Be Brave, Make Change: National Reconciliation Week 2022
May 20, 2022
Our brand vision is to make a positive difference in everything we do. At Painted Dog, this extends beyond just our work, but also to the respect and recognition we show for the culture and history of our beautiful country.
Painted Dog is committed to the recognition and acknowledgement of the First Nations peoples of Australia. As part of our commitment to reconciliation, we are currently in the process of developing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Our RAP working group (Matthew, Thomas, Nicole, Catherine, Chris, and Jordan) are working hard and excited to start sharing our progress!
Firstly, what is Reconciliation / a Reconciliation Action Plan?
Reconciliation refers to the building and strengthening of relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians. It’s about moving everyone forward towards a just, equitable and reconciled Australia.
Reconciliation Action Plans exist to give organisations (like us!) a path towards this, providing structure and measuring progress on a number of key measures.
Why are we pursuing a Reconciliation Action Plan?
Well, it’s the right thing to do. As part of our Reconciliation journey, and along with the support of First Nations peoples and the thousands of other organisations pursing Reconciliation, we hope to work towards generating further movement towards meaningful change.
And, it’s incredibly important for our industry. We understand our responsibility and an obligation to represent the voice of people correctly. In doing so we need to understand First Peoples of Australia and ensure that we know how to engage with these audiences respectfully.
What is National Reconciliation Week and what are we doing?
NRW takes place from Friday May 27th, to Friday June 3rd. This is a time for us at Painted Dog, and all Australians, to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
And as researchers, we’re always on the hunt for new information (typical). So here’s something interesting many of us didn’t know – NRW is recognised every year on these dates as they mark important milestones in the Reconciliation journey. May 27th was the date in 1967 that the successful referendum that allowed First Nations peoples to be counted in the Census, and June 3rd was the date of the High Court Mabo decision that lead to the Native Title Act 1993. So these dates are very significant (and even learning that these dates have significance is a great step forward!).
Our pack are excited to be participating in a number of NRW activities and events again this year, including virtual information talks, documentary screenings, and a Reconciliation Walk through Kings Park on June 3rd.
Keep an eye out for more updates on our RAP journey and our NRW activities!
