Gippsland PHN has reached a major milestone in its reconciliation journey, delivering significant achievements under its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Innovate 2023–2025 and continuing to place Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices at the centre of its work.
The two-year plan was launched in April 2023 and includes 80 key deliverables designed to build respectful relationships, increase cultural understanding and improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the region.
It was developed following extensive collaboration with external stakeholders and community members, and reflects Gippsland PHN’s commitment to cultural safety, collaboration and meaningful action.
Gippsland PHN’s RAP Internal Working Group worked in partnership with community members to deliver major milestones from the plan, with 40 deliverables now complete and 37 embedded into business as usual activities. A further three were identified as out of scope for this plan and have been recommended for consideration in future activities.
Key outcomes
- National Reconciliation Week events
- Gippsland PHN hosted a powerful cultural workshop with Brandon Hood (Brando), exploring reconciliation, truth-telling, the Stolen Generations and the importance of Acknowledgement of Country
- Workplace Barometer Survey 2024
- 100% of staff participated in RAP activities, with 97% attending more than three events
- Staff reported confidence in engaging respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- 81% of staff rated the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians as ‘very important’
- NAIDOC Week and cultural activities
- Cultural leave was introduced into workplace policies, encouraging staff to attend external events
- Staff participation in community celebrations was strong and enthusiastic
- Policy updates
- Seven policies and procedures were revised to remove barriers to employment and strengthen cultural safety in the workplace
- RAP reporting
- Gippsland PHN submitted its final RAP Innovate 2023-2025 report to Reconciliation Australia
Looking ahead, the organisation will:
- Engage with stakeholders to identify new opportunities
- Begin planning for the RAP Innovate 2026 Project Plan
- Strategically map its reconciliation journey and set clear goals for the future
Gippsland PHN would like to recognise the invaluable contributions of the community members who helped shape and deliver the plan, including:
- Brad Brown (Gunaikurnai) – artist of the RAP artwork Soaring and Growing in Unity
- Aunty Christine Johnson (Gunaikurnai and Monaro Ngarigo elder) – who delivered the Welcome to Country at the launch
- Tre Moffat (Gunaikurnai) – who performed the Smoking Ceremony at the launch
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
- Aboriginal land councils
- External community advisors who have supported us through our journey
Gippsland PHN remains committed to fostering a culturally safe, inclusive environment and strengthening health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Gippsland.
To learn more about the steps Gippsland PHN is taking to advance inclusive health care outcomes in the region, visit the Reconciliation Action Plan page of the website or email rapinfo@gphn.org.au.
