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ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
Asthma Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work and pay respect to Elders, past, present and emerging, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within our community.
We recognise and respect the holistic concept of health for First Nations Peoples which embraces physical, social, emotional, cultural, and spiritual wellbeing, for both the individual and the community, and which encompasses the importance of connection to land, water, culture, spirituality and ancestry.
We acknowledge and uphold the intrinsic connections and continuing relationships Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have to Country and value the cultural knowledge, strength and resilience in our work to improve the lives of people with asthma.
OUR COMMITMENT TO RECONCILIATION
Asthma Australia is committed to a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) that is meaningful, authentic and speaks to the people and communities at the heart of reconciliation.
Asthma Australia is honoured to be contributing to the national reconciliation movement and, in doing so, making a formal commitment to advance reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. Asthma Australia recognises the impact colonisation has had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and is committed to opportunities for healing and reconciliation founded on listening and truth-telling. We endeavour to have an impact both within our organisation, and across the community, including people with asthma.
Our Reflect RAP enables Asthma Australia to deepen our understanding of our opportunities and the unique contribution we can make towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander outcomes. Getting these first steps right will ensure the sustainability of our current and future reconciliation initiatives, and provide meaningful impact towards Australia’s reconciliation journey.
We will use this RAP to ensure that reconciliation, along with the health and wellbeing of First Nations people, are seen as everyone’s business at Asthma Australia.
OUR APPROACH TO DEVELOPING OUR RAP
We are dedicated to increasing our engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations. We believe in developing a RAP that is authentic, impactful and accountable.
Our RAP is led by our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group, which includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and people with asthma and is guided by our Aboriginal cultural mentor.
The RAP Working Group is supported by the Asthma Australia Board and Leadership Team, with our Chief Executive Officer proudly committed to being the RAP Champion, and advocating that reconciliation is everyone’s business.
‘It is not just the right thing to do to reconcile the wrongs of the past, it is essential to create a foundation for improving health outcomes.”
– Michele Goldman, CEO Asthma Australia
Developing this RAP marks an important milestone for Asthma Australia as it becomes intrinsically part of our organisational footprint. Our Reconciliation Action Plan is nested within a broader Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy, which is being developed in late 2023.
OUR RAP ARTWORK
Our RAP artwork is created by Ailsa Walsh (Davidson), Wulkuraka Designs. Ailsa is a First Nations artist – Lardil (Mornington Island, QLD), Kullilli (Thargominda, QLD) and Yuggera (Ipswich/Brisbane, QLD).
This artwork represents our individual and collective roles in managing asthma.
By standing together, we can all help close the gap in community health and be part of a holistic journey towards a better future. This piece also represents the relationships between health care providers, organisations and the community. Together we are stronger and together we will find common ground to heal.
This artwork represents people living with asthma, from the physical aspect to the emotional and mental impacts it has on daily life. THALDIN NUNDILI represents empowerment, strength and resilience.