The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) has launched its second Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
Director General at DWER, Michelle Andrews said the Innovate RAP 2022-24 was developed in consultation with key stakeholders and working groups.
“It aims to strengthen our partnerships, collaboration, and understanding to empower First Nations peoples and communities in the management of Western Australia’s water resources and environment,” Ms Andrews (pictured) said.
“The new plan has 13 actions that will focus on creating a shared responsibility for water and the environment, demonstrating a commitment to creating a diverse and culturally safe workplace and increasing the representation of First Nations people employed in the Department.”
She said the launch of the new RAP came at a time when the Department had recently launched its Strategic Plan and Future Directions Statement.
“In the Strategic Plan we outline our priority in building and establishing systems for capturing and responding to Aboriginal knowledge in decision-making,” Ms Andrews said.
“Through the development of these plans, we identified the need to strengthen our partnerships and collaborations with the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live.”
She said the RAP focused on key principals of the Uluru Statement and the five dimensions of reconciliation — unity, race relations, historical acceptance, institutional integrity, equality, and equity.
“The key outcomes of the RAP are to build and strengthen the Department’s relationship and engagement with First Nations peoples, organisations and corporations and communities,” the Director General said.
“Focusing on this will help us to become a more culturally safe and inclusive workplace and foster a shared understanding of the progress that needs to be made,” she said.
