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Mia Sandland – c3308429

The Australian government and other organisations have established reconciliation methods and practices within many sectors, in order to unify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and non- indigenous Australians and rectify past injustices. Reconciliation Australia has created a benchmark for surrounding corporations and institutions to follow, by implementing specific goals and actions to reach the ultimate goal of unity and reconciliation. This standard is identified as a Reconciliation Action Report (RAP) and is divided into five specific dimensions, which collectively entail the commitments of the organisations in order to adhesively achieve reconciliation. This foundation was created to transform workplace settings and encourage development regarding this ongoing issue. Throughout this essay I will firstly define reconciliation and explore the Reconciliation Australia’s five specific dimensions that are present within a RAP report. Secondly, complete a critical analysis of Rio Tinto’s 2016-2019 Reconciliation Action Report and (Rio Tinto, 2016) and reflect and discuss how Rio Tino’s RAP has empowered relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non- Aboriginal Australians. Next, I will delve into the recent event that saw Rio Tinto and Reconciliation Australia end their partnership and how it has impacted traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. Lastly, exploring in which ways Rio Tinto’s RAP could be improved to facilitate wider respect and trust within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait community.

Reconciliation is defined as the restoration of associations in an attempt to create a simultaneous opinion concurrent with other entities (Google, 2021). The Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is a program designed to provide structure and framework for organizations and institutions to actively construct relationships, generate societal change and increase economic opportunities for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community

Mia Sandland – c3308429 (Discussion Guide, 2017). This program is comprised of five main facets: race relations, equality and equity, institutional integrity, historical acceptance and unity. Each element of the five dimensions has purpose in reaching a goal and accomplishing an action. The first action; Race relations, is built on the foundation of positive, trustworthy and respectful relationships fostered between Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Non-Aboriginal Australians. Through the use of the fostering of these relationships, the clear action of overcoming and eliminating racism is optimistically achieved (Discussion guide, 2017, p5) The second action; Equality and equality, outline the right for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people to receive respectful treatment and recognition, in an attempt to close the gap in many areas of health, education and employment (Discussion guide, 2017, p14). The third action; Institutional integrity, attempts to achieve and support all areas of reconciliation, specifically the business, political and community institutions. This is encompassed by creating and capitalising a greater ranger of prospects for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait community (Discussion guide, 2017, p22). The fourth action; Unity, is the recognition of culture and heritage and its profound impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recognised as a national identity. This is implemented to ensure the recognition the genuine first people of Australia within our constitution (Discussion guide, 2017, p30). Lastly, the fifth action; Historical acceptance, encourages the understanding of past sufferings and reassurance the past injustices will never occur again. This is implemented through the acknowledgment of these incidences within our education system and correct teaching of both sides of colonisation (Discussion guide, 2017, p38).

Rio Tinto is large scale mining and metals enterprise providing four main products groups: Aluminium, Copper and Diamonds, Energy and Minerals and Iron Ore, to thirty-six countries worldwide (“Business”, 2021). Rio Tinto’s elevate Reconciliation Action Plan

Mia Sandland – c3308429 (RAP) was created 2016-2019, advancing them within their industry and becoming a part of a select group who have implanted reconciliation within their core production practices. Through the employment of over 1,450 permanent Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people, Rio Tinto is significantly creating wealth and economic development for the local communities (Rio Tinto, 2016, p7). In 2011 Rio Tinto launched their first RAP which assisted them in creating a enhanced understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and embedding these mindful practices within their business structure (Rio Tinto, 2017, p10). In 2016 an updated RAP was produced and projected till 2019, exploring a stronger and upgraded action plan to create higher standards and commitments. This new action plan follows the structure of an elevate RAP structure, displaying Rio’s strong ability to uphold and maintain their initiatives and furthering their involvement through partaking in leadership within reconciliation ("Reconciliation Action Plans | Reconciliation Australia", 2021).

The 2016-2019 RAP composed by Rio Tinto is sectioned into three main elements: relationships, respect and opportunities, within these three elements, the five dimensions of reconciliation are intertwined. Firstly, the specific actions that coincide with ‘race relations’ explore the establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employee representative panel, leadership dialogue and community working group. Each of these actions show that by incorporating the values and opinions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander a stronger and respected relationship is built (Rio Tinto, 2016, p18). Secondly, Rio Tinto have implemented several actions which coincide with the values of ‘equality and equity’. These actions outline their goal to work collaboratively alongside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in order to respect the land on which they have operations (Rio Tinto, 2016, p18). This requires the participation of the Indigenous

Mia Sandland – c3308429 community to implement and oversee settlements in order to meet an equitable goal, which would be mutually beneficial for both parties. Another action which aligns with equality and equity is Rio Tinto’s action formulated to create a culturally aware and safe working conditions. The targets proposed within this action explore the implementation of mandatory cultural awareness training which will be developed and delivered by indigenous representatives (Rio Tinto, 2016, p26). These two specific actions display Rio Tinto’s efforts to becoming a culturally inclusive workplace that meets the need of both the needs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and their own entity. Thirdly, ‘Institutional integrity’ is present within Rio Tinto’s target of investing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programmes that supply and provide outcomes and prospects for this community. By investing a proposed $5 million in establishing national frameworks these programmes this will hopefully close the gap and open up new opportunities for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community within this area Rio Tinto, 2016, p17). Along with the support of 40 scholarship students, work placement opportunities and development pathways, these actions will hopefully create a large amount of educational and business opportunities (Rio Tinto, 2016, p31). Fourthly, the next dimension present is ‘unity’, this action displays the appropriate recognition of unity and Rio Tinto’s efforts to appropriately acknowledge and understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage. This action explores that each operational site will collaborate with the Traditional Owners of Australia to generate an appropriate and cultural management plan (Rio Tinto, 2016, p27). Lastly, historical acceptance actions are largely prevalent throughout this report and explore actions which attempt to reconcile and make amends for historical injustices that have occurred within the past. There are several actions which recognise reconciliation week, involving investment into Reconciliation Australia and physical presence of Rio Tinto board

Mia Sandland – c3308429 members at the official Reconciliation week events Rio Tinto, 2016, p20). This promotes support by publicly acknowledging reconciliation campaign, NADOC week and other significant movement in an attempt to build prosperous relationships with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Rio Tinto’s 2016 – 2019 elevate RAP displayed several convincing actions in which they could appropriately collaborate, support and work alongside the neighbouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. The partnership with Reconciliation Australia and Rio Tinto began in 2011 after the establishment of their first RAP. Although, recent events have seen this partnership end due to several violations of their RAP actions and unlawful events. The Juukan George Caves in Western Australia was destroyed on the 24th May 2020, as a part of a development scheme to extract $135 million of iron ore ("‘Never again’: Rio Tinto blasted over Juukan Gorge destruction", 2021). This callous act of insolence towards the neighbouring Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people saw not only the 46, 000-year-old heritage site destroyed, but significant artefacts lost during this explosion. Within the 2016 – 2019 RAP there was a sizable importance placed on the fifth dimension of ‘historical acceptance’, with majority of the actions detailing the importance of reconciliation. Another ‘culturally beneficial’ agreement proposed within this report was the 2004 Argyle participation Agreement, built on the premise of open and honest engagement (Rio Tinto, 2016, p21). It is apparent that this RAP was a naive deception in order to manipulate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait community and the media into believing there was respect for the land and traditional Australian culture.

In consideration of the current events that have transpired, leaving the Aboriginal and

Mia Sandland – c3308429 Torres Strait Islander community grieving, Rio Tinto have paved a very long path of making amends to gain this community and the trust of Reconciliation Australia back. Due to this the 2016-2019 RAP should have many aspects of its actions changed. In order to improve this report, there needs to be a higher focus on the understanding of the spiritual and historical significance of landmarks that Rio Tinto mine. By implementing mandatory development days for all member of Rio Tinto a stronger understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history would hopefully prevail. The importance of funding traineeships, cadetships and providing jobs within Rio Tinto was also highly prevalent. Whilst this is a positive outcome by creating revenue and opportunities within this community, a more mutually beneficial outcome would be employing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in superior positions within the company. If this was implemented there would be a better relationship between Rio Tinto and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander as there would be a stronger level of communication. This RAP projected cooperate greed and appeared to focus more on pleasing the media with public appearances then truly attempting to reconcile and work alongside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Holistically, Rio Tinto’s 2012-2019 RAP explored their idealistic way of using money to solve altruistic matters and posed the question is a RAP really a catalyst for real change, or simply a hollow promise for some corporations (Stanford, 2020).

In conclusion, Reconciliation Australia have developed a remarkable foundation which positively attempts to provide for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Through the use of its five-dimension reconciliation action report format, it respectfully

Mia Sandland – c3308429 allows this community to gain back what was once theirs. Rio Tino’s 2016-2019 Elevate RAP attempted to transform the working relationship between themselves and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, although utterly failed due to disrespect and an underdeveloped view of the traditional owners of Australia. Due to this, Rio Tinto will now have long path of restoration between reconciliation Australia and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Word Count – 1826 – Incl References.

References

Australia, R. (2017, September 13). 5-dimension. Reconciliation Australia. https://www.reconciliation.org.au/test/5-dimension/

Mia Sandland – c3308429 Business. Riotinto.com. (2021). Retrieved 10 February 2021, from https://www.riotinto.com/about/business. Google. (2021). Reconcilliation. In Oxford Languages. Oxford University Press. https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/ ‘Never again’: Rio Tinto blasted over Juukan Gorge destruction. Aljazeera.com. (2020). Retrieved 12 February 2021, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/10/riotinto-government-faulted-for-blast-at-aboriginal-caves. Reconciliation Australia. (2017). State of Reconciliation - Discussion Guide [PDF]. Retrieved 10 February 2021, from https://www.reconciliation.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2018/02/ra_online-discussion-guide_2017_finalversion.pdf. Reconciliation Action Plans | Reconciliation Australia. Reconciliation Australia. (2021). Retrieved 10 February 2021, from https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliationaction-plans/#:~:text=An%20Elevate%20RAP%20is%20for,position%20to %20advance%20national%20reconciliation. Rio Tinto. (2016). Reconciliation Action Plan 2016-2019 - Rio Tinto [PDF]. Retrieved 10 February 2021, from https://www.riotinto.com/-/media/content/documents/sustainability/corporatepolicies/rt-australia-reconciliation-action-plan.pdf. Stanford, L. (2020). Aboriginal Employment: Is a RAP the answer? — Blakworks. Blakworks. Retrieved 13 February 2021, from https://www.blakworks.com.au/blog/aboriginal-employment-rap-answer....