‘Quick Impactful Wins’: Kingston City Council adopt a new Reconciliation Plan

The City of Kingston’s government office on the Nepean Highway, Cheltenham.

Source: Ciy of Kingston, Goolge photos

In March of 2020, City of Kingston’s Indigenous Portfolio Officer Zali Mifsud began writing what would become the innovative Reconciliation Action Plan, a manifesto looking towards building a more informed community in relation to the Indigenous population.

As a proud, 22-year-old Gunditjitmara woman, Zali wrote the RAP herself with consultation and approval from the Council and Reconciliation Australia.

“If you don’t have basic cultural understanding of the Indigenous community while you’re trying to make meaningful change and support in a meaningful way, it’s hard to achieve anything.”

“Being a First Nations woman myself, I think if someone turns to me and says, “that’s not a priority for me”, that’s an opportunity for me to educate them as to why that is or should be a priority”, she said.

 The Reconciliation space isn’t new to some, but new to organisations and businesses as it holds the external component of endorsement from reconciliation Australia.

Over the course of 18 months, Mifsud wrote the innovative RAP and fulfilled the development of a strategic framework.

Zali Mifusd

Source: LinkedIn

After the naming policy introduced in 1998, by which English was used exclusively, Mifsud’s role is to review current policies and procedures to ensure all are respectful to Indigenous community council or government policies written years ago.

“They are devoid of the Indigenous perspective; it can be felt across the whole diversity demographic. Gender diversity, age, and disability are all aspects to be considered for internal policy.”

Mifsud is currently working with the Bunurong land council to establish a commitment that foresees Aboriginal names within the Consultation.

The policy currently allows for citizens to vote for the name of a site, which Mifsud hopes to renew by allowing Aboriginal names to be considered.

This year, the UN proclaimed the period between 2022 and 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, which mobilises stakeholders and resources for the preservation and revitalisation of many sacred languages.

“From a local government perspective, we have a focus on reviewing the current names of open spaces as colonisers or lieutenants are often referenced. This includes parks, pavilions, alongside other sites to review in case there is discriminative language used”, Mifsud said.

The two-year document focuses on what Mifsud refers to as “quick impactful wins” which are defined as things we can change in a day and make a difference in terms of cultural safety in the city of Kingston.

In terms of being a good ally, Mifsud recommends reading into Reconciliation Australia’s list of 10 actions to advance Reconciliation.