Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan May 2018 – May 2020 About the artist Corrina Eccles Cover artwork Wadawurrung Woman / Wathaurong Community Ngubitj Murrup (Water spirit) I am a direct descendant of Queen Mary Robinson. I am The three main colours of our traditional paint Paapul the granddaughter of Aunty Joyce Eccles. My grandmother (ochre) has been used. Ochre is a traditional paint that is 94 years of age. She is the eldest living Elder of the reflects Aboriginal culture through ceremonies and Wadawurrung people. I have a granddaughter and we have art. It is spiritually and culturally significant. five generations living on Wadawurrung country. My Nan’s connection to spirit and culture connected me to the The Paapul is connected to water, it is from special Wathaurong community at a young age. My journey and places on Wadawurrung country. The feather represents connection continued with being guided by strong Elders our Creation spirit Bunjil. The handprints symbolise and respected men and women in the community. I have our ancestors’ connection to Country and caring for an enormous spiritual passion for better outcomes for our country. The gathering dots are our water places. people and to be part of a strong connected Aboriginal community. ‘We are one and we are many’. Art is a personal The artwork showcased in this document is two parts of a five piece artwork displayed at the Barwon Water connection I have with my culture and gives me the Head Office, titled;Paapul Ngubitj - Wadawurrung opportunity to embrace my identity. (Connection to ochre and water). Artwork © Corrina Eccles, Ngubitj Murrup (Water spirit) 2018 Wadawurrung Woman/Wathaurong Community Indigenous Arts Management by Dreamtime Art Managing Director statement On behalf of Barwon Water, I am proud to present our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for May 2018 - May 2020. We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander This RAP provides an outline of the path we will peoples as the First Peoples of this nation. We proudly follow on our journey to improve and enhance our acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on relationships with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait which we work and live, and pay respect to their Elders Islander community and meet objectives of our past and present. We recognise and value the continuing Strategy 2030. We will continue to respect the cultures and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres knowledge and Connection to Country the Traditional Strait Islander peoples to our community and their Custodians of the land have developed over tens ongoing connection to the land over thousands of years. of thousands of years, and make a commitment to incorporate these values into our business. We would also like to give a special thanks to Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar, Wathaurong, Kuuyang Building on our core business success, we are shifting Maar and Guli Gad for helping guide us to see the land, our mindset from water utility to being a leader of the water and environment around us through the eyes of an region’s prosperity. Our vision for regional prosperity not only encompasses economic, social and environmental Aboriginal person. Their willingness to share knowledge elements, but also recreational and cultural elements, and stories assists us to understand and support their including enhancing Aboriginal values. cultures and histories, in turn helping us to Connect with Country. We will continue to work with local Aboriginal Our purpose as an organisation is to deliver outstanding and Torres Strait Islander peoples to help us incorporate value to the community by delivering high quality, their knowledge and cultures into our business. affordable and reliable water services. In order to provide these services, we are continually trying to improve the We are committed to building long-term and way we engage with our customers and develop more meaningful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres meaningful partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Strait Islander peoples within our region. The journey Islander peoples in our region. Our contribution to current we have taken as an organisation to get to this point and future generations is driven by our commitment to is symbolic of our deeper and more meaningful playing a significant role in the prosperity of our region commitment to reconciliation. and the wellbeing of our community. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the In preparing this RAP, we have reflected on our existing Traditional Owners of the land on which we live and relationships and work practices and have challenged work today. They have a strong connection to water as it ourselves to make significant step changes over the forms a vital part of their life and culture. With our core next two years. We have identified many meaningful business in water resources, this connection provides opportunities as a provider of essential services, an an ideal starting point for future interactions between employer of choice and community partner. the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and Barwon Water. I would like to thank the Barwon Water employees and local Aboriginal groups involved in developing our first By engaging with and including the local Aboriginal and RAP. Thanks to your hard work, Barwon Water is playing Torres Strait Islander community within our business, a leading role in taking a meaningful step towards we promote recognition, respect, partnerships and reconciliation regionally. opportunities. We are committed to working with Traditional Owners to incorporate aspects of their Tracey Slatter cultures and practices into the way we work and the Managing Director services we provide to our customers. Barwon Water 1 Our vision for reconciliation Barwon Water’s vision for reconciliation is for all peoples to stand unified in an inclusive and connected community. We have respectful and meaningful relationships with Traditional Owners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which supports a shared commitment to Caring for Country. We incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values into everything we do and the services we provide. We commit to enhancing economic and employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and celebrating diversity. 2 Our business Barwon Water is Victoria’s largest regional urban water corporation, providing excellence in water, sewer and recycled water services to more than 300,000 residents across 8,100 square kilometres. Our area of responsibility stretches from Little River and advancement and economic transition, we are shifting the Bellarine Peninsula in the east, to Colac in the west, our mindset from water utility to being a leader of the and from Meredith and Cressy in the north, to Apollo region’s prosperity. Bay on Victoria’s south-west coast. We are a statutory corporation and our activities The Barwon region’s drinking water is predominantly are overseen by an independent Board of Directors, sourced from forested catchments on the upper appointed by the State Government of Victoria. Barwon and Moorabool rivers. During periods of drought, additional water can be sourced from the As a major employer in the region, we have more than Victorian water grid via Melbourne and underground 300 highly skilled employees from a diverse range of aquifers in Barwon Downs and Anglesea. disciplines, including operations, engineering, strategic planning, finance and administration, of which 10 Our operations have a significant impact on the region’s economy and liveability. Our organisation has a turnover identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander of $200 million, $2.6 billion in assets and spends $100 peoples. This includes two full time staff and eight million (on average) in capital and related infrastructure trainees who commenced in April, 2018. works a year. Most of our employees are based at our headquarters in Building on our core business success, we have now Geelong, with the remainder working at water treatment entered a new phase. Recognising the challenges of and water reclamation plants across the region or out in climate change, population growth, rapid technology the community. We also have a small office in Colac. Barwon Water’s service region includes parts of the traditional home of three Aboriginal nations: the Wadawurrung, Gulidjan and Gadubanud lands. Original boundaries were probably less defined than drawn here. Barwon Water respectfully acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land and water on which we rely. 3 Our Reconciliation Action Plan Our first Reconciliation Action Plan outlines the path we will follow on our journey to improve and enhance our relationship with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Barwon Water respectfully acknowledges Aboriginal peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land and water on which we rely. Until now, engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander We are now looking at ways to link the peoples has been focused on activities required to work we undertake with Aboriginal and protect cultural heritage during projects and community Torres Strait Islander communities. Our support initiatives, including Barwon Water’s water first RAP demonstrates our commitment bottle program and providing a Hydration Station for to reconciliation and determines how we community events. will achieve our objectives in enhancing engagement and recognition