The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has launched its Reconciliation Action Plan, which is focused around three key priorities:
- To ensure our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees always feel safe, supported, and heard, whilst fostering employment opportunities with First Nations communities.
- To engage with and listen to local communities, co-designing solutions to reconciliation pathways.
- Find business opportunities that lead to sustainable economic participation and demonstrate the focus of self-determination for our First Nations businesses.
ARTC CEO and Managing Director, Mark Campbell, said this plan will help map out a practical direction that sets a commitment to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“Our vision is to create a more diverse and equitable organisation – a workplace where belonging begins with safety, wellbeing, and acceptance, and where opportunity abounds,” Mr Campbell said.
“Reconciliation is everyone’s responsibility – this plan will help foster employment and business opportunities for First Nations people, so everyone can benefit in the future that we’re building together.
“We are ready to step up – as we commit to lay a foundation that allows our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to always feel safe, supported and heard.
“Reconciliation is about creating equity and equality, closing this gap, and building relationships. Reconciliation has no meaning if it is not aimed at achieving equality in life expectancy, education, employment and all the important, measurable areas of disadvantage.
“We need to unite and align by bringing together our efforts and strengthening our resolve so that we can optimise our impact. The fire of reconciliation has been lit and it is now time to pass the flame to others.”
In late 2021, ARTC’s Reconciliation Action Plan Team commissioned proud Goomeroi/Kamilaroi woman Elenore Binge to create a piece of art to represent our aspiration for reconciliation.
Mrs Binge, who created the artwork called Journey, said the Traditional Custodians of each Nation are our Spirit Guides there to protect our Lands and make the reconciliation journey with ARTC a safe one.
“Mother Earth is the land that we call Australia, and the waterways are her veins. Our Ancestors have walked this Country since time began,” she said.
“With railway tracks depicted throughout, the blue lines are Mother Earth’s veins, representing our rivers and waterways, and the Meeting Place to the right is ARTC, with the symbol of No Harm at its heart.
“The black and white hands in the artwork are a symbolism of reconciliation between ARTC and the Traditional Custodians on which lands ARTC operates.
“Represented also are the traditional bush medicines, which is an acknowledgement of healing and moving forward with shared learning of the reconciliation journey.”
ARTC’s full Reconciliation Action Plan can be found on the ARTC website at this link.
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Media contact: Nicholas Adermann | 0499 377 745