MCAULEY College has come together with the Mununjali community of Beaudesert to launch its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
The formal document, which McAuley launched on August 22, is a public declaration of the college’s ongoing commitment and actions toward reconciliation.
“Our ultimate goal in creating this RAP is that McAuley’s relationship with the Mununjali community doesn’t sit with just one person,” said RAP Committee co-chair Tess Macoboy.
“This connection should supersede all of us here today, it should be part of the very fabric of our college.”
Fellow co-chair Zac Cunningham said McAuley College’s reconciliation journey began with the meetings of a working group in September 2023 and since then the college had achieved 40 per cent of the deliverables set out in the RAP document.
“For those who don’t know, the Reconciliation Action Plan is a structured document including a college vision and actions relating to relationships, respect and opportunities,” he said.
“These actions are then broken down in to clear deliverables undertaken over a two-year period.”
Mr Cunningham read the following lines directly from the college vision, which he said summarised the purpose of gathering for the RAP launch.
“In alignment with the values of Catherine McAuley and the deep knowledge of the Mununjali community, we prioritise justice, faith, love and wisdom in our reconciliation journey,” he read.
“Through this living mercy, we promote inclusivity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, ensuring every voice is heard, ultimately championing equal and equitable opportunities and a ‘fair go’ for all.”
Mr Cunningham and Ms Macoboy thanked a raft of people integral to the development of the RAP, from past principal Deidre Young to current principal Jason Pacey and community members like Mununjali elders Aunty Janis and Aunty Geraldine Page and working group member Mark Buckland.
Ms Macoboy reflected on the college’s ongoing reconciliation journey.
“One of the main priorities of our working group was that this should not just be a box-ticking exercise, all our actions needed to come from a place of authenticity,” she said.
“More than a document, this is a relationship and like any good relationship we must lend a listening ear, a compassionate heart and a willingness to grow together over time.”
