Council is committed to inclusivity, equity and engagement with local Aboriginal people and communities, the Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2017-2020 has been developed in response to this.
Our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2017-2020 is driven by our Reconciliation Policy that stipulates that 'reconciliation is about building better relationships between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal peoples for the benefit of all Australians'.
We have long embraced the importance of reconciliation and the significant role we can play in it. All actions included in the RAP have arisen through community conversations and are built upon 15 years of reconciliation efforts.
We are proud to have worked closely with the Whittlesea Reconciliation Group (WRG) to develop this plan, and we will report regularly to the group on its progress.
The Stretch RAP has 27 actions that we will deliver over the next 4 years under the 3 pillars of Respect, Relationships and Opportunities.
On National Sorry Day 2014, Council and the WRG unveiled the City of Whittlesea's Sorry Space - a community reflective space dedicated to members of the Stolen Generations and the Traditional Owners of this land, the Wurundjeri Willum people.
The Sorry Space displays a plaque that was presented to Council by Connecting Home and features a stone plinth for smoking ceremonies and fire rituals.