Our journey and achievements

Our reconciliation journey

We launched our first RAP in 2007. As we renew our long-standing commitment to reconciliation through our sixth RAP, we take pride in our achievements.

We have enhanced our staff’s cultural awareness and introduced initiatives to increase our procurement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned suppliers.

We continue to develop career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and improve services for our clients.

Our RAP development process

We are dedicated to advancing reconciliation through this, our sixth RAP and fourth at the Stretch level. This commitment aligns with our broader vision and the government’s objectives to contribute significantly to closing the gap.

Our RAP Working Group

The RAP is supported by a RAP Working Group, currently consisting of 32 members with 50% representation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff in addition to our Champions. The involvement of key staff such as Second Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Directors, Assistant Directors, and Indigenous Liaison Officers in the RAP Working Group underscores the comprehensive support for reconciliation within our organisation.

Throughout the process of developing our RAP, the RAP Working Group has reviewed our progress, including refreshing our vision for reconciliation. Working group members ensured our new vision aligns to our corporate vision and the 5 dimensions of reconciliation.

Consultation

The strong support for development of this RAP evidences our commitment to inclusivity and diversity. It was shaped by comprehensive consultation with internal and external partners.

These included:

• RAP deliverable owners and the RAP Working Group.
• Moondani and Kawutilin members and Jawun alumni.
• external partners such as Treasury, Services Australia, the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC), Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC), NIAA, APSC, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives on our Stewardship Groups and Financial Counselling Australia.

IPS Management Consultants – an Aboriginal owned and operated organisation – was engaged to support our RAP’s development. They:

• facilitated internal and external consultation through
  • staff focus groups
  • meetings with deliverable owners and representatives of external organisations
• provided advice on incorporating the resulting insights into our RAP.

Staff focus groups

IPS Management Consultants facilitated 4 staff focus groups, attended by 100 employees. These were convened to:

• gauge awareness about our RAP
• discuss options for improving reconciliation outcomes.

These discussions, and the results of targeted consultation with Moondani and Kawutilin members and Jawun alumni, highlighted the importance of:

• cultural awareness training and immersion activities
• encouraging all managers and executives to work towards our employee representation targets
• strengthening engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• improving digital and in-person services to meet the needs of communities potentially facing systemic barriers.

Meetings with Champions and RAP deliverable owners

IPS Management Consultants also conducted meetings with Champions and RAP deliverable owners. Key themes emerging from these consultation sessions included the following.

Career development and leadership representation

Career development and leadership representation included:

• prioritising the development and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, for example, through mentoring, training, networking and secondment opportunities
• creating career pathways and optimising affirmative measures processes
• ensuring representation at Executive Level and Senior Executive Service (SES) levels to foster diverse leadership.

SES visibility and role modelling

SES visibility is important in promoting inclusive behaviour and driving tangible outcomes by championing projects and deliverables, mentoring staff, attending staff network meetings and supporting days of importance.

Staff value the efforts of RAP Champions and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Champions and seek more active support of RAP commitments.

Listening and tailoring support

Listening to, and tailoring support to, clients included:

• recognising the need to consult with clients to adapt support accordingly
• reviewing our Indigenous Helpline and providing face-to-face assistance at community and financial events
• leveraging partners to promote our assistance to clients

Cultural competency

Cultural competency included:

• enhancing cultural competency of all staff through ongoing training and immersion opportunities
• leveraging the experience of staff who have participated in cultural exchanges
• ensuring a culturally safe workplace and culturally informed services for staff and clients.

Commitment to reconciliation

Commitment to reconciliation included:

• promoting reconciliation initiatives, and the awareness and integration of RAP commitments within the organisation
• increasing ally involvement at all levels in delivering on our RAP responsibilities.

Engagement and accountability

Engagement and accountability included:

• establishing strong accountability for RAP deliverables and refining deliverables for clarity and impact
• engaging senior leaders with regular reporting on our progress against our RAP
• ensuring resources are allocated effectively to support RAP implementation
• ensuring governance, reporting and feedback mechanisms capture outcomes from initiatives so we can assess effectiveness.

Consultations with organisations

We also consulted with government organisations and representatives of organisations supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

These discussions focussed on:

• better practice reconciliation approaches
• gaps in our services
• RAP development methodologies
• implementation strategies.

Recommendations emerging from the meetings with external partners included:

• sharing better practice across organisations, which we will continue to do through cross-agency network meetings
• reviewing workforce strategy and securing recruitment pipelines for increased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff numbers across the APS
• sharing information about tax, super and registration with other organisations where it will assist their clients
• tailoring support to clients, for example, through providing face-to-face help to clients living in regional areas.

We are committed to ongoing collaboration with our external partners throughout the duration of the RAP to improve our services for our clients.

Our demonstrated commitment

Since launching our previous RAP in December 2021, we have demonstrated a commitment to reconciliation across a range of areas.

Cultural competency

To build cultural competency we have undertaken the following:

• We include Acknowledgments of Country at the commencement of external meetings, cross agency meetings and significant events.
• We maintain our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protocols guide and update it in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. These updates are communicated to all staff through internal communication channels.
• We continue to focus on cultural awareness training for our staff and engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to develop and deliver tailored, culturally appropriate training resources.
• Our online cultural awareness training has been reviewed and refreshed and is now mandatory for staff to complete. It focuses on understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, history, and identity, and the importance of communication to strengthen our support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and staff.
  • Over 97% of our staff have completed our online cultural awareness training.
  • We have offered over 30 face-to-face and virtual training sessions.
• More than 20 staff have participated in Jawun secondments, including in-person and virtual placements, with secondees using their skills to support community organisations to achieve their aims.
• We celebrate National Reconciliation Week (NRW) and NAIDOC annually with events.
  • We often include a national livestream with guest speakers and invite staff from other government agencies.
  • Celebrations in past years have included Welcomes to Country, dance performances and smoking ceremonies.
• To increase appreciation and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, we have created a virtual art gallery, which we regularly promote so staff can view the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork and artefacts we hold across our sites.

Recruitment and career development

We undertake a range of activities to attract and retain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, with a strong focus on reducing the attrition rate (13.55% as at February 2024). Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff leadership pathway sets out examples of internal and external professional development options that are applicable at various staff levels.

Over the duration of our previous RAP, we have supported staff by:

• offering tuition assistance to undertake qualifications to enhance their capabilities – we have supported around 30 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to undertake study
• partnering with TAFE NSW to provide training to participants in our Evergreen program
  • The Evergreen program is an entry level program that combines work experience and formal training over 12 months, with a permanent job placement at the end of the program.
  • Over 170 Evergreens have joined and remained with the ATO over the lifetime of our previous RAP.
• offering around 10 staff the opportunity to participate in the ANU Management Program
• offering Executive Level staff the opportunity to undertake the UNSW Emerging Indigenous Leaders Program to strengthen their leadership skills and participate in a cultural immersion experience, with around 10 staff participating
• offering internal and external secondment opportunities, including with the WA Government, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC), the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC), Treasury, and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
• offering an internal Indigenous Mobility Development Program, a 12–week program supporting career development that builds experience across the wider organisation
• holding Nginu Yalga, our internal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employee Roundtable
  • 170 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees attended the latest roundtable in 2023.
  • Additional APS portfolio agency staff participated in select sessions.

Around 80 staff have participated in further career development opportunities, including:

• an Indigenous Leadership Summit
• an APS Indigenous Leadership Workshop
• a First Nations Employment and Leadership Conference
• the Australia and New Zealand School of Government First Nations Public Administration Conference
• Wiyi Yani U Thangani National Summit
• the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Summit
• the 2023 First Nations Women’s Leadership Summit.

We will continue to review and offer opportunities to our staff to enhance their professional development.

Tax assistance and tailored education

In delivering our previous RAP, we have enhanced our services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients:

• We offer Tax Help services, including free tax return preparation through community centres, with over 20 centres specifically supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients.
• We have translated 2 Tax Help promotional posters into 13 Aboriginal languages.
• We have a dedicated Indigenous Helpline that has received over 71,300 calls.
• Our Reach Out program continues to improve the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business client experience through collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partners.
  • Participation in our Reach Out initiatives increased by over 60% from 2022 to 2023.
  • We have delivered tailored products, and worked with ASIC and the Fair Work Ombudsman to co-deliver webinars related to topics such as ‘Employer: Paying workers’ and ‘Starting a Small Business’.
  • We have delivered over 80 webinars to over 1,800 participants, with evaluation surveys providing positive feedback. 90% of these webinars have been co-presented and supported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.
• We have worked with First Nations Foundation to support its Financial Wellness Week events, attending 7 events in NSW and QLD in 2023, and we have participated in other business and community events to help clients apply for tax file numbers (TFNs), link to myGov, find lost super and meet their business obligations. Through attendance at face-to-face events in 2023, we engaged with around 900 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander small business owners and individuals.
• We have provided free education sessions on tax and super including 6 digital presentations, one face-to-face careers expo and a face-to-face industry expo to over 230 attendees combined.

Procurement

Our supplier expenditure with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses contributes towards the Treasury Portfolio’s Indigenous Procurement PolicyExternal Link (IPP) targets for both number and value of contracts. Treasury’s:

• number target is 3% of average number of contracts over the past 3 years (both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business and non-Indigenous business contracts across the entire Treasury Portfolio)
• value target is 2% of the average value of contracts over the past 3 years (both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business and non-Indigenous business contracts across the entire Treasury Portfolio).

To contribute to the IPP targets, we have:

• maintained our membership with Supply Nation
• exceeded our target for engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to supply goods and services
• worked with major suppliers to promote subcontracting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, requiring contracts valued at over $7.5 million in certain industries to meet Mandatory Minimum Indigenous Participation Requirements (MMR) by either
  • employing a minimum number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • using a minimum number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses in their supply chain.