree to signify the importance of Reconciliation within the Community.

MPSC- Director Corporate Services and RAP Working Group

June 2015

RAP working group to explore options including community support for and funding of the reconciliation bell project.

2.6 MPSC will maintain and promote a calendar which highlights days of significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

MPSC- Executive Assistants

June 2014

Significant events published and promoted on Corporate Calendar and Councils Calendar of Events, including: National Reconciliation Week NAIDOC Week National Sorry Day Apology Day

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OPPORTUNITIES Moree Plains Shire Council is “Committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive workforce and will continue to explore opportunities to increase supplier diversity through engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses �.

Focus area: Networking, Professional Learning, Employment.

Action

Responsibility

Timeline

Target

3.1 MPSC will investigate opportunities within council to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment opportunities.

MPSC- Manager Human Resources

June 2015

Review MPSC Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy

June 2015

Engage with existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to consult on employment strategies, including professional development.

June 2015

Pilot different approaches to increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment within MPSC, this may include training pathways, apprenticeships, internships, cadetships, or work experience.

June 2015

Council to continue to support school based traineeships.

June 2015

Advertise all vacancies in local media.

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Action

Responsibility

3.2 MPSC will investigate MPSC- Director opportunities to increase Corporate Services supplier diversity within council.

3.3 MPSC will look for opportunities to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment opportunities in the local business sector

MPSC- Aboriginal Employment and Careers Coordinator

Timeline

Target

July 2015

Review and address procurement policy barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses

July 2015

Investigate becoming a member of Supply Nation.

July 2015

Educate staff about using Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.

June 2014

Develop at least one commercial relationship with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business.

July 2015

Participate in 85% of Moree Aboriginal Interagency meetings and events.

MPSC will participate in committees and networking opportunities as they arise that relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment.

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Tracking progress and reporting Action

Responsibility

Timeline

Target

4.1 MPSC will report achievements, challenges and findings to Reconciliation Australia for inclusion in the RAP Impact Measurement Report.

MPSC- Director Corporate Services

30th September 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

Complete and submit the RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire to Reconciliation Australia annually.

4.2 Communicate MPSC RAP and achievements to staff, stakeholders and MPSC community

MPSC- Director Corporate Services

June 2014

MPSC Reconciliation Action Plan 2014-2017 will be published and uploaded onto the Intranet and public website

4.3 Review, update and refresh MPSC RAP

MPSC- Director Corporate Services

July 2017

MPSC review, update and refresh RAP 20142017 based on learnings, achievements and challenges of previous RAP.

July 2017

RAP 2018-2021 will be developed in consultation with Reconciliation Australia and RAP Working Group

Boobera Lagoon is located 13.5km west of Boggabilla. This waterhole is a 4km long billabong, an offshoot of the mighty Macintyre River. Long-recognised as being culturally significant to the Kamilaroi, Bigambul and Gamilaraay peoples, this is a place where historical, social and spiritual values intertwine. These Boobera waters are the resting place of Garriya, a powerful spirit-being also called the Rainbow Serpent. By day, leisure activities include picnicking, swimming, sailing, non-powered boating and, of course, fishing.

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Council Contact Details Moree Plains Shire Council Level 2, 30 Heber Street Moree NSW 2400 PO Box 420 Moree NSW 2400 Telephone: (02) 6757 3222 Facsimile: (02) 6752 3934 Email: council@mpsc.nsw.gov.au For specific enquiries please contact: Mr Mitchell Johnson Director of Corporate Services Telephone: (02) 6757 3203 Email: Mitchell.johnson@mpsc.nsw.gov.au

Councillors Mayor Katrina Humphries (2008 - Current) Deputy Mayor Cr Sue Price (2008 - Current) Cr Rodney Brazel (2004 - Current)

Cr Theo Tzannes (2008 - Current)

Cr John Tramby (1995 - Current)

Cr Brendan Munn (2012 - Current)

Cr Claudia Gall (2004 - Current)

Cr Mick Cikota (2012 - Current)

Cr James von Drehnen (2008 - Current)

Executive Management Team General Manager........................................ Dave Aber Director Planning and............................. Lester Rodgers Development Director Engineering............................... Ian Dinham Services Director Corporate Services............. Mitchell Johnson Group Manager Water........................... David Wolfenden & Waste

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