The Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs has announced a new role for the Reconciliation Day Council, broadening and strengthening its responsibilities to promote reconciliation all year round.
The Minister, Rachel Stephen-Smith said formalising the membership, criteria, terms and process for appointing members was a suggestion from the Council itself, following the success of Australia’s first Reconciliation Day in 2018.
“The ACT Reconciliation Council, formerly the Reconciliation Day Council, will retain its current members and ambassadors for the Reconciliation Day in 2019 to build on the success and momentum from last year’s events,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
The Council’s co-chairs, Chris Bourke and Genevieve Jacobs, would stay on until after the 2020 event.
The Minister said expressions of interest for new members would open later this year with those selected appointed as individuals in their capacity as leaders in the community.
“This arrangement will allow the Council to continue its work in achieving the vision it has set in creating a family friendly and safe space for the broader community to continue a conversation about our shared history,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“The Council is in the early planning stage for the 2019 Reconciliation in the Park event.”
She said it was considering improvements in areas of promotion, sponsorship and capturing community feedback; opportunities to coordinate events across the ACT, including with national institutions; and increasing opportunities to experience culture through traditional food and yarning circles.
