Speak Out August 2020 DIGITAL EDITION

"The Association has committed to work actively against racism."

Thanking Peter Palancio Peter Palancio, inaugural consumer

representative on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee stepped down from the committee in July in order to focus his energies on his work on the frontline, where he provides health and wellbeing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Through this work, he aims to contribute to Black Lives Matter on a daily basis. The decision to step down was one that Peter did not take lightly, and he remains supportive of the work of the committee. Peter is a Torres Strait Islander elder from the Ahmat family, Wagedagam tribe of the Gumuligal people. His language group is Kala Lagaw Ya and his land/water is Mabuiag Island in the Torres Strait. As an elder with deep connection to his culture, Peter brought a profound depth of knowledge to committee discussions. He reminded us often of the significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of being and knowing, encouraging us to reflect on the need to consider culture within our services. He reminded us also of the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, extending our thinking to acknowledge traditional custodians, not only of lands, but also of seas and waters. Peter’s knowledge of speech pathology services came firsthand through his treatment for throat cancer at Darwin Hospital. He often praised the treatment he received from speech pathologists who worked with him. We will miss Peter’s contributions greatly. His knowledge, guidance, advice and warmth have made a lasting contribution to the work of the committee and the Association, for which we thank him wholeheartedly. We wish him good health, success in his work and studies, and continued joy in sharing cultural knowledge with his children and grandchildren.

and Torres Strait Islander members and employees of the Association. To progress the actions outlined in the plan, in May 2020 the Association employed project officer, Pauline Weldon-Bowen. Pauline has been engaged in a number of initiatives since her appointment. In the context of recent overseas events involving racism against black people, the Association issued a Response to Racism statement which recognised the ongoing negative impact of intergenerational trauma faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as a result of historic and current policies and practices, injustices, discrimination and bias that continue to exist in our nation. The Association has committed to work actively against racism. As we move forward on the development of the actions and deliverables that will inform our Innovate plan, the RAP Working Group has discussed the need to make the RAP actions, deliverables and strategies more visible to our members, through more regular reporting. We recognise the need to engage branches and members in the actions and deliverables outlined in the plan. We also recognise that there is much to be gained through sharing our reconciliation journey with other organisations and learning from each other. The RAP is a plan for the Association as a whole, informed by, but not the responsibility of, our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, who are too often called upon to advise on how to address issues. The RAP Working Group has begun discussions around the Innovate plan, a plan which will cover the years 2021 and 2022. When we open the draft for comment, we will welcome your suggestions and feedback about the actions and initiatives individual members and the Association can take to strengthen relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians and contribute to meaningful change in the lives of our First Nations peoples.

Eddie Ong Cori Williams

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August 2020 | Speak Out