Reconciliation is a story that involves all of us. It’s a journey we’ve been taking for many years, as Manningham embraces the unique cultural heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and acknowledges the particular rights of Wurundjeri Woi wurrung people as traditional custodians of the land and waterways.

Council has a key role to play in fostering respect for and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledge and rights throughout the organisation and the municipality. As part of this, we are currently in the process of developing a Manningham Reconciliation Action Plan 2021-2023.

A Reconciliation Action Plan is a document that provides the direction for organisation’s commitment to Reconciliation. It is an important step towards achieving higher levels of trust, lowering prejudice, increasing pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and valuing of Australia’s cultural diversity.

Guided by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, this action plan will focus on developing and nurturing meaningful relationships and opportunities built on respect between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, Council and the wider community.

To create the action plan, we have been undergoing a collaborative process. This has involved creating a Working Group to guide the development of the action plan, engagement with the Traditional Owners through the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, consultation with Reconciliation Australia and assessing the local data and emerging community needs. We look forward to providing updates and opportunities for engagement over the next few months as we work to create our Reconciliation Action Plan.