City of Albany adopts its first Reconciliation Action Plan, replacing outdated 2003 Aboriginal Accords

A policy guiding the City of Albany’s relations with the Menang Noongar community was adopted by councillors this week, replacing an “outdated” 21-year-old document. The City of Albany voted to adopt their first Reconciliation Action Plan at its meeting on Tuesday, joining more than 25 WA local governments in promoting a greater understanding of the culture and history of Aboriginal People. The RAP replaces the city’s outdated Aboriginal Accords from 2003, which Cr Malcolm Traill noted was “long overdue” for a review. “I remember when the Accord was adopted which was groundbreaking for its time as we were the first WA council to do this,” he said. “However, it is now outdated. “This RAP aims to level the playing field without giving any advantage — it’s not a case of positive discrimination. “If we reject this, I think we’d be shamed in the eyes of the community and it would make our efforts for Albany 2026 dust.” Of the four levels of RAP available, the city was recommended by Reconciliation Australia to start with the first level of RAP, “Reflect”. This stage of RAP contains 13 actions, focusing on building strong foundations for change by engaging staff in Aboriginal culture, developing relationships with Aboriginal stakeholders and scoping how the city can best use its influence in the community. Cr Stephen Grimmer said the move was symbolic and an important step in healing the rifts caused by the region’s no-majority vote in the Voice to Parliament referendum. “I’m not convinced it’s about the document itself, but it’s about the relationship we have with the local Aboriginal people.” Cr Craig McKinley voted against implementing the RAP, stating that city officers already go “above and beyond” to consult the Indigenous community, labelling the process “ bureaucratic woke nonsense”. Cr Thomas Brough also voted against it, calling it an “incoherent document” that didn’t offer any “meaningful action” to improve the lives of local Menang people. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Albany’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population has almost doubled in the two decades since the 2003 Accords, increasing from 810 people in 2002 to 1476 in 2021. The item was carried 8-3, with councillors McKinley, Brough and Lionetti against. The city’s RAP will now be sent to Reconciliation Australia for endorsement before being implemented over 12 to 18 months.