This year’s theme was ‘Grounded in Truth, Walk Together in Courage’, aimed at encouraging Australians to foster positive relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the broader community that is grounded in truth, and developing those relationships together with courage.

The week started with our staff gathering at the ATCO Perth and Jandakot offices for a morning tea to launch a week of activities to acknowledge, learn and celebrate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories. 

On Tuesday we held a breakfast celebration at our Blue Flame Kitchen, with a selection of local bush tucker flavours and local cuisines.  After the breakfast staff participated in a cultural walk, where Aton Walley a Whadjuck Nyoongar man from the South West of WA shared his knowledge of the Nyoongar Six Seasons with us and spoke to us about the importance of the season depicted in our recently completed Six Season Garden at our Jandakot Operations Centre.

“It was wonderful to have Alton share an important part of the Nyoongar culture with us. It was fascinating to learn of every stage of the year and develop a deeper understanding and respect for the land and nature around us,” said Wilmari Nel, Community Partnerships Manager at ATCO Australia.

Later in the week we came together for a screening of The Apology, an insightful documentary about the apology to the Stolen Generation by the Australian Parliament on 13 February 2008.

“National Reconciliation Week is a time for us to recognise, learn and celebrate the rich culture and history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people whilst reflecting on our commitment to building and maintaining respectful connections with Aboriginal communities,” said Patrick Creaghan, Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer of ATCO in Australia.

ATCO’s commitment to supporting National Reconciliation Week is further articulated in our Reconciliation Action Plan, which was launched on 7 August 2018, and highlights the key focus on relationship building, supplier engagement, employment opportunities and cultural awareness training. ATCO will be embarking on developing our next Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan in the next few months. 

Many thanks to everyone involved in our National Reconciliation Week activities and events.