The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (the Department) advocates for the participation of Aboriginal people in public employment—in a wide range of roles, and at all levels. The unique skills and knowledge of Aboriginal people add significant value to Government business and our organisational culture, building Western Australian Public Sector capability by sharing their culture, imparting knowledge and contributing to the economic growth of Aboriginal communities. By increasing employment opportunities across our Department, we will contribute to 'closing the gap' in economic participation for Aboriginal people.

The Department works in partnership with Aboriginal people across Western Australia to manage land and protect their cultural heritage, and to ensure authentic engagement with Aboriginal communities on planning and development matters.

Our Strategic Plan 2019-2024 centres on five key goals. Our 'people' goal aims to create a workforce by 2023 that reflects the community it serves. To achieve and sustain healthy levels of Aboriginal employment the Department must work towards creating inclusive workplaces, strengthening the cultural competency of our staff in delivering culturally responsive services. Coupled with these goals, is the Department’s aspirational target of 5% Aboriginal employment by mid-2023.

The Department recognises that to achieve these goals and target, concerted efforts are imperative for success. That is why we created a dedicated Aboriginal Employment and Diversity Manager position to champion an Aboriginal Employment Strategy that will focus on:

• Attracting and recruiting more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across all divisions, roles and classifications in the Department.
• Retaining and supporting Aboriginal staff.
• Building a culturally aware and inclusive workplace that supports, respects and values Aboriginal people and their culture.
• Building stronger succession pipelines that enable Aboriginal employees to progress into more senior roles.
• Strengthening accountability and improving reporting to better monitor progress against our strategy.

We actively seek to engage and employ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to build a stronger and competitive workforce that accurately reflects and represents the needs of the Western Australian community.

For more information visit https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-planning-lands-and-heritage

Our commitment

DoT’s purpose is Empowering a Thriving Community, and we are committed to supporting and encouraging cultural diversity in the workplace.  At DoT, we enable the development and delivery of a successful and sustainable employment pathway, which follows a best practice approach by providing a set of minimum requirements, processes, and targets to guide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement and communications.

DoT has developed an Aboriginal Employment Plan, that works in conjunction with our Reconciliation Action Plan, to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement and participation. Through these plans DoT has outlined a set of actions to establish foundations, which are Connect, Employ and Belong, to provide more opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to work at DoT and to advance the careers of those who are already employed at DoT.

These strategies and actions are built into each area to achieve and sustain significant improvements in attracting and retaining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees.

Normalising cultural diversity in the workplace

Diversity is a way of finding, encouraging, and embracing different perspectives from our customers, colleagues, and stakeholders. A diverse workplace ensures everyone has a place, purpose, and sense of belonging. By using diversity targets, we ensure that bringing these perspectives into DoT is explicitly and intentionally designed and creates necessary accountability. The Public Sector Commission (PSC) has identified six diversity groups for State Government agencies to focus on for greater representation in the workforce:

1. Women in the Senior Executive Service

2. Young people

3. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

4. Culturally and linguistically diverse people

5. People with a disability; and

6. People of diverse sexualities and genders.

At DoT, all employees are strongly encouraged to attend the one-day off-site Cultural Awareness Training (CAT) with Sister Kate Home Kids Aboriginal Corporation. Since commencing the program, 974 employees have participated in the training. DoT will continue to offer CAT until mid-2022.

Quote from Isabeau Korpel - A/Executive Director People and Culture, Department of Transport

Worldwide leaders acknowledge that diversity brings a competitive edge to an organisation. In Australia we have the wisdom of our First Nations People who provide an additional depth to diversity of thought and being. We have set the intent to expand our connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, open our mindset to see how we can collaboratively design a new working space and create a space of belonging where we ‘hear’ each other. I am personally passionate about capturing this wisdom and honouring the space of our First Nations People. 

For more information visit: https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/

The City of Stirling adopted its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2010 and began implementing its third RAP in 2021. The plan is comprised of transparent and accountable deliverables to recognise the rich history and culture of First Nations People and improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The City is committed to maintaining mature strategies, strong approaches, and long-term plans, so reconciliation can be embedded across the whole organisation to become ‘business as usual.’

The RAP contains initiatives to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are given every opportunity to thrive and the City recognises the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to community and in the workplace.

Initiatives delivered under the Reconciliation Action Plan include:

• The appointment of a dedicated 50D Aboriginal Engagement Officer and 50D Aboriginal Youth Development Officer to drive plan implementation and be the first point of contact for all employees on matters of Aboriginal engagement
• Cultural Training for employees: Delivered multiple times per year the training provides employees with an opportunity to increase their knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture and recognise that a greater understanding can contribute to improved outcomes in the workplace and community
• Cultural Immersion Tours for employees: Approximately 60 employees have participated in these tours, visiting culturally significant sites for Aboriginal people across the Southwest of WA. The tours focus on respectful truth-telling and follows the journey of Governor Stirling before he committed the Binjareb Massacre. It aims to improve understanding of the history and ongoing impact of colonisation
• Adoption of a ‘Recognition of Traditional Owners Management Practice’ that guides employees on the implementation of cultural protocols including Welcome to County and Acknowledgement of Country
• Development of an Acknowledgement of Country film that can be used by all employees at times where a Welcome to Country is not required
• An Acknowledgement of Country in Nyoongar language and in English on the E-signature of all employees
• Programs to increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment opportunities within the organisation and externally
• Development of a framework to increase the City’s engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers
• The creation of four Reconciliation Action Plan subgroups, comprised of a range of staff, Aboriginal Elders and community members. The subgroups enable a process for two-way information sharing on plan activities to ensure they are culturally informed and appropriate
• The naming of City facilities and public spaces in Nyoongar language through a collaborative process with Aboriginal Elders and community members.

More information is available at: https://www.stirling.wa.gov.au/

While inclusion, diversity and accessibility are often referred to in the context of people with lived experience of disability, we recognise that these principles are equally as important for groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds. We are committed to ensuring that through all our programs, events, interactions and facilities we value and respect the diversity that makes our city unique.

We ensure that we embrace diverse cultures and work in ways that acknowledge the impacts of racism. We strongly oppose racism and choose to actively promote the strength of our culturally and linguistically diverse community. We recently facilitated a photography exhibition highlighting women from minority groups and marginalised populations within our community, to increase visibility and highlight the beauty and strength of diversity.

We are excited to have welcomed new citizens from more than 17 countries so far in 2022 and have hosted a cultural showcase where individuals and organisations were invited to show their traditional dress, language, music and/or performance in celebration of harmony day (also known as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination). We support local community groups to facilitate multicultural morning teas & lunches and provide free Larrakia Cross Cultural Workshops for members of the public, to promote better understanding of the history of the Larrakia Land on which we live and work and the importance of country, culture and traditions for the Larrakia People. We continue to work closely with other local individuals and community groups to ensure we are highlighting and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dates of significance in a way which is culturally appropriate and has meaning and relevance to the people living in our community.

We work alongside other organisations to offer free swimming lessons to new migrants and refugees living in Palmerston and have recently celebrated International Mother Languages Day by highlighting some of our bilingual team members on our social platforms. This initiative is one of many we have undertaken to increase visibility and promote the strength, value and creativity that cultural diversity and multilingualism bring to our city.

More information is available at https://palmerston.nt.gov.au/

What began as a discrete call out from the Fremantle Football Club to an individual who did not reflect the values or ideals of the Club, became a very powerful message played out nationally.

In July 2020, the Fremantle Dockers along with a number of other Clubs advised they would ‘take a knee’ prior to the game in support of the #blacklivesmatter movement.

A Twitter user and Club member tweeted that he would cancel his two $900 memberships if “our boys” took a knee.

The Club swiftly responded to the tweet with “We are sorry you feel that way. One of our membership services representatives will call you shortly to process your refund.”

From there, thousands of football supporters from across the country reached out to applaud the move.

One man’s comments which set out to divide had the opposite effect.

It united so many people who were proud to see such poor commentary called out and that even in a time of economic crisis due to Covid-19, values were placed ahead of profits.

Fremantle star Michael Walters made the following comments in response to the matter:

“We need to keep calling it out because it is the only way people will learn that we’re here to stay. We aren’t going anywhere.”

“The way the club handled it, but also the whole of the competition, to go about it that way is a massive credit to them.”

More information is available at: https://www.fremantlefc.com.au/

Our organisation has historically had a fairly white workforce, consisting predominantly of volunteers. In recent years, we have aimed to shift this, with a focus on showcasing underrepresented artists and creators through our work. Despite our programming and promotion of the work of these underrepresented artists and communities, we have faced challenges in building a more representative volunteer base within our organisation.

In 2017, staff and management began having conversations about ‘diversity and inclusion’ within the organisation. In recent years, these conversations have shifted towards a discussion of structural racism and the organisation’s commitment to anti-racism. In 2020, it became clear that the organisation lacked the knowledge and expertise to address these issues on its own. For that reason, we approached an independent, First Nations-led education and consulting firm seeking support.

We engaged this consulting firm to conduct a survey and review into racism and other forms of discrimination at the organisation. The consulting firm performed a review of our policies and programming initiatives, and carried out an anonymous survey. The survey asked staff and volunteers about personal experiences of interpersonal and structural racism at the organisation, and what changes were needed.

The research revealed that there is a significant difference between the experiences of white staff and volunteers, and staff and volunteers of colour at our organisation. While acknowledging that racism is not the only kind of discrimination experienced by staff and volunteers, the review demonstrated that staff and volunteers of colour have borne the brunt of structural inequities and racism throughout the organisation’s history. Working with an independent body facilitated an open and honest conversation that would not have been possible within the organisation’s own structure. It also ensured that the process was led by those with lived experience of racism and expertise in policy design and implementation.

Following the report, management redoubled its commitment to addressing the issues raised and implementing changes to make our organisation a safe and supportive place for all staff and volunteers. Importantly, senior management has made a commitment to undertake the ongoing work required to dismantle structural racism and anti-Bla(c)kness. Among other things, this includes a commitment to engage staff and board members in ongoing training from a First Nations-led organisation. It also includes a review of the organisation’s grievance processes to ensure appropriate support and redress is provided for those who experience racism within the organisation.

The Main Roads Internal Communications team manage corporate messaging on our intranet to ensure staff are engaged and informed about the agency’s activities and wider transport issues.​ Some of the ways we utilise this facility to raise awareness and promote the benefits of a culturally diverse workforce include:

• Generating cultural competency and awareness. This might include sharing articles that have a focus on a particular cultural group or significant cultural practice. Recently, this included an interview with Muslim employees on ‘What is Ramadan?’. It may also include promoting available facilities, such as our multi-faith prayer room.
• Encouraging employees to list other languages on their Intranet profiles to enable assistance should someone require help translating.
• Sharing our Diversity Calendar that lists dates and events of significance for staff across the organisation. These dates are highlighted and awareness raised through internal news stories, information sessions by guest speakers and participation in community events and projects.
• Supporting employees undertake equal employment opportunity training,  which is compulsory for new starters. Employees also have access to Diverse WA, a cultural competency online training package. In addition, information on unconscious bias and inclusion in the workplace is readily available on our  intranet page.
• Promoting the Main Roads Harmony Week Cookbook, created through contributions from employees on their favourite recipes to celebrate the multiculturalism of Main Roads and the backgrounds of employees from around the world.
• Sharing information on workplace initiatives. For example, during Harmony Week, to celebrate those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, we produced a video that featured employees delivering a greeting in some of the many different languages spoken across the organisation.

More information is available at: https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/

*Organisational profile information from the 2021 Annual Report

Background

In EY Oceania, our people have 127 unique cultural backgrounds and speak 77 languages. While we are a very culturally diverse group, culturally diverse representation decreases in senior roles. We also know that the experience of those with a culturally diverse background is not the same as their Anglo-Celtic/Saxon colleagues. We are listening to how EY people feel and are striving to do more to ensure that we are living up to EY values of greater inclusiveness and building a better working environment. 

EY Cultural Diversity Mentoring Program

The Cultural Diversity Mentoring program is a six-month program designed to support and empower our culturally diverse staff. The program provides participants access to targeted development opportunities and one-on-one mentorship from senior leaders within the member firm. It contributes to a richer pipeline of culturally diverse leaders.

The program is aligned to EY’s collective commitment to foster an environment where all differences are valued, practices are equitable, and everyone experiences a sense of belonging. In recent years, we have also witnessed the benefits of reverse mentoring for our senior leaders. For mentors, the program provides an opportunity to hear from culturally diverse colleagues, to talk about their experiences, challenges, ask questions, and build cross-cultural competency.  

Our aspirations for the program are:

• That mentees will have greater self-awareness and self-confidence, and a clearer career direction.
• That both mentors and mentees will recognise the importance of harnessing the strengths of a culturally diverse workforce.
• To build cross-cultural capability across the organisation.

The program relates to EY Global Transformative Leadership Model where we encourage EY people to focus on three key areas of leadership: Better Me, Better Us and Building a Better Working World. EY professionals can click through the model to find bite-sized tools and resources to deepen learning and create new leadership habits. The program helps to activate these transformative leadership behaviours to develop a pipeline of culturally diverse leaders who are confident and inspiring, and who help bring our diversity, equity, and inclusiveness statement to life.  

Program Participants

The program was piloted in 2017 with 30 participants. Over the years, the interest and scope have grown, and in FY21 we reached 450 participants.

• Mentees can be anyone at Consultant, Senior Consultant or Manager rank who are culturally and/or linguistically diverse. All expressions of interest (220 mentees) were accepted in FY21.
• Mentors can be Partners, Directors, Executive Directors and Senior Managers of any cultural background who wish to be a part of the program.
• Culturally Diverse Partner Champions. Each city and state in Oceania have Culturally Diverse Partner Champions available for additional support if required.

Learning delivered through blended learning experiences 

The program is designed to provide frequent connection and continuous development. The program takes a blended approach to learning, where we bring the very best of thought leadership, workshop content, mentoring and coaching.  

A monthly ‘Inclusion Nudge’ is sent, containing discussion questions, helpful resources and access to learnings. The learning activities are aimed at enhancing the program engagement and self-awareness. The core areas of focus include: Setting SMART goals, Self-Awareness, Belonging and Empowerment. With our support and guidance, each development journey is the participants’ to build. 

Participants are also provided with access to group communication channels and regular networking events to connect with mentees and mentors across the program and build a sense of community and promote inclusive teaming. One of the goals of the program is to pair participants with individuals that may not necessarily get in touch throughout the business through their day-to-day work. The feeling of inclusiveness is a significant success factor for this program. 

Quality of mentoring is regularly measured and reviewed, with regular pulse checks for participants at the 30-, 60- and 90-day marks capturing program satisfaction, preferred topics of interest, and opportunities for mentors and mentees to be re-paired if appropriate. The quality of mentoring is measured and reviewed following the close of the program.

The Exceptional EY Experience:

Our extraordinary people are helping to shape the future, and that’s why at EY we stand behind our Employee Value Proposition – The Exceptional EY Experience: It’s Yours to Build.

“As I have gained experience, I have learned the importance of understanding and harnessing differences so we can all continue to grow.   Being a mentor provides me the opportunity to impact someone’s life earlier in their career, to share some of my experiences so they could learn from my mistakes and successes and hopefully have some extra knowledge and support to address some of the challenges they may face. I hope by sharing some of the things that I wish someone had told me early in my career their journey maybe a bit easier.   I have also been fortunate enough to learn from my mentees.” 2021 Mentor

More information is available at https://www.ey.com/en_au