Reconciliation Action Plan

Download print version (PDF, 10.8MB)

Acknowledgment

Health and Wellbeing Queensland respectfully acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands, winds and waters where we live, learn and work.

We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who are the First Nations peoples of Australia, as distinctly different groups with unique cultures, histories, knowledges, and connections to Country.

We pay our respects and acknowledge the important role of Elders, past and present, for they hold the memories of the traditions, cultures and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and have taken on the responsibility to protect and promote their culture and leave a legacy for future Elders and leaders.

We acknowledge any Sorry Business that may be affecting individuals, families and communities.

We recognise and respect the common strengths demonstrated across Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In particular, the resourcefulness and enduring resilience Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, families and communities continue to behold.

We acknowledge the long-standing relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and recognise that colonisation has forcibly disrupted this.

We thank and acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have contributed to, and co-led, this work.

Message from Our Board and Chief Executive Officer

The Board and Chief Executive Officer of Health and Wellbeing Queensland are pleased to endorse and present Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan.

Our first Reconciliation Action Plan is the product of consultation across the agency and key stakeholders. It reflects our commitment to improve the health gap of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and ensure
there is a lasting impact on the reconciliation movement by making a valuable contribution to reconciliation in Australia.

This ‘Reflect’ Reconciliation Action Plan sets out the foundational steps our organisation will take to progress its reconciliation journey through a combination of actions spanning relationships, respect, opportunities and governance. We acknowledge and thank all those whose contributions helped shape this Plan and for supporting Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s path to reconciliation.

We exist to create better health and wellbeing for all Queenslanders, particularly children and young people and particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who experience disproportionate disadvantage through no fault of their own.

Through our Reconciliation Action Plan, we look forward to working closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations in the journey to create better health and wellbeing outcomes for a healthier and fairer Queensland.

This is Generation Queensland.

Message from Reconciliation Australia

Reconciliation Australia welcomes Health and Wellbeing Queensland to the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program with the formal endorsement of its inaugural Reflect RAP.

Health and Wellbeing Queensland joins a network of more than 2,500 corporate, government, and not-for-profit organisations that have made a formal commitment to reconciliation through the RAP program.

Since 2006, RAPs have provided a framework for organisations to leverage their structures and diverse spheres of influence to support the national reconciliation movement. The program’s potential for impact is greater
than ever, with close to 3 million people now working or studying in an organisation with a RAP.

The four RAP types — Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate — allow RAP partners to continuously develop and strengthen reconciliation commitments in new ways. This Reflect RAP will lay the foundations, priming the workplace for future RAPs and reconciliation initiatives.

The RAP program’s strength is its framework of relationships, respect, and opportunities, allowing an organisation to strategically set its reconciliation commitments in line with its own business objectives, for the most effective outcomes. These outcomes contribute towards the five dimensions of reconciliation: race relations; equality and equity; institutional integrity; unity; and historical acceptance.

It is critical to not only uphold all five dimensions of reconciliation, but also increase awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledge, and leadership across all sectors of Australian society.

This Reflect RAP enables Health and Wellbeing Queensland to deepen its understanding of its sphere of influence and the unique contribution it can make to lead progress across the five dimensions. Getting these first steps right will ensure the sustainability of future RAPs and reconciliation initiatives, and provide meaningful impact toward Australia’s reconciliation journey.

Congratulations Health and Wellbeing Queensland, welcome to the RAP program, and I look forward to following your reconciliation journey in the years to come.

Karen Mundine
Chief Executive Officer
Reconciliation Australia

Circles of Life – the Spirit of Reconciliation

The artwork is a visual representation of the reconciliation journey of Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld) with a key theme throughout the artwork being connections, working with many First Nations communities to reduce health inequities and create opportunities for all communities, families and individuals to flourish.

Throughout the artwork are adjoining circles and footprints, the journey tracks act as timelines, mapping the development of the Reconciliation Action Plan of HWQld working with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to build strong foundations for reconciliation. The large circular symbols represent HWQld as a central meeting place with the mission of creating health and wellbeing for all Queenslanders.

With a colourful backdrop of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patterns the icons of the design are representations of a number of key elements of HWQld’s Reconciliation Action Plan. The Cooktown Orchid is Queensland’s official floral emblem since 1959 and is named after the northern Queensland town of Cooktown. It grows on trees and rocks in our native bushland. Traditional Bushtucker is represented by the yellow flowers of an Australian native plant, used in traditional medicine and natural remedies from the land.

Other symbols represented throughout the artwork include the many different aspects of culture throughout Australia. The special connection and unique relationship Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have with Country and the land is represented through the sun. A constant source of life, bringing light and warmth. The sun and its position in relation to the Australian landscape provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with information about the seasons and the weather. In the distance we see Australians participating in activities and sports as part of a healthy and active lifestyle. Under a majestic night sky there are traditional First Nations people in small boats drifting across the water. The artwork depicts the cycles of day and night, the seasons that evolve and change as we recognise the journey of Queenslanders and reconciliation through time.

At the centre of the network are people, families who come together in celebration and joy, and children the shining stars of the future, able and willing to learn the keys to prevention, disrupting the cycle of obesity and excited about a bright future ahead, forged through resilience, knowledge and partnership.

The icons to the right, the kangaroo and the turtle, both totems in Australian Aboriginal culture and indicative of the fauna gently roaming the earth, in tune with the natural environment and protectors of natural land.

 

About the Artist

Luke Mallie was born in Brisbane and is of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island descent with ties to the Kuku Yalanji Nation in the Daintree north of Cairns, North Queensland, and from Kubin Village on Moa Island in the Torres Strait Islands.

He has completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting major) at the Queensland College of Art in Brisbane before moving to Mackay where he worked as a graphic designer, web developer, and TAFE lecturer. He also completed a Bachelor of Multimedia Studies at Central Queensland University to build upon his digital art skills.

Luke’s artistic styles are very contemporary and diverse, ranging from original paintings, graphic designs, illustrations and caricatures, working in a broad range of mediums.

Luke’s main inspirations for his artworks are from his rich traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, his family and his tropical surroundings, influencing the beautiful colours that he uses. His art is also influenced by popular culture and ancient cultures throughout the world.

Luke’s drive to create stems from knowing his artwork can inspire and empower others to discover their own talents and perform to their own full potential. He is a national award-winning artist with the NAIDOC Poster Award in 2009 and the Art Lovers Australia Award in 2018.

Our Business

Our Vision and Purpose

Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld) was established under the Health and Wellbeing Act 2019, with the objective to improve the health and wellbeing of all Queenslanders, by reducing chronic disease and reducing health inequities. As the state’s prevention agency, HWQld is committed to creating a healthier and fairer future for Queensland. HWQld’s purpose is to drive systems change that addresses the preventable burden of disease, for ahealthier and fairer Queensland. We work to address the underlying social determinants of health, especially for those who unfairly experience poorer health due to circumstances that are out of their control. We are committed to working in partnership across government, communities and other sectors to address the underlying factors that drive chronic ill-health through collaborative, evidence-based and community-focused action. Public health is where many of our opportunities to prevent illness and reduce health system pressures begin. Over the next four years (2023–2027) our agency will drive change through the delivery of five strategic objectives:

• Enable collective wellbeing: we will address the drivers of inequity to improve collective wellbeing.
• Champion prevention: we will coordinate, promote and advocate for prevention to ensure sustainable outcomes.
• Drive system change: we will work in ways that purposefully connect systems, sectors and communities to enable system change.
• Commit to impact: we will generate and harness evidence and innovation to deliver measurable impact.
• Enrich our organisation: we will adopt and enhance our ways of working to create a thriving and sustainable organisation.

HWQld is a statutory body reporting to the Queensland Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women. Underpinned by the Queensland Government public service values that are fundamental to all our work, our principles are:
Equity: address the underlying social determinants of health, embed equity in all that we do.

• Empathy: value the lived experiences of Queenslanders.
• Innovation: do things differently, accelerate and amplify new ideas.
• Collaboration: work together to combine and leverage skills, will and resources.
• Courage: push the boundaries, question and disrupt to drive necessary change.

Organisational Structure and Workforce Profile

HWQld has a diverse and skilled workforce that includes nurses, dietitians, public health nutritionists, health promotion officers, research fellows, policy experts, strategic communications specialists, digital and data analysts and administration officers. This diversity of skills is both a result of, and a necessary requirement for, successful delivery of our functions and, combined with a flexible approach to managing our establishment, has allowed us to both strategically and organically adjust our workforce to meet our needs.

As at 30 June 2022, HWQld had an establishment of 55.55* full time equivalent (FTE) positions, with a head count of 62 people including full-time, part-time and temporary employees. During this same period, HWQld employed less than five staff who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

HWQld’s main office is located in Brisbane; however, a Far North Queensland Hub supports two of our staff to be based in the region where we can actively collaborate with remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to understand their priorities and needs for good health and wellbeing. The HWQld workforce is fairly evenly split between permanent and temporary staff, consisting of 63% FTE employed in permanent roles and 32% FTEs employed on a temporary basis. Women make up 84.4% of employees and 87.5% of leadership roles (being positions that are a Senior Officer equivalent and above).

*MOHRI FTE data for fortnight ending 30 June 2022. The Queensland public service values guide the behaviours and decision-making of all employees.

Our Reconciliation Action Plan

Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld) recognises that current systems and social norms, the on-going impacts of colonisation, and Western processes of power and decisionmaking generate inequities in power and
privilege. We are embracing the role we can play in working towards reconciliation. Developing this RAP will formalise our lifelong commitment to ensuring there is a lasting impact on the reconciliation movement.

The inaugural HWQld RAP is being championed by the Chief Executive Officer, leadership team and the HWQld board while supported by the RAP Working Group which consists of representatives from across all teams in the organisation and board members. In addition to the formal members in the Working Group, the whole HWQld team actively engaged in the development of our Reflect RAP with many opportunities to engage both in discussion about the plan as well as in review of associated actions. As a result, this RAP is a representation of the whole team with two members identifying as First Nations people.

The RAP Working Group Membership:

• Steve Ryan – HWQld Board Chair
• Shea Spierings – HWQld Board Member
• Stella Taylor-Johnson – HWQld Board Member
• Gemma Hodgetts – Office of the Executive Director
• Simone Nalatu – Equity and Communities Team
• Caroline Macaulay – Policy Team
• Billie Gordon – Project Management Office
• Renae Earle – Equity and Communities Team
• Amy Wakem – Equity and Communities Team
• Sinead Buffington – Policy Team
• Lorissa Raethke – Prevention Systems Team
• Zoe Murray – Communications and Engagement Team
• Natalie Leach – Business and Governance Team
• Lilia Bernede – Research Team
• Annie Newton – Executive Support Team
• Gillian Myers – Equity and Communities Team.

Our Approach to Implementing the RAP

Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld) is motivated by the support and encouragement from the Chief Executive Officer, Leadership Team and HWQld Board to deliver this piece of work. The inaugural working group will be
disbanded and a new one formed to manage the implementation of activities listed in the Reflect RAP.

HWQld is in a unique position to be able to connect people and communities, in particular, through partnerships with relevant community organisations, industry bodies, and health workers. HWQld will engage and consult
with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations to seek advice and guidance throughout the implementation process to be culturally aware and sensitive.

Our reconciliation journey will be ongoing and over time it will evolve. Our business will pivot and shift as we work to create an environment that is culturally aware, competent, inclusive and opportunistic.

Closing the Gap

We recognise and support Australia’s National Agreement on Closing the Gap and the Closing the Gap targets and priority reforms which can only be achieved with government embodying new ways of thinking and working that share leadership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

HWQld supports the Queensland Government Reconciliation Action Plan 2023–2025, Making Tracks towards closing the gap for Indigenous Queenslanders by 2033 and Queensland’s Closing the Gap Implementation Plan. We know that the Closing the Gap targets have not been met and significant health disparities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples persist. Improvements to health and wellbeing outcomes for First Nations Queenslanders require a systemic shift in the way that all levels of government, university, industry and the not-for-profit sectors respond to the intractable circumstances that hold inequity in place.

Achieving equity requires society working collectively to assess and redress systemic disparities in power, resources, opportunities, and participation. We need to ensure our structures and underlying conditions do not perpetuate
but improve such disparities and redress unconscious discrimination and dehumanisation; and that there is also personal understanding, cultural humility and intra and interpersonal practice changes.

As an agency, we are committed to working together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations in the journey to better health and wellbeing outcomes and equitable opportunities. We commit to being respectful, taking our lead from the community and walking together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations in the journey to better health, wellbeing and equity. We acknowledge the Uluru Statement from the Heart and Path to Treaty. As a government body, we realise there is work to be done to reframe our relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This can only begin with deep truth-telling about the historical and ongoing relationship between government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We acknowledge that the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples need to be reflected in every step of this journey. We, as an agency, will continue to centre Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people voices in this work.

We recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are rich and diverse and that we have a responsibility to facilitate efforts that account for this and ensure equity for all. We celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people histories, the strength, resilience and courage which has occurred over time and now inspires current and future generations to create a healthier Queensland. One way we embody this is through recognising and participating in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander days of significance such as National Reconciliation Week, Closing the Gap Day and NAIDOC Week. We are building our organisational awareness and capacity related to this through our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan.

Our Reconciliation Journey to Date

Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld) embeds First Nations consideration and understanding throughout all its work. This work is critical and of top priority for HWQld, in order to advance the health and wellbeing of First Nations Queenslanders. Our Reflect RAP builds on the work done with our partners and is focusing on building internal capacity of the organisation to be able to amplify work with First Nations communities across Queensland.

Since its establishment, HWQld has always sought to engage and help amplify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in its work. We have already done this by:

• Developing a customised Acknowledgement of Country through consultation and engagement with stakeholders and First Nations communities and Elders.
• Embedding the practice of Acknowledging Country and Traditional Owners at meetings and seeking out appropriate people to offer a Welcome to Country at formal events.
• Including an Acknowledgement of Country in staff email signatures, on our website and other marketing materials including annual reports.
• Displaying the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people flags in our office.
• Including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people identified members on the HWQld Board.
• Establishing the Equity Team led by a Director, to recognise and elevate working with First Nations peoples as a priority for our organisation, and works to embed appropriate ways of working with First Nations people across the organisation.
• Supporting staff to participate in cultural awareness training to ensure staff members understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and culturally respectful ways of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Supporting staff to attend NAIDOC and Reconciliation Australia week events and activities.
• HWQld supports the Queensland Government’s Reconciliation Action Plan 2018–2022 and Making Tracks toward closing the gap in health outcomes for Indigenous Queenslanders by 2033.
• Integration of First Nations delivery targets in prevention program performance measures.
• Including an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person as a member of our Research Advisory Committee to provide advice on how to make our funding guidelines and funding criteria more relevant to First Nations people.

Our Partnerships and Current Activities

Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld) values diversity. We actively seek opportunities to listen deeply to the vast knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We actively include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and community-controlled organisations in relevant areas of work. A multi-tiered approach is used in all our work at a system level (policies and whole of government strategies); community level (Gather + Grow program and grants); and at a program level (Pick of the Crop, Deadly Choices).

Remote Food Security

As a core pillar of the Gather + Grow program, HWQld is developing the Gather + Grow Queensland Remote Food Security Strategy 2023–2032 (the Strategy) and Action Plan 2023–2026 (Action Plan). Together, the Strategy and Action Plan focus on improving the health and wellbeing of remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities, especially in Far North Queensland and the Lower Gulf. The Strategy and Action plan address barriers across the system to improve accessibility, availability, and utilisation of healthy food in remote Queensland. The draft Strategy and Action Plan are based on ongoing engagement, consultation, advice and learnings from across community, government, industry, academic and not-for-profit stakeholders. One example of this is the remote food security roundtable discussions co-delivered by HWQld, the Torres Cape Indigenous Council Alliance and the Local Government Association of Queensland in October 2021 with approximately 125 participants representing many sectors and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Furthering this agenda, HWQld continues to engage across sectors including:

• Through Gather + Grow HWQld has engaged with nine communities including Mornington Island, Doomadgee, Aurukun, Napranum, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Pormpuraaw, Horn Island and Darnley Island.
  • Delivering Gather + Grow Healthy Stores by engaging Community Enterprise Queensland store managers and staff to improve in-store environments and enable healthy food and drink purchasing behaviour. The work is supported through research delivered by Monash University, The University of Queensland and Menzies School of Health Research to deliver evidence informed practices.
  • Delivering Gather + Grow Healthy Communities through partnership with regional community-controlled health services to identify and drive local solutions to food insecurity and health promotion.
• Partnering with eight universities and four industry partners to support building the evidence base and measuring impact in addressing food insecurity and improving retail food environments. This includes partnering on two National Health and Medical Research grants over the next four years.
• Working with Arup and Mornington Shire Council to investigate a Market Garden on Mornington Island. Community leaders were consulted to identify the opportunities and benefits a Market Garden could bring to improve access to nutritious food that supports a healthy life.
• Collaborating with the Department of Housing and the Department of Health’s Healthy Housing pilot to explore the linkages between healthy living practices related to nutrition and food security.

Far North Queensland Hub

HWQld’s Far North Queensland Hub works closely with Far North Queensland and Lower Gulf communities and organisations to ensure HWQld’s program of work directly benefits Queensland communities most at-risk. The Far
North Hub manages the delivery of several programs and engagements that strengthen our connection with remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and improve our ability to respond to community challenges. For
example, the Far North Queensland hub engaged with 12 of the Torres Strait Island Regional Councils Healthy Lifestyle Officers to provide skills and knowledge around healthy eating, physical activity, self-esteem and behaviour change and even growing food to take back to their communities. Development of Keriba Way was co-led by a HWQld Community Nutritionist and is a 12-week co-designed and community tailored holistic healthy lifestyle program.

Equity

HWQld as a prescribed stakeholder supported Hospital and Health Services in the development of their First Nations Health Equity Strategies. HWQld is also developing an action-oriented Queensland Equity Framework to identify and track who, where and what Queensland can do to remove systemic barriers and conditions that create inequity, beyond health, and to provide the right support, at the right time, to the right people and communities.

Physical Activity

HWQld invests, partners and supports a suite of physical activity programs in the community to encourage healthy movement. These include:

• Investing in the Deadly Choices program to align key health and wellbeing initiatives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders across Queensland. The program aims to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families.
• Investing in the partnership between the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health and the Broncos, Cowboys, Titans and Dolphins National Rugby League teams to extend its health promotion and messaging reach across Queensland.
• Partnering with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health provided an opportunity to support First Nations youth to participate virtually in the Junior Dash events. Young people from the Torres Strait were encouraged to
  get involved through localised, community-based fun runs and activities.
• Partnering with Netball Queensland to amplify its Diamond Spirit program in regional and remote communities. The program launched in March 2022 empowers and educates First Nations girls on and off the court and provides culturally supportive pathways to play sport.

Clinician Development

We co-designed and hosted a Project ECHO® series on upskilling the Remote Stores workforce across Australia to create healthy store environments in partnership with Monash University, The University of Queensland, Menzies,
The Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation, Outback Stores and Murtupuni – Centre for Rural and Remote Health. The series called ‘Creating a Healthier Remote Stores Food Environment’ was delivered to support community nutritionists, dietitians and health workers working in remote communities throughout Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland. Healthy Schools Pick of the Crop includes a learning enrichment module
for school staff to integrate First Nations perspectives into food literacy education. The module was developed in consultation with education leaders and trialled through a live webinar in 2021. In 2023, the content will be
repackaged into a shorter self-directed module available on the HWQld website. Program staff will disseminate and promote broadly to primary schools across Queensland.

Relevant Conference and Presentations

• Australian & New Zealand Obesity Society conference in July 2021
  ‘Keriba Way: co-designing a culturally tailored healthy lifestyle programs for communities in the outer islands of the Torres Strait’.
• Preventive Health Association of Australia Conference in March 2022
  ‘Gather + Grow – The Road to Food Security for First Nations Communities of Remote Queensland’.
• Dietitians Australia Conference August 2022
  ‘My confidence has come up a lot’: Empowering Rural First Nations Adolescents in Nutrition.
• International Congress on Obesity October 2022
  ‘Gather+Grow: Healthy Store in remote Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities’.
• TropAg International Agriculture Conference October 2022
  ‘Understanding supply chains to improve food security in remote Queensland communities; and ‘Co-designing a Market Garden to deliver better health on Mornington Island’.

Research

Actions and deliverables:

HWQld supports PhD research related to First Nations health. This includes:

• The University of Queensland and Goondir Health Services on an empowering healthy weight program for rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adolescents.
• The University of Queensland on coping strategies of urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families experiencing food insecurity and the mediating effect on childhood overweight and obesity.

Relationships

Actions and deliverables:

1. Establish and strengthen mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations.

• • Identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations within our local area or sphere of influence by December 2023 (Responsibility of Manager, Project Management Office).
  • Research best practice and principles that support partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations by February 2024 (Responsibility of Director – Equity).

2. Build relationships through celebrating National Reconciliation Week (NRW).

• • Circulate Reconciliation Australia’s NRW resources and reconciliation materials to our staff by May 2024 (Responsibility of Chief Executive Officer).
  • RAP Working Group members to participate in an external NRW event by 27 May – 3 June, 2024 (Responsibility of Chief Executive Officer).
  • Encourage and support staff and senior leaders to participate in at least one external event to recognise and celebrate NRW by 27 May – 3 June, 2024 (Responsibility of Chief Executive Officer).

3. Promote reconciliation through our sphere of influence.

• • Continue communicating our commitment to reconciliation to all staff and stakeholders by October 2024 (Responsibility of Executive Director).
  • Identify external stakeholders that our organisation can engage with on our reconciliation journey by November 2023 (Responsibility of Manager, Project Management Office).
  • Identify RAP and other like-minded organisations that we could approach to collaborate with on our reconciliation journey by November 2023 (Responsibility of Manager, Project Management Office)

4. Promote positive race relations through anti-discrimination strategies.

• • Research best practice and policies in areas of race relations and anti-discrimination by November 2023 (Responsibility of Principal HR
    Advisor).
  • When reviewing existing or developing new HR policies and procedures, identify anti-discrimination provisions, and future needs by February 2024 (Responsibility of Principal HR Advisor)

Respect

Actions and deliverables:

5. Increase understanding, value and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories/historic realities, knowledge and rights through cultural learning.

• • Develop a business case for increasing understanding, value and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledge and rights within our organisation. Consider wellbeing connections in the business that connects with our work by December 2023 (Responsibility of Director – Equity and Communities).
  • Conduct a review of cultural learning needs within our organisation by November 2023 (Responsibility of Manager, Project Management Office).
  • Improve internal capacity within our organisation by encouraging staff to understand current significant state and federal processes (eg. The Voice and Pathway to Treaty) by October 2024 (Responsibility of Director – Policy).
  • Provide cultural learning needs for staff as opportunities arise to contribute to their knowledge of spiritual wellbeing and its relationship to the work we do, while the business case is being developed by October 2024 (Responsibility of Executive Director).

6. Demonstrate respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by observing cultural protocols.

• • Develop an understanding of the local Traditional Owners or Custodians of the lands and waters within HWQld’s operational area. As part of this understanding consider physical space as well as cultural events and other opportunities by February 2024 (Responsibility of Director –
    Prevention Systems).
  • Increase staff’s understanding of the purpose and significance behind cultural protocols, including Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country protocols, including developing a plan to implement this by October 2024 (Responsibility of Director – Prevention Systems).
  • Encourage staff to gain an understanding of the Country they are visiting, partnering, presenting or working on and use this in their Acknowledgment of Country protocols by November 2023 (Responsibility of Director – Prevention Systems).
  • Develop and implement a standard cultural protocol across all corporate communication by February 2024 (Responsibility of Director – Communication and Engagement).
  • Investigate options to appoint a First Nations Ambassador to support digital campaigns February 2024 (Responsibility of Director – Communication and Engagement).
  • Ensure First Nations peoples are clearly accounted for in any consumer insights work we do by October 2024 (Responsibility of Director – Communication and Engagement).

7. Build respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories by celebrating NAIDOC Week.

• • Raise awareness and share information amongst our staff about the meaning of NAIDOC Week by June 2024 (Responsibility of Chair of the RAP Working Group).
  • Invite Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander staff to share their stories, culture, history, traditions by June–July 2024 (Responsibility of Chair of the RAP Working Group).
  • Introduce our staff to NAIDOC Week by promoting and enabling attendance external events in our local area by July 2024 (Responsibility of Chair of the RAP Working Group).
  • RAP Working Group to participate in an external NAIDOC Week event by first week in July 2024 (Responsibility of Chair of the RAP Working Group).

Opportunities

Actions and deliverables:

8. Improve employment outcomes by increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recruitment, retention and professional development.

• • Consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people employment within HWQld, and explore options including paid employment, short term placements, internships, and mentoring, while considering employment ecosystem that support health outcomes by October 2024 (Responsibility of Principal HR Advisor).
  • Improve pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into research scholarships, targeted PhD offerings, specialised activities or groups into health prevention by October 2024 (Responsibility of Head of Research).
  • Investigate opportunities for an employee exchange program with partner organisations to encourage both cultural capacity building within the team and increased numbers of  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees in HWQld by October 2024 (Responsibility of Principal HR Advisor).
  • Include into Performance Development Plans an understanding of current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staffing to inform future employment and professional development opportunities by November 2023 (Responsibility of Director – Business and Governance).

9. Increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity to support improved economic and social outcomes.

• • Develop a business case for procurement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses by November 2023 (Responsibility of Director – Business and Governance).
  • Investigate Supply Nation membership by November 2023 (Responsibility of Director – Business and Governance).

Governance

Actions and deliverables:

10. Establish and maintain an effective RAP Working Group (RWG) to drive governance of the RAP.

• • Form a RWG to govern RAP implementation by October 2023 (Responsibility of Chair of the RAP Working Group).
  • Draft a Terms of Reference for the RWG by October 2023 (Responsibility of Chair of the RAP Working Group).
  • Establish Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation on the RWG by October 2023 (Responsibility of Chair of the RAP Working Group).

11. Provide appropriate support for effective implementation of RAP commitments.

• • Define resource needs for RAP implementationby October 2023 (Responsibility of Director – Business and Governance).
  • Engage senior leaders in the delivery of RAP commitments by October 2023 (Responsibility of Chair of the RAP Working Group).
  • Appoint a senior leader to champion our RAP internallyby October 2023 (Responsibility of Chief Executive Officer).
  • Define appropriate systems and capability to track, measure and report on RAP commitments by October 2023 (Responsibility of Manager, Project Management Office).

12. Build accountability and transparency through reporting RAP achievements, challenges and learnings both internally and externally.

• • Contact Reconciliation Australia to verify that our primary and secondary contact details are up to date, to ensure we do not miss out on important RAP correspondence to be actioned June annually (Responsibility of Executive Officer).
  • Contact Reconciliation Australia to request our unique link, to access the online RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire to be actioned 1 August, annually (Responsibility of Executive Officer).
  • Complete and, with Board visibility, submit the annual RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire to Reconciliation Australia to be actioned 30 September, annually (Responsibility of Head of Research).

13. Continue our reconciliation journey by developing our next RAP.

1. • Register via Reconciliation Australia’s website to begin developing our next RAP by July 2024 (Responsibility of Chair of the RAP Working Group).

Contact details:

Name: Billie Gordon
Position: Manager – Project Management Office
Phone: 0499 867 479
Email: billie.gordon@hw.qld.gov.au

Health and Wellbeing Queensland
Ground Level, 139 Coronation Drive
(entry via Little Cribb Street)
Milton QLD 4064

Postal: PO Box 1419, Milton Qld 4064
Telephone: 0467 830 979

Email: info@hw.qld.gov.au
Website: hw.qld.gov.au
facebook.com/HealthAndWellbeingQLD
instagram.com/HealthAndWellbeingQLD
twitter.com/HW_Queensland
linkedin.com/company/Health-And-Wellbeing-Queensland