Reconciliation Action Plan
Palliative Care Australia (PCA) is located in Canberra on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri People. PCA wishes to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and its waterways, their Elders past and present. PCA acknowledges and respects the continuing culture of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, and the cultural contributions made to the life of this city and this region.
In July 2023, Reconciliation Australia endorsed PCA’s second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The Innovate RAP lays out important steps which PCA, in its leadership role for palliative care services in Australia, will be undertaking to work towards reconciliation in Australia.
Our vision for reconciliation
PCA’s vision for reconciliation is for Australia to be connected and living well, with an embedded acknowledgment and respect for Australia’s first peoples.
As the national peak body for palliative care, our mission is to influence, foster and promote the delivery of quality palliative care for all who need it, when and where they need it. We work to improve the quality of life for all Australians with a life-limiting illness, their families, decision-makers, and communities.
The PCA Board accepts the invitation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as represented by ‘The Uluru Statement from the Heart’, to walk together to build a better future. We proudly and publicly supported the establishment of a Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution to give Indigenous communities a route to help inform policy and legal decisions that impact their lives. We continue to work as a member of the Closing the Gap Alliance Group.
PCA acknowledges the many nations and communities across the country and its seas, and the great diversity in the protocols, traditions, and customs surrounding death and dying and its spiritual significance for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We advocate the importance of culturally safe practice in working with and listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and acknowledge the significance within community for being able to pass on knowledge of relevant traditions and rituals on country, where wanted.
We recognise that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia have a common heritage of loss, and that for an individual close to death and for their family and community, the impact of loss and grief is often compounded by earlier experiences.
PCA works alongside Australia’s health and Indigenous health peak bodies to achieve health and life expectation equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Our RAP
This RAP is a practical tool that will enable the organisation to continue its contribution towards reconciliation in Australia. Our aim is to engage staff internally at PCA and through our Member Organisations, to develop a greater awareness and understanding of the culture and importance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Most importantly, we consider our RAP as a vehicle to commit to specific business actions which will enable us to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, and ultimately to ensure culturally safe and responsive palliative care resources and services are available for all Australians.
The Innovate RAP is championed by PCA CEO, Camilla Rowland.
Reconciliation Action Plan
Refer to PCA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Palliative Care Resources
