Reconciliation Action Plan 2012 book

Reconciliation Action Plan

Australian Human Rights Commission

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Engagement Toolkit 2012

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Our Vision for Reconciliation

Reconciliation is important to the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission):

• first it enables us to build the cultural diversity of our organisation so we are better placed to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to understand and exercise their human rights;
• secondly as it is appropriate for us to model the importance of understanding and respect for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Our Business

The Commission is Australia’s national human rights institution. It is an independent statutory body established under the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth). The Commission’s main responsibilities are:

• Public awareness and education about human rights;
• Receiving unlawful discrimination and human rights complaints;
• Monitoring and reporting on human rights compliance; and
• Policy and legislative development to protect and promote human rights.

These responsibilities are carried out by the President, Commissioners and staff of the Commission. There is approximately 100 staff of the Commission.

The Commission’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner also has particular responsibilities to protect and promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including through annual Social Justice and Native Title Reports.

The Commission’s activities to promote the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples include:

• Advocating for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution;
• Partnering with the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples and Reconciliation Australia to promote improved relationships and reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider Australian community;
• Partnering with Australia’s leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous health and human rights organisations as part of the Close the Gap Steering Committee for Indigenous Health Equality;
• Supporting the engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations at international fora with a specific focus on the rights of indigenous peoples through the Indigenous Peoples’ Organisations Network.
• Advocating for the full implementation of both the spirit and intent of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Australia.

Our RAP

As a human rights body with responsibility for protecting and promoting the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, much of the Commission’s work already promotes reconciliation. That work is not reproduced in the RAP. Rather, the RAP identifies:

• Specific reconciliation initiatives that the Commission has developed as part of its RAP; and
• How the Commission will perform its core work in a way that promotes reconciliation.

To assist in monitoring, developing and implementing the RAP, the Commission has established a RAP Committee. The Committee is made up of senior staff representing all parts of the Commission and includes Aboriginal staff.

The RAP Committee meets quarterly to review RAP actions which are championed by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.

Our RAP includes specific measurable targets and seeks to establish a process for identifying future targets for RAP actions. All actions are subject to the progress and reporting framework in part 4.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Engagement Toolkit 2012

A key activity under the Commission’s Reconciliation Action Plan is the development of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Engagement Toolkit.

The Commission developed an internal toolkit in 2011 and has been using the toolkit to assist staff in engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities. The toolkit was updated in 2012.

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