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RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN

2013-2016

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2 The City of Salisbury acknowledges that we

are meeting on the traditional country of the Kaurna people.

We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and

relationship with the land. We acknowledge that they are of

continuing importance to Aboriginal people living today.

Council also acknowledges other Aboriginal groups in the city

and works closely with all communities to advance reconciliation

in the city.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Kaurna miyurna, Kaurna yarta, ngadlu tampinthi

“We recognise Kaurna people and their land”

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3It gives me great pride to present the City of Salisbury’s first

Reconciliation Action Plan. This is the Council’s guiding policy

document on Aboriginal issues and has been developed in

consultation with Aboriginal community members, staff at

the City of Salisbury and the wider Salisbury community.

The Reconciliation Action Plan seeks to realise the City of

Salisbury’s vision for strengthening its diverse, inclusive and

resilient community.

The City of Salisbury is committed to a national reconciliation

movement, and the national campaign to ‘close the gap’ in

relation to disadvantage and the life expectancy gap between

Aboriginal people and the rest of Australia. We respect the

contribution of Aboriginal people to Australian society and to the

Salisbury community.

This Reconciliation Action Plan will focus on strengthening

positive relationships, acknowledging and respecting Aboriginal

culture, and providing opportunities that will ensure that we are

working together to ensure that Aboriginal people have the same

life chances as other Australians.

I am confident that together we can make an important

contribution towards reconciliation, and look forward to taking the

next steps in our journey.

Gillian Aldridge JP

Mayor of Salisbury

MAYOR’S FOREWORD

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4 The City of Salisbury has a long history of delivering programs

that seek to engage local Aboriginal community members,

celebrate cultural heritage and develop educational and

employment opportunities. This has included the following

initiatives:

• annual reconciliation and NAIDOC program of events across

the City of Salisbury;

• partnership with Marra Dreaming to support art and cultural

development;

• art and craft exhibitions;

• Wodliparri Interpretive Trail at Kaurna Park wetlands;

• Kaurna Heritage Marker, ‘Woven Together’ at the Greenfields

wetlands;

• Salisbury Parks and Gardens course developed and delivered

in partnership with Tauondi College;

• Phoebe Wanganeen Indigenous Scholarship program; and

• Just Too Deadly Aboriginal Education Achievement Awards.

In 1999 the City of Salisbury entered into the Martirendi

partnership agreement with the Northern Metropolitan

Aboriginal Council (NMAC). The partnership agreement enshrined

commitment between both organisations to work together to

improve the wellbeing of the Aboriginal community in Salisbury,

it was an important agreement for its time.

To provide a strategic planning framework for the future, Salisbury

Council endorsed the development of a new action plan which

has now been developed as a Reconciliation Action Plan.

This Action Plan was informed and developed through a series of

consultation workshops, a research-based background paper and

conversations with local community members, Elected Members

and Council staff.

The Reconciliation Action Plan details a set of actions that

Council will undertake to achieve reconciliation across a range

of departments. Actions will be guided by issues identified by

the local Aboriginal community through the establishment of

a Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group. It is anticipated

that this group will meet quarterly and will facilitate internal

discussions over the development of the Reconciliation Action

Plan and its implementation within Council. Progress against

these actions will be measured and reported upon annually.

The progress of our reconciliation journey is represented in the

figure below. The Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group will

steer the progress, implementation, and review of the Plan for

the next three years.

OUR RECONCILIATION PLAN JOURNEY

Endorsement of Action Plan Development

Initial Registration

with Reconciliation

Australia

Commence Consultation

Draft RAP Developed

Endorsement by Council for Final

Consultation

Commence Final

Consultation

RAP Working Group

Established

Final Version of RAP

Developed

RAP Endorsed by Council

Final Registration

with Reconciliation Australia and

launch

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5“To work in collaboration with the community to promote a culture of diversity, inclusion and opportunity that supports participation and engagement in all aspects of community life.”

City of Salisbury RAP Vision Statement

Our focus is on three aspects:

1. Strengthening Relationships: the City of Salisbury commits

to developing and strengthening relationships between

Aboriginal community members, Elected Members and staff –

and beyond this, within the community.

2. Enhancing Respect: the City of Salisbury commits to

fostering mutual respect between Elected Members, staff

and Aboriginal people. This includes building the capacity

to provide culturally relevant services, working together

towards a deeper understanding of culture and appropriately

acknowledging heritage and history.

3. Building Opportunities: the City of Salisbury commits to

working with Aboriginal people to build opportunities that

contribute to closing the gap on disadvantage.

Our Reconciliation Action Plan is guided by the following

principles

• Engagement: good engagement is underpinned by a

commitment to building relationships with Aboriginal people

through enhancing cultural awareness, connections, capacity,

trust and promoting genuine dialogue. We understand

engagement to be a process that involves Aboriginal people

in discussion and decision making, and uses community input

to make better decisions. Good engagement is an ongoing

process and sets the example of good democratic practice

- it builds capacity rather than disempowers.

• Collaboration: through building meaningful relationships,

enhancing respect, and creating opportunities, we commit

to moving forward in collaboration with the Aboriginal

community towards reconciliation and closing the gap on

disadvantage.

• Participation: effective participation invites and

provides positive, real and relevant opportunities for

community members to become involved in all aspects of

community life.

• Recognition: acknowledging the contribution of Aboriginal

culture to the enrichment of the community, we commit

to recognising and acknowledging the important role that

cultural heritage plays in improving the social, emotional, and

economic wellbeing of Aboriginal people and the broader

community.

OUR VISION FOR

RECONCILIATION

Engagement

ReconciliationRecognition Collaboration

Participation

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OUR BUSINESS

The City of Salisbury is located in Adelaide’s northern suburbs -

about 25 kilometres from the Adelaide CBD. The City is bounded

by the City of Playford in the north, the City of Tea Tree Gully in

the east, the City of Port Adelaide Enfield in the south and Gulf St

Vincent in the west. Salisbury is one of Greater Adelaide’s largest

Local Government areas, covering an area of some 158 km2,

incorporating 31 suburbs with a total population of 129,108 (at

the 2011 Census) and a population density equivalent to 8.17

persons per hectare. In the 2011 Census, Salisbury was identified

as the largest growing Local Government area in South Australia

with a 9% growth rate. A total of 1.9% Salisbury residents

identified as being of Aboriginal descent in 2011 – significantly

higher than 1.3% for the Greater Adelaide population.

The Reconciliation Action Plan has been developed and needs to

be considered in the context of the City of Salisbury’s vision of

“excellence in building a community of opportunity and spirit in

a quality environment” and in line with the Planning Framework

process which focuses on the attainment of four strategic

directions:

The principal roles of a Council are to provide for Government and

management of its area at the local level. Specifically, Councils

are required to:

• act as a representative, informed and responsible decision-

maker in the interests of its community;

• provide and coordinate various public services and facilities

and to develop its community and resources in a socially just

and ecologically sustainable manner;

• encourage and develop initiatives within its community for

improving the quality of life of the community;

• represent the interests of its community to the wider

community; and

• exercise, perform and discharge the powers, functions and

duties of Local Government under this and other Acts in

relation to the area for which it is constituted.

The City of Salisbury has committed to creating strategies,

practices and activities that ensure we are able to achieve

our vision and priorities. This would not be possible without

reflection and application of our organisational values.

The five values depicted in this chart are the principles we use

to define what is critical to the City of Salisbury, both as

a community and an organisation.

KEY DIRECTION 1: The Prosperous City

KEY DIRECTION 2: The Sustainable City

KEY DIRECTION 3: The Living City

KEY DIRECTION 4: Achieving Excellence

Supporting the future prosperity of our city

Providing built and natural environments that are sustainable and resilient

Encouraging and supporting a thriving and connected community

Enhancing and sustaining organisational capacity

The role that local Councils play has changed and grown

significantly over time. While there is a great deal of diversity

between Councils and the priorities they identify, local Councils in

South Australia - including the City of Salisbury – share a common

basis in that they are established and empowered by the State

Government under the Local Government Act 1999.Sustainability

Community & Customer

Service

Professional Performance

Access, Equity & Inclusion

Probity, Ethics & Accountability

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OUR RECONCILIATION

ACTION PLAN

The City of Salisbury’s first Reconciliation Action Plan has

been developed in consultation with community and staff.

The 2013-2016 Reconciliation Action Plan consolidates the

City of Salisbury’s long-standing commitment to reconciliation

with Aboriginal communities. The City of Salisbury’s various

reconciliation initiatives have been combined into a single plan

using the Reconciliation Action Plan template as guidance.

The City of Salisbury is committed to working towards true

reconciliation between Aboriginal people and the whole

community. We recognise that reconciliation cannot be achieved

while the huge disparity in health and wellbeing continues

to exist between Aboriginal people and other Australians. We

have and will continue to join with other organisations across

the northern Adelaide region to help close the gaps in life

expectancy and opportunities. From this basis we move forward

to the dedicated priority actions of this Plan.

The Reconciliation Action Plan outlines the timeframes,

resource implications and measurements of success. The

following provides an overview of the key directions and

associated actions.

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ARTWORKACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Aunty Cecilia O’Loughlin was a Nurranga woman from Point Pearce, South Australia.

She enjoyed all forms of art, including batik, silk painting, weaving, ceramics,

and feathered flowers and she also taught egg artistry.

Aunty Cecilia was one of the original founding members of the Marra Dreaming

Indigenous Arts Centre in Salisbury, and her contribution to Marra Dreaming was

instrumental to the Centre’s success today.

Designed and printed by . An indigenous owned printing company.

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Paintings on pages

2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 by

Aunty Cecilia O’Loughlin

Design pattern featured in the

book sampled from Marra Dreaming

Lino Work

Artworks photographed by

Josh Hansford.

COVER “the Meeting Place” by the

following artists at the Pooraka Farm

Community Centre:

Rosemary Barrie

Maria Gruber

Lorraine Gum

Upasana Srvastava

Sunil Vig

Frank Wanganeen

Gary Zuber

STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS

Through acknowledging and working with Aboriginal community

members, Council will be better placed to enhance service

delivery, share knowledge and develop opportunities for greater

participation and engagement.

FOCUS AREAS

• Collaboration• Commitment• Engagement• Networks

RELATIONSHIPSACTION RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE MEASURABLE TARGET

Establishment of the Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group – the City will establish a reconciliation working group, comprising Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal representatives, to support the development of the Reconciliation Action Plan and oversee its implementation.

Community Development Established May 2013 (Reconciliation Week)

Reconciliation working group established.At least five community members appointed.Meetings held on a quarterly basis.

Recognition of Significant Dates – the City will recognise and support a program of events significant to Aboriginal dates.

Community Development Ongoing Commitment All significant Aboriginal dates to be included into the Council calendar of events and recognised, by 2014.

Collaboration – the City will engage collaboratively with Aboriginal people to develop better ways of working and understanding between the community and Council.

Community Development June 2014

Council endorsement of an Aboriginal community engagement strategy identifying specific ways and means to inform and consult with members of the Aboriginal community.

Resource Promotion – the City will work to create greater awareness of Council grants, resources, services and programs in the Aboriginal community.

Community Development – Marketing and Customer

Relations DivisionJune 2014

Information on Council grants and resources is made readily accessible by Council to all members of the Aboriginal community.

Cultural Arts Partnership – the City will continue to develop arts and cultural partnerships for the delivery of Aboriginal arts programs, including the existing partnership with Marra Dreaming.

Community Development Ongoing Commitment

Increased number of partnerships for the delivery of Aboriginal cultural and arts programs.

Arts partnership with Marra Dreaming is committed to every year, including funding and in-kind support.

Community Support – the City will support Aboriginal community groups in establishing networks.

Community Development Ongoing CommitmentThe development of strong community supports via the establishment of new and support of existing networks.

Key Direction 1

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ENHANCING RESPECT

Promoting respect for Aboriginal culture and communities will

increase the City of Salisbury’s capacity to embrace diversity and

create stronger relationships.

FOCUS AREAS

• Acknowledgement• Recognition• Culture• Protocols• Promotion

RESPECT

ACTION RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE MEASURABLE TARGET

Acknowledgement Protocols – the City will develop protocols which show recognition of Aboriginal culture and heritage. This will include:

• Acknowledgement of Country;• Welcome to Country; and• flag display.

Community Planning & Vitality Governance &

AuditDecember 2013 Protocols developed, endorsed by

Council and used at all events.

Cultural Awareness – the City will develop and implement a phased Aboriginal cultural awareness and development program for all City of Salisbury staff, Elected Members and volunteers.

Business Excellence – People & Culture Division Ongoing Commitment

Aboriginal cultural awareness training plan is included in the corporate training plan for 2014/15.

A copy of the Reconciliation Action Plan is included in all inductions of new staff and volunteers.

Indigenous Land Use Agreement – the City will continue its commitment to involvement in the Local Government Association Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) negotiation and the development of Aboriginal Heritage protocols as part of the Agreement.

Chief Executive Officer Ongoing Commitment Kaurna heritage protocols endorsed as part of the ILUA.

Wodliparri Trail Renewal – the City commits to working with the Pledger family and Tauondi College in the renewal and upkeep of Wodliparri Trail in Kaurna Park.

City Infrastructure Continuous upkeepRenewal and upkeep is undertaken in consultation with the Pledger family and Tauondi College.

Key Direction 2

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Key Direction 2

RESPECT

ACTION RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE MEASURABLE TARGET

Art Displayed in Council Buildings – The City will incorporate the use and display of Aboriginal art/design in public buildings/spaces, with appropriate explanation of significance and meaning.

Community Development - Community Planning &

Vitality DivisionOngoing Commitment

All new strategic and master plans to include consideration of artwork integration.

Cultural Promotion – the City will identify opportunities to promote Aboriginal culture through its website, social media, publications and media.

Community Development – Marketing & Customer

Relations DivisionOngoing Commitment Opportunities for cultural promotion

have been sought and implemented.

RAP Launch – the City will launch and promote the Reconciliation Action Plan through a civic event.

Community Development - Community Planning &

Vitality DivisionJuly 2013

Reconciliation Action Plan launched during the NAIDOC Week program for 2013.

RAP Registration – The City will register the Reconciliation Action Plan on the Reconciliation Australia website.

Community Development - Community Planning &

Vitality DivisionMay 2013

Reconciliation Action Plan document is available on Reconciliation and City of Salisbury websites.

Heritage Markers & Signage – the City will implement the corporate signage policy in consultation with the Reconciliation Action Plan Working Party for the provision of heritage markers and signage recognising Aboriginal culture and history.

City Infrastructure Ongoing Commitment Heritage markers and signage incorporated where appropriate.

Library Resources – the City will make available a range of resources for children and young people to educate them about Aboriginal culture and history.

Community Development – Library Services December 2013

Audit of resources undertaken.

Resources are promoted and provided through local library branches.

Awards – the City will promote all awards programs and encourage nominations from the Aboriginal community.

Community Development – Community Planning & Vitality, Marketing

and Customer Relations Division

Ongoing commitmentAwards and programs are promoted effectively to the local Aboriginal community.

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Key Direction 3

BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES

Increasing and enhancing opportunities for Aboriginal people to

actively and meaningfully participate in the social, economic and

political activities within Salisbury.

FOCUS AREAS

• Participation• Inclusion• Employment• Education

OPPORTUNITIES

ACTION RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE MEASURABLE TARGET

Traineeships – the City will explore the feasibility of providing traineeships to Aboriginal young persons.

Business Excellence – People & Culture

Community Development – Community Planning &

Vitality

April 2014 Study undertaken by April 2014.

Procurement – the City will investigate the potential to incorporate Aboriginal supplier diversity in procurement practices to provide employment and economic development opportunities for Aboriginal people and/or their businesses.

Business Excellence – Contract & Procurement

ServicesOngoing

Opportunities for supplier diversity have been sought in procurement practices.

Education – the City recognises and supports the academic achievements and aspirations of Aboriginal students by providing or supporting the following educational programs:

• Three tertiary education scholarships per annum; and

• Just too Deadly educational achievement awards.

Community Development – Community Planning &

Vitality DivisionOngoing

Annual allocation of Phoebe Wanganeen Scholarships.

Annual support of the development and delivery of the ‘Just Too Deadly Aboriginal Educational Achievement Awards’ in partnership with the Department of Education & Child Development.

Employment Training – the City commits to supporting the Salisbury Parks and Gardens Course to provide opportunities to gain horticultural skills and employment for Aboriginal youth.

City Infrastructure MOU developed by January 2014

MOU developed with Tauondi College to provide educational and mentoring supports to trainees.

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OPPORTUNITIESACTION RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE MEASURABLE TARGET

Closing the Gap – the City will actively participate in the Northern Adelaide Urban and Regional Strategy around Closing the Gap partnership to jointly identify local problems and solutions, in collaboration with the Salisbury Aboriginal community.

Community Development Ongoing until 2014 ‘Closing the Gap’ initiatives are identified, developed and implemented.

HACC Services – the City will develop culturally responsive Home and Community Care (HACC) services in consultation with Aboriginal seniors.

Community Development – Healthy Ageing & Access

Division

Consultation with Elders undertaken by January

2013

Advice and new activities from Elders are incorporated.

Health and Wellbeing – the City will aim to increase the participation of Aboriginal people in physical activity and healthy eating programs, which includes exploring partnership and funding opportunities.

Community Development – Healthy Community Initiative, OPAL, and

Community Planning & Vitality Division.

OngoingExisting health and wellbeing programs are promoted to the Aboriginal community in culturally relevant ways.

Key Direction 3

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TRACKING PROGRESS AND

REPORTING

For each action area in the Reconciliation Action Plan, a

corresponding timeline and measurable target has been

identified. These targets will be subject to an annual review

process. The findings of the review will be reported to Council

and published online via the Reconciliation Australia website.

It is anticipated that an annual review of the Reconciliation

Action Plan outcomes and action areas will assist in measuring

our progress and identifying gaps in the implementation of

the Reconciliation Action Plan to inform and improve its future

planning.

TRACKING PROGRESS AND REPORTINGACTION RESPONSIBILITY TIMELINE MEASURABLE TARGET

Final version of the Reconciliation Action Plan is endorsed by Salisbury Council.

Community Development – Community Planning &

Vitality Division.June 2013

Reconciliation Action Plan endorsed.

Plan made available on Council website.

The Reconciliation Action Plan is submitted to Reconciliation Australia for endorsement.

Community Development – Community Planning &

Vitality Division.June/July 2013

Accepted and registered by Reconciliation Australia.

Made available to the public on the Reconciliation Australia website.

The Reconciliation Action Plan is launched.

Community Development – Community Planning &

Vitality Division.July 2013

Reconciliation Action Plan accepted by Council.

Launch completed.

The Reconciliation Action Plan is promoted internally within the City of Salisbury and made available to the public on the Council website and the Reconciliation Australia websites.

Community Development Department. Ongoing

Reconciliation Action Plan promoted on Council website and intranet.

Reconciliation Action Plan to be published on Reconciliation Australia website.

The Reconciliation Action Plan report is produced annually and submitted to Reconciliation Australia and to Council.

Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group.

Community Development – Community Planning &

Vitality Division.

Annually

Reports submitted to Reconciliation Australia and to Council, and uploaded on both websites.

Annual Reconciliation Action Plan Impact Measurement Questionnaire is completed.

The Reconciliation Action Plan is refreshed every three years in consultation with Council’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group and Reconciliation Australia.

Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group.

Community Development – Community Planning &

Vitality Division.

January – June 2016Refreshed Reconciliation Action Plan approved by Council and registered by Reconciliation Australia by mid-2016.

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“To work in collaboration

with the community

to promote a culture

of diversity, inclusion

and opportunity that

supports participation and

engagement in all aspects of

community life.”

City of Salisbury RAP Vision Statement

12 James Street, Salisbury SA 5108

PO Box 8, Salisbury SA 5108

Telephone: 8406 8222

TTY: 8406 8596 (for people with a hearing impairment)

Email: city@salisbury.sa.gov.au

www.salisbury.sa.gov.au