Reconciliation Action Plan 2007
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Introduction
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) recognises that Indigenous Australians and communities have a legitimate expectation that, like the Australian community more broadly, they will benefit from the outcomes the Department seeks across our portfolio industries. The Reconciliation Action Plan is a key component of the Department’s approach and commitment to improving the quality of life of Indigenous Australians. The Department will monitor its progress against meeting the performance indicators within the RAP and evaluate the effectiveness of its strategies towards improving the life expectancy of Indigenous Australians.
Our vision for reconciliation
Indigenous Australians share in the benefits of competitive, profitable and sustainable agricultural, fisheries, food and forestry industries.
Our business
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s role is to develop and implement policies and programs that ensure Australia's agricultural, fisheries, food and forestry industries remain competitive, profitable and sustainable.
Our policies and programs:
- encourage and support sustainable natural resource use and management
- protect the health and safety of plant and animal industries
- enable industries to adapt to compete in a fast-changing international and economic environment.
- help improve market access and market performance for the agricultural and food sector
- encourage and assist industries to adopt new technology and practices, and
- assist primary producers and the food industry to develop business and marketing skills, and to be financially self-reliant.
The Department employs about 4,200 staff in Australia and overseas, including policy officers, program administrators, scientists, economists, meat inspectors, veterinary officers and quarantine inspectors.
Our reconciliation initiatives
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Reconciliation Action Plan sets out how the Department will increase its attractiveness as an employer of choice for Indigenous Australians, develop collaborative working relationships with Indigenous communities, improve awareness of support programs available to aid the development of primary industries and resource management opportunities and promote cultural awareness amongst non‑Indigenous employees.
Strategy 1 - Employment
Objective - develop, implement and evaluate the Department’s Indigenous Employment and Engagement Strategy to improve social and economic opportunities for Indigenous Australians within the Department.
|
Action |
Responsible |
Performance indicator |
Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Promote employment and training opportunities for Indigenous Australians |
Indigenous Liaison Unit
Human Resources Branch Indigenous Participation Officer
Human Resources Branch / AQIS Human Resources |
Examine feasibility of implementing a DAFF specific Indigenous Cadet Program. Aim is to prepare Indigenous Cadets for selection for the merit based DAFF Graduate Development Program. Appoint Indigenous Participation Officer Maintain an Indigenous recruitment page on the Department website Increase recruitment through APSC Pathways Program |
June 2007
Review in |
|
Develop a DAFF Indigenous Support Network |
Indigenous Affairs Steering Committee Indigenous Affairs Steering Committee |
Establish Terms of Reference including membership Bimonthly meeting to report on activity to the EMT steering committee |
November 2007 January 2008 |
|
Increase the number of self‑identified Indigenous employees and ensure workforce planning caters effectively for their needs. |
Indigenous Participation Officer Indigenous Participation Officer
Central Office and Regional recruitment managers |
Review recruitment assistance program. Identify number of existing Indigenous employees and establish communication network to encourage staff involvement in issues, programs, policies that affect Indigenous staff and Indigenous communities. Target Indigenous media to advertise positions. |
January 2008 September 2007
Review in |
|
Improve retention and career development opportunities for Indigenous Australians. |
Indigenous Affairs Steering Committee Indigenous Affairs Steering Committee |
Develop a mentoring program for Indigenous employees. Appoint Indigenous advisers to provide assistance to supervisors of Indigenous employees. |
March 2008
June 2008 |
|
Access initiatives available to support Indigenous employment and retention |
DAFF & AQIS Human Resources |
Use APSC Indigenous Capability funding to enhance development opportunities for Indigenous employees. |
June 2007 |
Strategy 2 - Collaborative working relationships
Objective - continue to develop collaborative working relationships with Indigenous communities to complement DAFF’s mission of increasing the profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of Australian agricultural, fisheries, food and forestry industries and enhancing the natural resource base to achieve greater national wealth and stronger rural and regional communities.
|
Action |
Responsible |
Performance indicator |
Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Maintain relationships to enhance natural resource management. |
Natural Resource Management Division |
Report on Indigenous employment and training outcomes from the Australian Government Natural Resource Management (AGNRM) joint team project between DAFF and the Department of Environment and Water (DEW). |
November 2008 |
|
Develop presentations to demonstrate how we work collaboratively with Indigenous communities and what opportunities exist for new participants. |
DAFF Public Relations Section |
Presentations developed for Departmental publications, Centrelink Roadshows, Indigenous Coordination Centres and Indigenous Conferences |
November 2007 |
|
Develop sustainable fishery harvest management plans. |
Fisheries and Forestry Division |
Increase Indigenous fishery quota to improve economic return on regional natural resources. Options for distributing quotas are being reviewed over next 2 years to ensure equity of distribution |
July 2009 |
|
Maintain and develop collaborative working relationships with other organisations to support development of Indigenous aquaculture and forestry industries. |
Fisheries and Forestry Division |
Increase number of projects supported. Report on collaboration within DAFF and other Australian, State/Territory government agencies. To date approximately 16 forestry and 18 aquaculture projects have been developed creating approximately 50 employment opportunities. |
July 2008 |
|
Increased collaboration with Indigenous Australians regarding policy development and program implementation. |
Indigenous Affairs Steering Committee and Indigenous Participation Officer
Fisheries and Forestry Division
Fisheries and Forestry Division |
Employment of an Indigenous Land Management Facilitator to increase communication and engagement with Indigenous stakeholders. Continued support for implementation of the Indigenous Aquaculture and Forestry Strategies, and ongoing communication about the Strategies. Involvement of Indigenous Australians in the Australian Government’s Recreational Fishing Community Grants Program (RFCGP) to be reported to the Indigenous Affairs Steering Committee annually. |
July 2008
July 2008
Review in |
Strategy 3 - Accessibility to support programs
Objective - improve awareness of and access to support programs available to aid the development of agricultural opportunities.
|
Action |
Responsible |
Performance indicator |
Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Raise awareness of departmental portfolio industries support programs. |
DAFF Public Relations Section
Rural Policy and Innovation Division Indigenous Affairs Steering Committee
Rural Policy and Innovation Division |
Identify Indigenous media opportunities to promote support programs. Fill all Indigenous leadership sponsorships. Promote Indigenous participation in capacity building programs by targeting groups – 2008 extend invitations to Indigenous youth and women Include Indigenous people as a focus of the communication plans of the Rural Financial Counselling services. |
October 2007 June 2008 June 2008 |
|
Promote results of portfolio research on Indigenous topics |
Rural Policy and Innovation Division |
Distribute media releases and publications broadly and target Indigenous audiences about research from portfolio members including:
|
Review in |
|
Develop documentation to include Indigenous Australians |
DAFF Public Relations Section |
Develop and implement Indigenous cultural protocols for application in the content and presentation of departmental publications |
July 2008 |
|
Advertise support programs and employment opportunities in Indigenous publications and/or at conferences |
Indigenous Liaison Unit |
Target advertising material to Indigenous audience for example Koori Mail, National Indigenous Times, Torres News and electronic media in line with DAFF / AQIS Indigenous Employment and Engagement Strategies |
July 2008 |
Strategy 4 - Cultural recognition
Objective - promote cultural awareness amongst non-Indigenous staff.
|
Action |
Responsible |
Performance indicator |
Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Actively encourage all staff to participate in Indigenous Celebrations or commemorations |
DAFF NAIDOC Organising Committee
Executive Management Team
DAFF NAIDOC Organising Committee Indigenous Liaison Unit |
Diversify celebrations by combining with the Department of Environment and Water Resources for Canberra NAIDOC week celebrations. Encourage participation in other local events. Liaise with regional offices to assist with NAIDOC week celebrations as appropriate. Ensure Indigenous employees are aware of access to cultural leave. |
July 2007
June/July 2007 |
|
Increase participation in Indigenous cultural awareness training tailored for non‑Indigenous staff
|
Indigenous Liaison Unit |
All new employees to attend Indigenous cultural awareness training within 18 months of commencement of employment. Compulsory graduate and trainee participation in Indigenous cultural awareness training. Increase the number of non-Indigenous employees attending training and evaluate status of staff participation. |
Review in Review in Review in |
|
Symbolic acknowledgement of traditional owners in Departmental offices |
DAFF Accommodation Team |
Use Indigenous local language to name meeting rooms in Departmental offices |
June 2008 |
24 Nov 2011