Reconciliation Action Plan

It is with great pride and a deep sense of responsibility that I share the news that The Cairnmillar Institute’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) has been formally endorsed by Reconciliation Australia.

This milestone marks the beginning of our organisation’s reconciliation journey that we approach with humility, reflection, and a sincere commitment to building meaningful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

A Reflect RAP is more than a document; it is a framework that allows us to learn, to listen, and to create space for respectful conversations and action. It helps us lay the foundations for long-term change, both within Cairnmillar and in the communities we serve. While this is our first RAP, it is not a final destination. It is the first step of many towards creating a more inclusive and just future.

Our Reflect RAP aligns with Cairnmillar’s core values that guide all areas of our work:

  • Trusted partnerships, where we prioritise listening and learning

  • Compassionate engagement, that upholds dignity and humanity

  • Inclusivity, that ensures all voices are welcomed and respected

  • Evidence-driven practice, that supports meaningful, sustainable outcomes

  • Creative problem-solving, to navigate complexity with curiosity and care

Through this Reflect RAP, we commit to creating pathways for self-determination, respect, and healing. We understand that reconciliation is not a single act or policy, it is an ongoing process that requires courage, honesty, and the willingness to sit with discomfort as we learn from the past and move forward together.

Professor Kathryn von Treuer

CEO & Provost

cairnmillar
Read CMI's Reflect RAP

Aboriginal flagTorres Strait Islanders flag

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri and Bunurong Peoples of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the lands on which The Cairnmillar Institute is located, and we pay our respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We also extend these respects to any First Nations peoples engaging with these materials, and our services

Sometimes in life there’s lots of things goin’ on that can be hard and trying, or easy and happy, but my artwork gives me strength to see out the bad times. This is my Country before colonisation. The lines are like a map representing how our people shaped the Country with their spiritual connections told in songs and stories. The blue water and the red oxide land show my journey line with places I’ve stopped along the way. The small linear patches of dots are all the different mobs and families around Country. The brown patterns and shapes are mountain ridges and waterholes representing time past. The diamond patterns are from patterns on our old shields. Their colours represent connection to culture and the red dirt and many coloured sands that make up our beautiful Country. The group of Elders sitting with their spears are telling stories of Bunjil the eagle, our Creator, and passing down their knowledge of tracking and hunting. The goannas are my Ancestors watching, mesmerised, over their Country and culture.

Ash Thomas Yorta Yorta/Wiradjuri people There's a Lot Goin' On, 2025

Sometimes in life there’s lots of things goin’ on that can be hard and trying, or easy and happy, but my artwork gives me strength to see out the bad times. This is my Country before colonisation. The lines are like a map representing how our people shaped the Country with their spiritual connections told in songs and stories. The blue water and the red oxide land show my journey line with places I’ve stopped along the way. The small linear patches of dots are all the different mobs and families around Country. The brown patterns and shapes are mountain ridges and waterholes representing time past. The diamond patterns are from patterns on our old shields. Their colours represent connection to culture and the red dirt and many coloured sands that make up our beautiful Country. The group of Elders sitting with their spears are telling stories of Bunjil the eagle, our Creator, and passing down their knowledge of tracking and hunting. The goannas are my Ancestors watching, mesmerised, over their Country and culture.

Torch logo 1 CMYK

This artwork was created through The Torch, a not-for-profit organisation that provides art, cultural and arts industry support to First Nations people currently in, or recently released, from Victorian prisons.