All in for reconciliation

Acknowledging Country

I write this with deep respect from the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, acknowledging their enduring connection to Country and paying my respects to Elders past and present.

At Mission Australia, we recognise that wherever our work takes place, we are always on the lands of the rightful Traditional Owners. Country is central to who we are and how we work and live.

We value and support both Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country. We recognise Welcome to Country as an important cultural protocol delivered by Traditional Owners or Elders, and we take seriously our shared responsibility to provide meaningful Acknowledgements of Country.

For us, this is more than a formality. It reflects an ongoing commitment to listen, to learn, and to ensure respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is embedded in our day‑to‑day work, our decisions and our relationships.

National Reconciliation Week 2026 theme “All In”

This National Reconciliation Week (27 May-3 June), the theme “All In” is a reminder that reconciliation is not something we observe from a distance, and it is not something that happens on its own.

It asks each of us to step forward, to stay engaged, and to take responsibility every day, not just during this week.

And it also asks something important of all of us, that we recognise reconciliation cannot rest   on the shoulders of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples alone. For too long, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have carried the burden of explaining, advocating and pushing for change. That responsibility must now be shared more fully.

Being “all in” means showing up properly, not occasionally, and not selectively.

Reconciliation built on understanding and respect

At its heart, reconciliation comes back to understanding, trust and respect. Those things are not declared, they are built, slowly, through listening, learning and being willing to change.

The more we learn about culture, history and lived experience, the more we see the strength, knowledge and leadership within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. And the more we understand that reconciliation is not about one perspective replacing another, but about learning how different ways of knowing can strengthen each other.

There is real responsibility in that, and also real possibility.

Our commitment at Mission Australia

At Mission Australia, reconciliation sits at the heart of all we do.

We see every day the impact of colonisation, dispossession and intergenerational trauma, particularly in homelessness, justice and health. And we also see strength, leadership and resilience that is often not given the recognition it deserves.

Our responsibility is to respond to both with honesty, care and action.

Our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan

Our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan guides us over the next three years. We’re still early in the journey, and we are learning as we go, but it gives us direction and accountability.

Being at a Stretch level matters. It means we are being held to a higher standard, with clear expectations around progress, outcomes and impact. That is as it should be. Reconciliation requires ambition backed by action, not comfort with intent alone.

It focuses on building a culturally safe organisation, strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, embedding cultural knowledge into how we design and deliver services, and advocating more strongly for self-determination.

Listening, learning and changing

The most important part of this work is listening properly, and then being willing to act on what we hear.

We are working closely with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Group, and their guidance shapes how we think, how we decide and where we need to do better.

We’re also looking inward at our systems and practices, from recruitment and onboarding through to service design and measurement, to make sure they are safer, more inclusive and more reflective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, doing and being.

This is not a one-off piece of work. It is ongoing, and it requires humility as much as commitment.

Representation, belonging and cultural safety

We have set an ambition to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation across Mission Australia to 8%, but this is not where the story ends.

What matters just as much is whether people feel safe, respected and able to thrive when they are here, and whether belonging and wellbeing are genuinely part of how we define success.

The same applies to the people we serve. Every person who comes to us should feel culturally safe, respected and understood.

All In for reconciliation

“All In” is a reminder that reconciliation is active work. It asks us to keep showing up, to keep learning, and to stay with the work even when it is uncomfortable or slow.

And it reminds us that progress only happens when responsibility is shared.

I’m proud to be Mission Australia’s RAP Champion, and I feel genuinely privileged to work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues, partners and communities on this journey.

National Reconciliation Week is a moment to reflect, but it is also a reminder that reconciliation only moves forward when all of us stay engaged, stay open and stay committed, long after the week is over.

National Reconciliation Week runs from 27 May to 3 June each year, marking the 1967 Referendum and the Mabo decision. It is preceded by National Sorry Day on 26 May.