The Department of Communities (Communities) acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands throughout Western Australia (WA) and pays respect to, and recognise the contribution from, all Elders past and present. We recognise the diversity and the significant importance of cultural heritage, values and beliefs of Aboriginal people and their continuing connection to land, sea and community.
We extend our respects to Aboriginal employees across Communities, valuing and recognising the skills, experience and contributions they bring to support the people of WA. Communities recognises the enormous impact that WA’s past continues to have on its present and future. From the earliest days of colonisation, a range of government policies, practices and laws have damaged the foundations of Aboriginal people’s independence, prosperity and wellbeing. Communities acknowledges its own role in contributing to this trauma through the administration of past policies and programs that have adversely impacted Aboriginal people and continue to do so.
The Department of Communities is deeply committed to supporting cultural reform to improve whole-of-life outcomes for Aboriginal children, families and communities across WA. The Aboriginal Cultural Framework 2024-34 is an important milestone towards new ways of working at Communities as we strengthen the cultural competency and capability of our staff, systems and policies across the agency. In implementing this Framework, we commit to playing our part in contributing to a brighter future where all Aboriginal people can thrive, be immersed in their culture and enjoy the same rights and freedoms as all other Western Australians.
The Framework was informed through extensive engagement with more than 800 Aboriginal stakeholders across WA and highlights the need for change in how we work and interact with Aboriginal people who provide or access services.
The development of the Framework is aligned with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, with a particular focus on Priority Reform 3: Transforming government organisations. Priority Reform 3 addresses the improvement of mainstream institutions to ensure governments, their organisations, and their institutions are accountable for Closing the Gap and are culturally safe and responsive to the needs of Aboriginal people, including through the services they fund.
On a local scale, the Framework complements the WA Aboriginal Empowerment Strategy delivered by the State Government to provide better outcomes and ways of working across the Department of Communities.
I thank everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences to help develop the Framework. Your participation is valuable to help create a better future for the many Aboriginal people this will support.
Implementing the Framework is the responsibility of all Department of Communities employees to help ensure better outcomes for Aboriginal people across WA. With your support we can walk together in our continuing journey towards reconciliation.
Mike Rowe
Director General
Department of Communities
