Reconciliation

The City of Vincent’s reconciliation vision is one where Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people walk alongside each other in respectful and meaningful partnership, celebrating Noongar culture and tradition. We strive for a caring and empathetic community where people support one another in achieving greater equality and opportunities for all members of our society. We envision our City to be a vibrant, inclusive place that features Noongar culture and history in our open spaces, facilities and at our events. Our hope is that all members of our community will join us on our journey towards reconciliation.

The City’s vision for reconciliation will be driven by community engagement practices, innovative projects, policy practices, organisational reflection, improvement and positive promotion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultural understandings.

We are committed to understanding the impacts of our colonial past, the injustices it has created for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and our need to address the complex underlying issues with a strong focus on change and improving our relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, in particular, the Whadjuk Noongar people.

We aim to generate positive impacts by taking into account the diverse needs of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in decision making. We will strongly advocate the interests of this community and foster community cohesion by encouraging active participation in culturally appropriate projects and events. We aim to advocate and influence organisational awareness to strengthen our capacity, governance and practices to ensure responsiveness to emerging issues that impact the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. We aim to be a leader in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and engagement.

We have a vision to be recognised as a culturally sensitive local government that works closely with key partners to address local issues including homelessness and community safety among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

In December 2020, Council resolved unanimously to support the Uluru Statement from the Heart. A key part of the Uluru Statement is a First Nations Voice to Parliament, protected by the Constitution. Ahead of the referendum on 14 October 2023, we heard from Vincent locals about their support for a Voice to Parliament. See the videos.

Our Reconciliation Action Plans (RAP)

RAPs provide a framework for organisations to realise their vision for reconciliation. RAPs are practical plans of action built on relationships, respect and opportunities. They create social change and economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

There are four types of RAP, determined by Reconciliation Australia, to reflect the stages of reconciliation progress, being Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate.

The City of Vincent began its reconciliation journey in 2017 with a Reflect RAP, completing its first Innovate RAP in September 2022 and commencing its second Innovate RAP in August 2022.

Throughout our previous two RAPs, the City has strengthened its relationship with the local Noongar Elders, community and celebrated Noongar culture and tradition through numerous events, activities and workshops. We have created a more empathetic and culturally sensitive workplace and increased our procurement from Aboriginal businesses.

Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-2024

The City's second Innovate RAP was adopted at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 23 August 2022. This RAP was designed in partnership with the City's Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group, internal staff, stakeholder groups and most importantly, our Aboriginal Elders. There are 80 actions in the second Innovate RAP that the City has committed to achieving within a two-year time period. Whilst the sharing of Noongar history, tradition and culture remains important, this RAP has some high-level deliverables including meeting an employment target of three per cent of staff who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, developing a strategy to achieve three per cent procurement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses along with exploring Aboriginal names for unnamed places or laneways and reviving traditional names of parks and reserves.

Reconciliation Action Plan 2022 - 2024 | Innovate

First Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2019-2021

The City's second RAP, the Innovate RAP, was adopted at the Ordinary Meeting of Council on 30 April 2019. This RAP aimed to continue to build on the meaningful relationships we developed during the implementation of our Reflect RAP and continue to grow our community’s awareness and appreciation of Noongar culture, as well as our sense of pride in our diversity and rich Noongar history and tradition. The City continued to provide staff and Council with opportunities to immerse themselves in Noongar culture and ensured that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff have the opportunity to celebrate and share their history, tradition and culture.

Reconciliation Action Plan 2019 - 2021 | Innovate

Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan 2017-2018

At the Ordinary Council Meeting on 4 April 2017, Council adopted the City's first RAP. The Reflect RAP was launched with a community event on Saturday 27 May 2017 in conjunction with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum during Reconciliation Week. Throughout this RAP, the City strengthened its relationship with the local Noongar community and celebrated Noongar culture and tradition through a number of events, activities and workshops. Internally, we strived to create a more empathetic and culturally sensitive workplace which resulted an update of our Welcome to Country Policy to include Noongar language, as well as mandating a Welcome to Country at major City funded events.

Reconciliation Action Plan 2017 - 2018 | Reflect

Aboriginal Organisations

We also have many Aboriginal-controlled organisations that aim to connect with Aboriginal people within the City of Vincent, servicing their various needs and requirements.

Aranmore Catholic College Aboriginal Student Support Program

Central Institute of Technology’s Koolark Centre

Gurlongga Njininj Day Care Centre

Derbal Yerrigan Health Service Inc.

Aboriginal Health Council of WA

Indigenous Community Volunteers

Noongar Radio

Nyoongar Outreach

Kuditj