Council and Reconciliation
Council is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous Australians, particularly the Wurundjeri people – the traditional owners of the land we now call Moreland.
Council:
- flies the Aboriginal flag and the Australian flag at Council buildings
- invites Wurundjeri Elders (traditional land owners) to do Welcome to Country to open significant civic events
- helps community organisations include Welcome to Country and other Indigenous activities and performers in their community events
- provides a program of cultural awareness and activities within Moreland schools during Reconciliation Week. Reconciliation Week 2010 will be 27 May – 3 June.
- develops appreciation of Indigenous art through various exhibitions at the Counihan Gallery In Brunswick.
- gives access to Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island music, books and films through our libraries
- organises cultural awareness and appreciation sessions
- appoints and supports Indigenous trainees in the Council workforce, and helps non Indigenous groups and organisations engage with Indigenous groups and organisations.
Moreland Reconciliation Policy and Action Plan 2008 – 2012
The Council is committed to working towards two main goals as outlined in the Reconciliation Policy and Action Plan:
- Strengthen recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Nation peoples of Australia.
- Reduce the disadvantage of Indigenous people through closing the negative social and health gaps between Indigenous and non-indigenous people.
Download and read the full document: Moreland Reconciliation Policy and Action Plan 2008 – 2012 (DOC 945Kb)
What we have done so far
- provided on-going support to the Koorie Open Door Education (KODE) preschool
- became partner in Close the Gap in Indigenous Employment in the North. In partnership with the Indigenous Education Centre at Kangan TAFE; WISE Employment; community organisations; Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) and other northern region Local Councils organised Business Recognition Ceremony and awarded six local businesses in the Northern region of Melbourne
- employed four trainees in the last 18 months. One has successfully completed his traineeship.
- exhibited artwork from the (then) Victorian College of Koorie Education (VCOKE) at the Amped Up FreeZA Art Show - an event to allow young artists in the community the opportunity to exhibit and sell their artwork.
- presented Mute Relics and Bedevilled Creatures at the Counihan Gallery in Brunswick during the 2009 Reconciliation Week.
- developed and delivered cultural awareness education during 2009 Reconciliation Week with ten Moreland primary schools (800 students) and plan to deliver further training during 2010 NAIDOC Week.
- distributed widely the Post-Contact Aboriginal Heritage Study (PDF 3Mb) and will placed the Pre Contact Study (DOC 16Mb) on the website.
- responded to numerous requests from non-Indigenous organisations, businesses, groups and individuals who want to know more about reconciliation and Indigenous issues.
- developed, with the Koorie Heritage Trust, alternative, more practical Indigenous cultural awareness/competency sessions for Council staff.
- Moreland libraries have a collection of over 200 CDs covering ‘traditional’ and contemporary sounds and DVDs with an Indigenous theme. Each is identified by the Aboriginal flag on the cover.
- installed over sixty plaques that acknowledge Wurundjeri as the traditional owners of the land on Council owned buildings. Buildings include Neighbourhood Houses, Childcare Centres, Libraries, Senior Citizens Centres , Pools and Pavilions. Plans are in place for all other suitable Council-owned building to have plaques installed in 2010.
- made sure that all Welcome to Moreland gateway signs have acknowledgement statements.
Council says sorry
Council continues to advocate to other parts of government in the interest of Indigenous people’s rights.
In 1998 Council supported the community Sorry Books signing and expressed its apology and regret for past wrongs to Indigenous people.
Recently Council reaffirmed its commitment to reconciliation and endorsed the Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples.
