Our Reconciliation Action Plan
Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2021–24 provided information on our initiatives to support reconciliation under 3 core pillars – relationships, respect and opportunities.
Our activities under ‘Governance, tracking and reporting’ enable us to relay our successes and lessons learned to our staff, community, government and to Reconciliation Australia.External Link
Relationships – results and achievements
We recognise and value the importance of building respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations. We continue to explore ways to:
- grow existing services
- build new relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partners.
We aim to:
- support improved economic outcomes
- increase confidence in the Australian tax and superannuation systems.
Collaboration
Over the life of our RAP, we have worked with organisations and agencies to advance reconciliation and share initiatives. Our most recent engagements include:
- engaging with Indigenous Business Australia, Business Enterprise Centre Northern Territory and not-for-profit company, Many Rivers, to provide demonstrations of the online learning platform ‘Essentials to strengthen your small business’
- participating in multiple First Nations Foundation ‘Financial Wellness Week’ events, and raising awareness of the assistance we can provide small businesses and individuals
- attending the First Nations Business Trade Fair on the lands of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji and Yirrganydji peoples (Cairns) in April 2024. We engaged with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander attendees to provide support and advice for small businesses
- meeting with the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) to explore opportunities related to Priority Reform One (Formal partnerships and shared decision making) of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and co-hosting the Australian Public Service (APS) Reconciliation Sharing Network with Services Australia.
Financial literacy
As part of the First Nations Foundation ‘Financial Wellness Week’ events, we developed a tailored one-page flyer to be distributed at events for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The flyer provides advice on support systems available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as general information. The flyer provides a real time link via a QR code to content on ato.gov.au.
We have worked with both the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) to deliver joint presentations at various forums, including for the Tax Institute of Australia, focussing on the support available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander not-for-profit (NFP) organisations. Several ongoing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander NFP cases are being developed as case studies to better inform the Indigenous Not-for-profit Engagement Strategy.
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) and NAIDOC
Each year we acknowledge and celebrate National Reconciliation Week (NRW) and NAIDOC Week. In 2024, we celebrated NRW with a national online panel discussion, including guest speakers from the Department of Defence and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water in conversation with 2 of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Champions.
In addition to our national events, our ATO sites host local activities, and we support and participate in external events.
Respect – results and achievements
Respectful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the broader community are important to us. We continue to support reconciliation and ensure our services are culturally appropriate.
Cultural learning
In 2023, we made our Indigenous Australian Cultural Awareness course mandatory for all staff. As of 30 June 2024, 97.81% of ongoing staff had completed the course. In addition to the mandatory course, our Safe, Secure and Inclusive training is also mandatory for all staff and includes a section on inclusion and the effects of racism.
Throughout the life of our RAP, we have participated in the Jawun program with 23 staff being supported to participate in secondments in the period from 2021–24. We continue to work to increase the impact of secondments, including identifying several Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Champions to participate in Jawun executive visits, and connecting ATO staff to our Kawutilin ally network.
Opportunities – results and achievements
By enhancing opportunities for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, we ensure valued knowledge and perspectives are included throughout our decision-making processes. We recognise our crucial role in providing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers to improve economic outcomes.
We support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses by providing tailored education opportunities to encourage participation in the tax and superannuation systems.
Recruitment and career development
Over the life of the RAP, we have partnered with multiple organisations to attract and recruit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to our workforce, including:
- recruitment providers to assist in identifying participants in our Evergreen Program
- TAFE NSW to provide Certificate IV training for the Evergreen Program
- TAFE NSW Digital to provide Certificate III training for the Jumpstart program 2022
- IPS Management Consultants to provide 'Walking in Two Worlds' workshops for managers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants, further building our cross-cultural competency in the workplace
- Services Australia in a pilot of the Indigenous Apprenticeship Program (IAP).
We have supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to participate in external career development opportunities, including the University of NSW Emerging Indigenous Leaders Program, the Australian National University Management Program, the Indigenous Leadership Summit and the Public Sector First Nations Leadership and Allyship Summit.
We have also supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees’ career development through the Diversity Recognition Secondment, a pilot for the Indigenous Leadership Program, and the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). As of 30 June 2024, 20 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff were undertaking courses funded under the TAP, and 3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff graduated in 2023–24.
Procurement
We have maintained our membership with Supply Nation throughout the life of our RAP and we have expanded into categories of expenditure where we had not traditionally engaged. We continue to work with suppliers to develop Indigenous Participation Plans and incorporate our commitment to the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) into industry briefings and approach to market documentation.
Tax, Super + You resource kit
The Tax, Super + You resource kit includes modules related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content and is now formally part of the Australian school curriculum. A selection of schools has commenced teaching various components of Tax and Super learning modules and lesson packages. Schools and teachers can adapt the learning modules and lesson packages to meet their students’ needs. Resources are available via taxsuperandyou.gov.auExternal Link. We continue to offer general tax and superannuation awareness sessions to communities and organisations upon request.
Latest governance, tracking and reporting
We continue to monitor RAP initiatives by:
- tracking progress against planned deliverables
- publicly communicating our commitment to reconciliation.
Governance
Over the course of the RAP 2021–24, our RAP Working Group met quarterly to create a shared ownership of how to progress our vision of reconciliation. The membership maintained representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and was renewed as necessary. It will be updated as we transition into our RAP 2024–27.
Reporting
For the duration of the RAP 2021–24, we tracked and published our progress against RAP deliverables internally and externally, with quarterly reports provided to the RAP Working Group for information and follow-up action and shared across the organisation. External reporting is provided to Reconciliation Australia through the annual RAP Impact Survey.
Ongoing focus areas
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employee representation
We have continued to explore a range of initiatives to increase the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within our workforce. While we have had some successes, we are yet to achieve the targets established under our RAP.
Our final employee representation results were:
- 3.0% of APS 4–6 level staff (our target was 3.5%)
- 1.1% of EL1–2 level staff (our target was 2.0%)
- 0.4% of SES level staff (our target was 1.5%).
In 2023–24, 37 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affirmative measures processes were conducted. During Quarter 4 2023–24, a Senior Executive Service (SES) Band 1 officer was appointed from the SES100 initiative conducted by the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC).
We are continuing our work to deliver on our employee representation targets, with accountability for this deliverable raised and distributed across Group Heads in our new RAP 2024–27.
Formal partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations
We are yet to establish formal partnerships that meet the ‘stronger partnership’ elements, as defined in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. We have considered a range of options with guidance from the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). Opportunities will continue to be explored under our new RAP 2024–27.