A message from the Mayor – Reconciliation Action Plan
Published on 30 November 2015
As many in our community are aware, in May of this year Council adopted its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Our RAP specifically sets out our commitment to developing relationships with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through mutual respect, inclusiveness, equity and cultural awareness.
Earlier this month, Council received a letter from Hon Natalie Hutchins, Minister for Local Government, Aboriginal Affairs and Industrial Relations congratulating both Council and the community on our RAP and I thought I would share an excerpt from her letter with you:
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the outstanding leadership your council has demonstrated in respect to recognition and reconciliation with Aboriginal Victorians.
As part of the ministerial State on Local Government, I recently announced the Government’s intention to develop an Aboriginal Local Government Action Plan.
The initial policy directions of the Aboriginal Local Government Action Plan will examine five key roles of councils as: employer; service provider; community leader in reconciliation; procurer of services; and statutory planning authority.
In each of these spaces councils have the capacity to improve life outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians. Councils such as Mildura Rural City Council are already leading by example in one or more of these spaces, becoming an employer of choice, embedding cultural safety in human services; building Aboriginal business targets into procurement policy; employing Aboriginal cultural heritage officers; working respectfully with traditional owners; establishing reconciliation action plans and in other ways.
Councils such as yours have literally and practically been flying the flag, walking beside Aboriginal leaders and community members and delivering on visionary Aboriginal Action Plans based on recognition, respect and reconciliation.
As you would be aware, on 22 October at the Municipal Association of Victoria Conference, I launched the Maggolee website which identifies model activities councils can undertake to improve the lives of Aboriginal Victorians.
I encourage you and your colleagues to google the website www.maggolee.org.au as you continue your important work to achieve reconciliation in Mildura.
Thank you for your leadership and I hope you will provide a model for other councils wishing to help Close the Gap as we develop and implement an Aboriginal Local Government Action Plan for Victoria.
Once again, on behalf of Council I would like to thank everyone who was involved in developing our RAP which is now receiving such wonderful feedback. In particular I want to thank the RAP Working Group, Aboriginal Action Committee and Reconciliation Australia as well as Council staff, Councillors and members of our community who took time to contribute their ideas and passion to this document.
We’re now working hard on achieving the targets and goals as set out in our RAP. Copies are available from Council service centres and online at www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Our-Region/Aboriginal-Heritage
Cr. Glenn Milne
Mayor