The Department of Human Services Executive Leadership Team confirms its ongoing commitment to Reconciliation. We are strongly committed to improving the cultural, spiritual and family wellbeing of Aboriginal people in South Australia and to building strong, safe, resilient and stable communities.
We recognise Aboriginal people as the first Australians with unique cultures, languages and spiritual relationships to the land and seas and the inherent rights, laws, customs, religions and traditions of Aboriginal peoples.
We commit to continuing to work with Aboriginal Australians to achieve:
‘A united Australia which respects this land of ours; values the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and provides justice and equity for all’ (Vision of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation).
This Department recognises the Government apology to the Indigenous peoples of Australia on 13 February 2008 and acknowledgement of the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations for their pain, suffering and hurt, and that of their descendants and their families left behind. We applaud the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recognition Bill 2013 that paves the way for Constitutional change.
In the Department of Human Services, Reconciliation is everyone’s responsibility and means that all staff, Aboriginal customers, and communities work together to deliver inclusive and sustainable outcomes.
The Department of Human Services plays an important role in addressing the disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal people in South Australia and upholds the following principles in the South Australian Government’s Cultural Inclusion Framework:
- a culturally competent workforce
- culturally inclusive program and service design including accountability and reporting mechanisms
- culturally inclusive interagency collaboration.
Reconciliation underpins departmental priorities to:
- develop policies and fund and provide services that are appropriate, relevant and meet the needs of Aboriginal individuals, families and communities
- work in positive and practical ways with Aboriginal communities to achieve integrated services with long-term outcomes today and for future generations
- invest in leadership and identify champions to promote and raise awareness of Aboriginal issues within the Department, across Government and in the broader community
- increase the number of Aboriginal people employed in the Department, including in decision-making positions
- promote cultural diversity, respect and inclusiveness, and combat racism in all its forms.
The Executive Leadership Team is committed to a Reconciliation Action Plan that is reviewed and reinvigorated regularly to reflect the importance it gives to action on Reconciliation and the cultural spiritual wellbeing of all Aboriginal people, not just words in this statement.
Signed by:
- Tony Harrison (Chief Executive)
- Lois Boswell (Deputy Chief Executive)
- Andrew Thompson (Chief Financial Officer)
- Karen Chee (Acting Director)
- Kim Summers (Executive Director)
- Michael Homden (Executive Director)
- Fiona Mort (Director)
- Gerrie Mitra (Group Executive Director)
- Lynn Young (Executive Director)
- Nick Ashley (Executive Director)