At its monthly meeting on June 20, councillors unanimously adopted the Greater Shepparton Reconciliation Action Plan Innovate July 2023 to July 2025 to replace the “Reflect” plan of 2019-2020.
“I skite about that plan wherever I go and I think that that is a strong indication, it’s a strong indication of our community and how well they work together and it’s a very strong and cohesive community vision on where we want to get to for our future and for our children,” Cr Greg James, who is a Yorta Yorta man and who moved the plan be adopted, told the meeting.
“I think this RAP plan will act as a guide and a shining light for our community to move forward as well with some great outcomes.”
Cr James told the meeting that a target in the first RAP of 2 per cent council staff being First Nations People by 2020 was achieved by July 2020 with a 5 per cent target included in the new RAP well on the way to being achieved.
“That 2 per cent was achieved early in the stage and we are working, and if not (there), we are heading close to that 5 per cent employment mark already,” Cr James said.
The plan was prepared after a two-phase consultation process from September 2021 to September 2022 with more than 380 community members providing feedback.
More than 10 organisations, both First Nations and non-First Nations, provided feedback during the consultation period.
Reconciliation Australia is the lead body for reconciliation in Australia and provided the advice to council during the plan’s development.
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