First Nations Connections Plan Incorporating our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan Ener January 2020-23 Queensland First Nations Connections Plan January 2020-23 ••• •• ABOVE: Alan Palmer (left) and Sam Bush (right) from Yurika, along with from Jay Shelley - 5B Solar (center) at the completion of the Doomagee Solar Farm project • •• in September, 2019. ••• • BELOW: Energy Queensland was recognised at the 2018 Queensland Reconciliation Awards, winning Acknowledgement the Partnership Category, with Queensland Theatre/ Energy Queensland would like to acknowledge Lonestar Company for the production ‘My Name is Jimi’. and pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestors across Queensland where we work and travelled to develop this Reconciliation Action Plan. The foundations laid by these ancestors – our First Nations peoples – gives strength, inspiration and courage to current and future generations, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, towards creating a better Queensland. • We would especially like to acknowledge • • --,·§·~~~ the Traditional Owners and Custodians who honoured us by spending time sharing their • knowledge and wisdom. Their participation • in this process ensures that our Plan will be a • mechanism to ensure meaningful relationships are built between our businesses and the First Nations communities throughout Queensland. 2 First Nations Connections Plan January 2020-23 • • Contents A message from our Chairman and Chief Transformation Officer 4 A message from Reconciliation Australia 5 Our vision for reconciliation 6 What is our core business? 6 Our Vision, Purpose and Values 7 Our Plan 8 Program design principles 8 Connecting with communities 8 Respectfully engaging 9 Preserving culture 9 The Cultural Ecosystem 9 Bringing our Plan to life 10 Relationships 13 Respect 14 Opportunities 16 Governance, tracking progress and reporting 18 Artwork Maurice Mickelo is a professional Aboriginal The artwork Maurice created for Energy contemporary artist from the South Burnett Queensland is “showing us, people area. His passion for art began at a very sitting down talking and having a greater young age, he now creates and produces understanding each other’s cultures and unique Aboriginal art in many mediums, stories and walking together in peace as including cultural artefacts, alongside one.” his canvas and ceramic pieces. Maurice’s art focuses on traditional stories and his connection to his country. 3 First Nations Connections Plan January 2020-23 A message from our Chairman and Chief Transformation Ofcer We’re very proud to launch Energy We learned the importance of restoring and Our intent over the life of this Plan is to Queensland’s First Nations Connections Plan, maintaining the Aboriginal and Torres Strait focus on initiatives that strengthen the our first formal commitment to furthering Islander Cultural Ecosystems. We explored human, physical and spiritual elements of the relationships and reconciliation between First how we can translate Energy Queensland’s Cultural Ecosystem. In practise, this means Nations and Non-First Nations peoples of vision to Energise Queensland Communities building capability within our business and Queensland. into meaningful outcomes for Aboriginal communities to ensure we can all contribute and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We were positively to strengthening connections and We continuously strive to put people at the reminded of the importance of respect implementing the co-designed initiatives heart of what we do and our approach to and trust in the relationships we build and outlined within this Plan. developing this Plan was no different. We maintain. were determined to ensure our planning We extend our sincere thanks to the many was informed by the thoughts of our First While our Plan is about people who contributed to co-designing our Nations and non-First Nations employees First Nations Connections Plan and invite and importantly, First Nations peoples of reconciliation and has been your continued involvement as we work Queensland. registered with Reconciliation together to bring it to life. Our team engaged with 11 communities Australia as an Innovate around Queensland and asked what Reconciliation Action Plan, it is meaningful action looked like and how we also inherently about connection: could work together. Belinda Watton strengthening relationships and Chief Transformation Officer working together to create positive futures. In recognition of this very deliberate intent, we have Phil Garling adopted the name First Nations Chairman Connections Plan. BELOW: Our First Nations Connections Plan engagement was led by Wulli Wulli and Wakka Wakka man and Energy Queensland Aboriginal leader, Neville Hoehne. Here Neville chatted with Dodie Eggmolesse (aka Sista Soul) from 4K1G Too Deadly about the workshops in Cherbourg to inform our Plan. 4 First Nations Connections Plan January 2020-23 • •• •• •• ABOVE: Artist Shaun ‘Hafleg’ Lee, a Larrakia man, transformed Energex’s Norfolk Road, West End substation as part of the Brisbane Street Art Festival. Shaun explains: “The saltwater croc (‘dankalupa’ in the Larrakia language) and freshie (‘gummagun’) aren’t from around Brisbane, yet here they are, and they’re here together – different mobs in the same area, living alongside each other with respect.” A message from Reconciliation Australia Reconciliation Australia is delighted the private sector, and Aboriginal and Reconciliation is hard work— to welcome Energy Queensland to the Torres Strait Islander communities – Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program have a role to play to progress these it’s a long, winding and by formally endorsing its inaugural dimensions. corrugated road, not a broad, Innovate RAP. The RAP program provides a framework paved highway. Determination As a member of the RAP community, for organisations to advance reconciliation and effort at all levels of Energy Queensland joins over 1,000 within their spheres of influence. This government and in all sections dedicated corporate, government, and Innovate RAP provides Energy Queensland not-for-profit organisations that have with the key steps to establish its own of the community will be formally committed to reconciliation unique approach to reconciliation. essential to make reconciliation through the RAP program since its Through implementing an Innovate RAP, a reality. inception in 2006. RAP organisations Energy Queensland Limited will develop across Australia are turning good its approach to driving reconciliation On behalf of Reconciliation Australia, I intentions into positive actions, helping through its business activities, services commend Energy Queensland on its first to build higher trust, lower prejudice, and and programs, and develop mutually RAP, and look forward to following its increase pride in Aboriginal and Torres beneficial relationships with Aboriginal ongoing reconciliation journey. Strait Islander cultures. and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders. Reconciliation is no one single issue or We wish Energy Queensland well as it Karen Mundine agenda. Based on international research explores and establishes its own unique Chief Executive Officer and benchmarking, Reconciliation approach to reconciliation. We encourage Reconciliation Australia Australia defines and measures Energy Queensland Limited to embrace reconciliation through five critical this journey with open hearts and minds, dimensions: race relations; equality and to grow from the challenges, and to equity, institutional integrity; unity; and build on its successes. As the Council for historical acceptance. All sections of the Aboriginal Reconciliation reminded the community – governments, civil society, nation in its final report: 5 First Nations Connections Plan January 2020-23 Our vision for reconciliation Our vision for reconciliation is an Australia with At the core of our approach is a commitment unity between First Nations peoples and other to co-design, acknowledging that collaboration Australians. We aspire to a culture of trust and and developing a shared understanding of mutual respect, built upon equity and equality, what is valuable is critical to meaningful strong relationships, integrity and shared connection and realising benefits in understanding and acceptance of history. communities. Our vision for reconciliation forms part of We heard and understand the importance our broader vision for connection: to build of working toward delivering place-based respectful, sustainable connections with initiatives capable of directly benefiting Traditional Custodians, First Nations peoples communities in the ways they identify are most and communities by focusing on leading- needed. In some communities, we heard how practice initiatives that are co-designed, cultural healing can help best position the empowering and strengthen the Aboriginal and community and its peoples to prosper. ABOVE: Demag ‘Dana’ Noah monitoring our Torres Strait Islander Cultural Ecosystems. power station on Murray Island in the Torres Our initiatives over the life of the Plan are Strait. Realising our vision focused first on building internal capability, systems and processes to establish a While this is Energy Queensland’s first formal foundation to enable us to continue to commitment to furthering reconciliation and partner with our communities on place-based connection with First Nations peoples and initiatives that reap benefits for communities communities, we have actively