From the Managing Director
We present Housing Choices Australia’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan – a vital project for our organisation that reflects our Board, management and staff’s collective view of the future Australia we wish to be a part of. Every one of us shares responsibility for building a nation where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are afforded the same opportunities and qualities of life as non-Indigenous Australians. To achieve a truly reconciled and inclusive Australia, we know that a real and enduring commitment is needed to improve opportunities and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This applies at societal, organisational and personal levels. For our organisation, this means providing secure, affordable housing, building connected and unified communities and improving social and cultural inclusion for those who live in those communities. As a national housing provider, we are committed to delivering culturally appropriate homes and services and achieving these goals in a culturally competent, accessible and safe manner.
Our RAP Committee was established in mid-2019. In overseeing its work, I have been moved by the deep commitment of the Committee, our Board, leaders and staff in delivering our RAP. Our RAP has been developed through the exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, experiences, cultures and customs, identifying opportunities to strengthen our cultural competency, creating a better understanding of how to build relationships with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, residents and partners, and ensuring that these learnings are cascaded through our organisation. Staff have individually told me how this experience has deeply affected them. This work has culminated in our Reflect RAP, an important milestone for Housing Choices Australia that will provide strong foundations for us to build a unified, respectful, diverse and culturally competent organisation that can make a positive difference to our own, and our nation’s journey toward reconciliation.
We will continue to identify new opportunities for Housing Choices Australia to embed reconciliation into the DNA of our organisation. We are committed to fostering housing communities that offer opportunities for social, cultural and economic participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. I commend our Reflect RAP to you and look forward with commitment and optimism for what is still to come.
Michael Lennon Managing Director Housing Choices Australia
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