RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN JUNE 2018 TO JUNE 2019 Our Business Corporate Nature is a not for profit company that was established by three neighbouring Natural Resource Management (NRM) bodies, Terrain Natural Resource Management (Terrain NRM), Cape York Natural Resource Management (Cape York NRM) and Northern Gulf Resource Management Group (Northern Gulf RMG). Corporate Nature provides all corporate services to these three NRM organisations and is also able to provide similar services to other external businesses/organisations. Any surplus funds earned by Corporate Nature are distributed back to the three NRMs for use in environmental projects within their regions. Established 1 January 2018 Corporate Nature has 22 employees who work in five separate offices (Georgetown, Atherton, Mareeba, Cairns and Innisfail). Corporate Nature provides the following services: Financial Management Human Resources Management Workplace Health and Safety Contract Management Administration Support Board Support and Governance This Reconciliation Action Plan is for Corporate Nature. The NRMs will develop their own Reconciliation Action Plans over the coming year.
CORPORATE NATURE CLIENTS Terrain NRM LIST OF CURRENT PROJECTS Wet Tropic Plan for People and Country Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project Gully and Stream Bank Erosion Herbert Catchment Reef Trust Cane Agriculture Innovation Trials Reef Programme Regional Landcare Facilitator Community NRM Grants Traditional Owner Water Quality Grants Rainforest Aboriginal Grants Water Quality Improvement Plan Threatened Species Cape York NRM LIST OF CURRENT PROJECTS Biodiversity and Country Fire Integrated Pest Management Livelihoods Soils Water Cape York NRM Corporate
Northern Gulf - LIST OF CURRENT PROJECTS Biodiversity Grazing Sustainable Agriculture Education: Big Futures Community Weeds and Pests Regional Skills Development CORPORATE NATURE OFFICES Head Office 63 Anderson Street Manunda Atherton 47 49 Maunds Road Atherton Georgetown St. George Street Georgetown Innisfail 2 Stitt Street Innisfail Mareeba 160A Byrnes Street Mareeba
Our Reconciliation Action Plan We are developing a RAP: Corporate Nature aims to ensure diversity and inclusion through organisational values that are culturally appropriate and promote inclusiveness. The development of this RAP is to formalise Corporate Nature s commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through recognition of connectivity to country and culture. Corporate Nature staff work within the Terrain NRM, Cape York NRM and Northern Gulf RMG regions. Terrain NRM encompasses the Wet Tropics region. One of the most populated areas prior to European settlement and the only area where Australian Aboriginal people lived permanently in the rainforest. 1 The area is home to a rich and enduring Aboriginal cultural heritage, with at least 17 Traditional Owner groups made up of more than 20,000 Rainforest Aboriginal people. 2 Terrain NRM actively operates under the Wet Tropics Aboriginal Cultural and Natural Resource Management Plan (Aboriginal Plan) engaging with Traditional Owners to Care for Country. Cape York NRM region extends north from the Mitchell River catchment to The Tip of Cape York Peninsula. Cape York is rich in historic and living cultural landscape. There are about 45 distinct Aboriginal languages and several hundred dialects. 3 As of 2011 the population of Cape York was 15,400. 56% of whom are Indigenous. 4 Cape York NRM Plan and Investment Strategy is underpinned by the adaptation pathways to meet the NRM targets. Northern Gulf RMG encompasses the catchments of the Norman, Gilbert, Staaten and Mitchell River Systems. The Northern Gulf is a very large and remote area with an estimated population of 1 person per 20 square kilometres. The majority of the area consists of extensive grazing properties. Northern Gulf RMG partners with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations. All three NRM s and therefore Corporate Nature staff work collaboratively with Traditional Owners. 1 www.wettropics.gov.au 2 www.terrain.org.au 3 www.capeyorknrm.com.au 4 ABS 2012
Our Partnerships and Current Activities Corporate Nature will support the projects as listed previously. Corporate Nature through its reporting requirements will monitor the achievements of each of the projects against targets as determined by the funding body. Corporate Nature will support the continued engagement with Traditional Owners across each of the NRM areas. We will actively ensure through the grant writing and ongoing monitoring process that appropriate cultural awareness and engagement is acknowledged. We will ensure that we continue to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work and pay our respect to elders past, present and future through our activities and correspondence. Through this plan we will use our relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to assist in the education of staff around the cultures and customs. Corporate Nature is in its infancy and is committed during the formation of the organisation and throughout its development, to ensure that the issues, barriers and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are represented in this RAP and embed actions and activities throughout the workplace. Corporate Nature aims to form a working group to formulate activities to support this RAP.
1. Relationships Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility 1.1 Establish a Reconciliation Action Plan Development Group (). 1.2 Develop internal and external relationships. 1.3 Participate and celebrate National Reconciliation Week (NRW). 1.4 Raise awareness of the RAP. A Reconciliation Action Plan Development Group will be established and include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and decision makers from across the organisation. Develop a list of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, people and communities that currently engage with the Alliance. Create a list of other organisations that are also developing a RAP to assist and support the development of our RAP. Through the encourage staff engagement at NRW events. Circulate any information relating to NRW events to staff and Alliance. Develop within the RAP a plan for raising awareness of the RAP. Utilise staff announcements on SharePoint to raise awareness of the RAP and activities relating to the RAP. Standing agenda item at Corporate Nature staff meetings June 2018 December 2018 May 2019 August 2018
2. Respect Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility 2.1 Explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural learning and development. 2.2 Participate in and celebrate NAIDOC Week. 2.3 Raise awareness and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols. Develop strategies for increasing awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and achievements within Corporate Nature and the Alliance. Capture data and measure staff s current level of knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and achievement. Conduct a review of cultural awareness for any training needs. Use the SharePoint and email to inform staff about NAIDOC week. What it is, information from the various local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, and promote local events. Promote to staff NAIDOC week celebrations in their respective locations. A representative from the attends an event in one of the local areas. Scope and develop a list of Traditional Owners of the lands and waters within our organisations sphere of influence. Develop and implement a plan to raise awareness and understanding of the meaning and significance behind Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country (includes any local cultural protocols). Develop a protocol for Corporate Nature for Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country. August 2018 July 2018 September 2018
3. Opportunities Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility 3.1 Investigate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment. 3.2 Investigate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity. Develop a business case for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment within Corporate Nature. Create an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recruitment strategy and update any employment policies with this strategy. Develop a list of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment service providers and encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants to apply for positions. Develop an understanding of the mutual benefits of procurement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses. Develop a business case for the procurement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses. September 2018 September 2018
4. Tracking and Progress Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility 4.1 Build Support for Corporate Nature s RAP 4.2 Review and refresh Corporate Nature s RAP Define resource need for the RAP development and implementation. Define monitoring tools for the RAP. Publish our RAP on the Corporate Nature website. Complete the annual RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire and submit to Reconciliation Australia. Liaise with Reconciliation Australia to develop a new RAP based on learnings, challenges and achievements. August 2018 March 2019 Contact Details for public enquiries about our RAP Karen Nicolaou CEO Support (07) 4255 7800