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Australian Public Service Commission Reconciliation Action Plan 2007-10
Commitment to reconciliation
The Australian Public Service Commission is committed to reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The Commission endorses the intention of a united Australia which values Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage, cultures and peoples and which provides justice and equity for all its people.
Reconciliation is about bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to understand their shared history. This involves recognising that, as the first Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people occupy a special and unique place in the overall Australian society. They are the traditional custodians of Australia.
The Commission is committed to working in partnership with and supporting Indigenous Australians to achieve their aspirations for themselves and their communities. We are committed to providing real opportunities to improve social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our vision is for Indigenous Australians to enjoy the same life opportunities as other Australians in a society which values equality, diversity and contributions from all.
Our reconciliation objectives
The Commission recognises that as a central agency involved in development of employees, leaders and the culture of the Australian Public Service, it is vital that we take a leadership role in reconciliation.
The Commission’s overall reconciliation objective is to influence the implementation of reconciliation both internally within the Commission itself as well as externally across the whole Australian Public Service.
The specific objectives of our reconciliation action plan are:
- to establish a culturally competent, diverse and inclusive organisational culture within the Australian Public Service Commission
- to promote, influence and lead the embedding of a culturally competent, diverse and inclusive organisational culture across the Australian Public Service.
| Tasks | Responsibility | Timeline | Performance Indicator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Internal launch of Commission reconciliation action plan to bring it to the attention of all staff | Corporate Group | May 2007 | Majority of Commission employees attend launch |
| 1.2 Develop and implement protocols for ‘welcome to country’ and/ or recognition of traditional owners during external Commission events, speeches, etc | Corporate Group All Groups Executive |
From May 2007 | Relevant protocol developed and practised at appropriate Commission events and in speeches |
| 1.3 Establish a permanent plaque in the entrances of all Commission offices recognising traditional owners of that land | Corporate Group Regional Services |
By December 2007 | Plaques in place |
| 1.4 Develop and implement an Indigenous Employment Strategy for the Commission | Corporate Group |
Develop by October 2007 Ongoing implementation |
IES developed and approved KRAs in IES achieved on an annual basis |
| 1.5 Host internal seminars on Indigenous issues and cultural competency for Commission employees | Corporate Group Better Practice Group Regional Services |
Commence by September 2007 | Minimum of two internal seminars held during 2007 |
| 1.6 Provide Indigenous cross-cultural awareness and competency training for all Commission employees | Corporate Group Programmes Group Better Practice Group Regional Services |
By end 2008 | All Commission employees undertaken training by end 2008 |
| 1.7 Review current reconciliation action plan and develop successive plan | Corporate Group | By May 2010 | New plan developed and endorsed by May 2010 |
| 1.8 Members of the Commission’s Executive and all Group Managers will attend the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy in Practice Programme | Executive Group All Group Managers |
By May 2010 | GMs and Executive participated on programme by May 2010 |
| Tasks | Responsibility | Timeline | Performance Indicator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 Coordinate Drawing Together, an art competition exploring reconciliation and promoting the employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the APS | Better Practice Group | July 2007 | Successful staging of art competition and exhibition to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum |
| 2.2 Implement the APS Employment and Capability Strategy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employees | Better Practice Group | June 2008 | Successful implementation of strategy initiatives |
| 2.3 Recognise in the Commission’s key corporate documents that supporting Indigenous employment and capability development across the APS are a priority component of our ongoing business | Executive |
Ongoing Priority | identified annually in corporate plans |
| 2.4 Continue to promote, coordinate, influence and exemplify best practice recruitment and management of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees across the APS | Better Practice Group |
Ongoing | Better practice products and services being provided across the APS |
| 2.5 Work with agencies and networks to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to access the full range of the Commission’s development programmes at a rate commensurate with the general APS population | Programmes Group |
Ongoing | Collection and reporting of diversity data from programme registrations indicates a continual increase in Indigenous uptake of mainstream programmes |
| 2.6 Consider the possible impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees or potential employees when developing policy advice and publications | Policy Group |
Ongoing | New and revised policy and publications include Indigenous considerations |
| 2.7 Continue to measure, analyse, increase insight into and report on issues and trends affecting Indigenous APS employees | Evaluation Group |
Ongoing | APS Indigenous employment issues reported annually in the State of the Service Report Individual record data on APSED is more complete resulting in improved quality of equity data and a decline in no-data records Research into increasing the diversity of roles in Indigenous employment completed by end 2007 New Commission products and programmes are responsive to identified issues, needs and trends |
Our contribution to reconciliation
The Commission’s contribution to the practical process of reconciliation is focused on ensuring equality of access to our products and services, as well as fostering equality of employment and career development opportunities for all Australians across the Australian Public Service.
The Commission has a role to initiate, promote and deliver some targeted policy and programme initiatives to Indigenous Australians. We also have a role to encourage and sustain an Australian Public Service that can deliver appropriate policy and programmes to all Australians.
We recognise that to work towards practical and effective reconciliation we must ensure our own internal work, employees and managers are operating in conjunction with this reconciliation action plan.
Our vision is a culturally competent Australian Public Service which:
- operates in a culturally conscious and sensitive way
- practises practical reconciliation as part of its regular business
- provides equality of access and opportunity
- is a leading employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- encourages non-Indigenous employees to learn from their Indigenous colleagues
- demonstrates best practice management of Indigenous employees, and
- contributes significantly to improving social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Our mission is to foster an Australian Public Service culture that understands and embraces this philosophy and applies this approach to reconciliation. This will encourage the ongoing sustainability of these practices throughout the Australian Public Service.
Responsibilities
Overarching responsibility for this action plan will be held by the Australian Public Service Commissioner and the Commission’s Executive and Group Managers, but every employee of the Commission is responsible for its implementation. The Commissioner will champion the plan both within the Commission and across the Australian Public Service.
This plan has been endorsed by elected members of the Commission’s Workplace Relations Committee, and by the Commissioner, Executive and Group Managers.
Monitoring and evaluation
Key performance indicators have been set for all actions in the plan. These will be the measures against which achievement of each action is evaluated. Group Managers will report quarterly to the Commission Management Committee against the performance indicators for which their Group is responsible (as part of the quarterly business reporting arrangements).
The Commission will report on progress of the action plan in its annual reports. The Commissioner will also report as required to the Secretaries Group on Indigenous Affairs on progress of the plan.
This plan has a life of three years from 2007-10. The Commission will review the plan in its final year of operation and develop a subsequent plan for future years. The Commission recognises that to achieve our vision the process of reconciliation will need to continue beyond this initial plan.
