Bayside City Council is entering into second level Reconciliation Action Plan Innovate after successfully completing a Reconciliation Action Plan Reflect in 2019.

A Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a document that organisations develop to outline the actions and initiatives that they will take to contribute to reconciliation in Australia.

The RAP framework is prearranged by Reconciliation Australia and considers 5 dimensions of reconciliation:

• race relations
• equality and equity
• institutional integrity
• unity
• historical acceptance and

Three pillars:

• Respect
• Relationships
• Partnerships

The Innovate RAP is an opportunity for Bayside to demonstrate its commitment to meaningful engagement with Aboriginal communities and will continue to foster and build respect for Aboriginal heritage, cultures and knowledge.

1.2 We want a Bayside where infrastructure is innovative, environmentally sustainable, and reflects the local character of the area

2.1 Nurture healthy people and resilient communities ensuring services and programs are adaptable to meet diverse and changing need

2.2 Engage with our diverse communities to improve access and inclusion in Bayside

3.3 Land use will enhance Bayside’s liveability and protect the distinctive heritage and character of our various localities

5.1 Bayside will nurture a connected community by promoting creativity in the arts in all its forms.

5.2 Making use of public areas and infrastructure to encourage all people to be involved.

6.1 Innovative methods, ideas and products to drive Council’s future planning.

7.3 Where actions are the responsibility of other stakeholders or are beyond Council’s remit, to advocate strongly on behalf of our community to achieve the community’s desired outcomes.

8.4 We want a Bayside where effective partnerships are developed to deliver improved liveability for the community

The community engagement process is the first phase of a longer term undertaking for Council to commit to building respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to work together with the Bayside community to create a better future for all.

Members of the community are invited to submit their ideas on what Council can do to build and strengthen relationships, show respect and improve opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Bayside.

Council is working with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, Traditional Owners and the wider community to develop the Innovate RAP.

The consultation is an opportunity for the community to share their ideas on how we can acknowledge and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and protocols.

Through the Innovate RAP, Council aims to plan and create opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to create a culturally safe and thriving community.

Council will also focus on developing and strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, engaging staff and stakeholders in reconciliation, developing and piloting innovative strategies to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

2021 marks the twentieth years since our Nation declared our commitment to Reconciliation with our First Nations people and we’ve come a long way since then.

Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2021 is: More than a word. Reconciliation takes action, urging the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action.

We want to hear community ideas for how we can better protect and promote Indigenous cultural heritage, and the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Bayside.

• What the focus of the RAP Innovate plan is under the five pillars and three themes
• What the deliverables are that Council commits to in the innovative RAP

• Reconciliation template – set by Reconciliation Australia
• Responsibilities of the recognised Aboriginal party
• Five pillars and three themes of the Innovate RAP - set by Reconciliation Australia

This stakeholder assessment is a generalised understanding of sections of the community that have a connection to the project or matter. This information is used to understand the types of tools and techniques that will achieve the strongest and most effective outcomes for engagement and communication.

Impact: What level of change will the stakeholder / community segment experience as a result of the project/matter

Interest: What level of interest has been expressed or is anticipated

Influence: Reference to the IAP2 Spectrum.

Stakeholder	Impact	Interest	Influence
Bunurong Land Council	H	H	Involve
Boon Wurrung Foundation	H		Involve
Boon Wurrung Land and Sea Council	H	H	Involve
RAP Aboriginal Advisory Committee	H		Involve
Local Aboriginal Network	H	H	Involve
Derrimut Weelam Aboriginal Gathering Place	M	M	Consult
Nairm Marr Djambana Aboriginal Gathering Place	M	M	Consult
Aboriginal residents living in Bayside	H	H	Consult
Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA)	M	M	Consult
First Peoples Health and Wellbeing	M	M	Consult
KESO’S (Koori Engagement Support Officer) Dept of Ed.	M	M	Consult
Aboriginal Unit DFFS (Dept of Families, Fairness & Housing)	M	M	Consult
Local Government Koori Network	M	M	Consult
Dhelk Dja Committee	M	M	Consult
Bayside City Council Staff	M	M	Consult
Broader Bayside Residents	L	L	Consult
Elsternwick Park Association	L	M	Consult

The tools and techniques selected for this project are informed by the project content, stakeholders and type of feedback sought.

The impact of COVID-19 restricts our ability for face-to-face communication, as well as slower distribution of printed mail.

• information sessions and meetings
• video and infographics

• direct email to Have Your Say subscribers and key stakeholder groups

• flyers distributed to Bayside libraries and Bayside City Council Corporate Centre

• website news stories and This Week in Bayside e-newsletter

• advertising via social media
• Let’s Talk Bayside magazine

• online engagement through Have Your Say, including opportunity to ask questions
• meetings with key stakeholder groups
• surveys in accessible formats available on request.
• Face-to-face engagement during the draft phase of the project

We will engage with the community over a four-week period in November – December 2021 to gather feedback on how we can better protect and promote Indigenous cultural heritage, and the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Bayside.

Phase two will focus on confirming the draft actions in the Innovate RAP to confirm the plan is in line with community expectations.

After March 2022, we will collate the feedback that’s been gathered and look at constructive suggestions, as well as common themes to develop the final RAP Innovate Plan. The finalised document will be presented and endorsed by Council in May 2022 for it to be adopted as a working document.

We are proud to make a commitment to fully support reconciliation and we seek to understand and embrace reconciliation within our organisation and to encourage reconciliation across the wider Bayside community.

We launched our previous Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) during NAIDOC Week in July 2019. This process marked the start of Council’s journey towards Reconciliation. A key action of the RAP was to establish a Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group (RAPWG).

The RAPWG is made up of representatives from relevant Council departments, Indigenous people, Indigenous organisations and key stakeholders.

The group will actively monitor Innovate RAP development and implementation of actions, track progress and approve reporting.