One step forward for reconciliation in our profession
Recognise. Build. Improve.
To me, these three words describe what reconciliation should mean in our nation.
Reconciliation is an important issue for all Australians. And one that our legal profession should wholly embrace.
“Each of us is unique. We are different. We are all Australians and call this home. Let us rejoice in our diversity and difference because it is they that will enrich us. It is who we are and where we want to be that will ultimately give us the strength, wisdom, inspiration and the generosity to get the job done.” — Patrick Dodson, Yawuru man, former chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, former Commissioner into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, former Roman Catholic priest and Senator for Western Australia.
But how do we achieve reconciliation? It is through desiring reconciliation. Building relationships and understanding. Acting upon that desire for reconciliation through taking positive steps forward.
Queensland Law Society (QLS) has taken our first step in support of reconciliation in Australia by delivering our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for the legal profession in Queensland.
Our RAP Working Group set out over a year ago with the mission to create a document that would lead our profession in reconciliation. A plan that would support, promote and improve access to the profession for Queensland’s Indigenous lawyers.
Then president Bill Potts and myself as deputy president embraced the ethos of reconciliation wholeheartedly. We strongly supported our working group in their passion to see real impact on our Indigenous and non-Indigenous practitioners as well as the wider community.
Today, we officially launch our RAP, following a special seminar to introduce practitioners to the RAP and how it works.
For Queensland’s legal profession we see two significant issues: the under-representation of First Nations peoples in the profession, and the over-representation of First Nations peoples in our justice system.
To find out more about these issues, the RAP and my speech from the launch will be uploaded to our website (qls.com.au) in the coming days.
The RAP working group, the Society and myself are humbled to take this first step towards reconciliation.
We wish to join with our profession, to lead our profession, and to set out practical plans of action for our lawyers to follow in the quest for reconciliation.
It is our desire that this RAP will lead to the realisation of our vision for reconciliation. That it will create social change on a broader scale. And that it will build on our relationships and respect for our First Nations peoples.
More specific to our profession, we aim to see more Indigenous representatives in our legal profession and the wider judiciary and less Indigenous representation through the revolving door of our justice system.
I would like to offer my heartfelt gratitude to all involved in the creation and implementation of our RAP — our RAP working group, its chair Shane Duffy, deputy chair Linda Ryle and QLS acting corporate secretary Louise Pennisi.
I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to immediate past president Bill Potts for his support, the profession for their input and other QLS staff involved in the drafting, proofing and implementation process.
To my mind, diversity is more than gender and age. It encompasses culture and experience. Diversity and inclusion broadens our vision and strengthens our capabilities. This underpins a greater community engagement.
