At its core, reconciliation is about fortifying bonds between First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians for the benefit of all.
This year’s National Reconciliation Week theme – Be Brave. Make Change. – is a strong call to arms for all Australians to be brave and take action to achieve reconciliation.
The property industry comes to this journey with two special advantages, which also confer special responsibilities.
Firstly, every structure the industry creates and manages lies on land that has been cared for by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for endless years. First Nations Australians’ profound connection to country is something our industry – perhaps more than any other – can understand and celebrate.
Second, as an employer of more than 1.4 million people, our industry can be an important partner in First Nations peoples’ quest for economic empowerment after years of dispossession and marginalisation.
This path is one which many of our members have already begun and which the Property Council has also commenced, launching our Reconciliation Action Plan in January.
While there is much to celebrate, there is still a long way to go. It is up to us, not only as an industry, but as individuals, to be brave and to help make the change.
