Sports system united in commitment to reconciliation

30 May 2023

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has proudly united with its partners in sport to reaffirm its commitment to reconciliation.

Be a Voice for Generations theme National Reconciliation Week 2023 poster

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has proudly united with its partners in sport to reaffirm its commitment to reconciliation.

As part of National Reconciliation Week 2023, the ASC has joined with the Australian Olympic Committee, Paralympics Australia, Commonwealth Games Australia, and the State and Territory Sport Institutes and Academies, to commit to more substantive action in relation to reconciliation.

The Australian Sporting Network Joint Reconciliation Statement builds on the shared commitments made in 2021 and supports the vision of Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy, opens in a new tab to forge meaningful connection with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, histories, communities and cultures.

“We are proud that sport plays a powerful role in the promotion of reconciliation and reduction of inequality in Australian society,” ASC CEO Kieren Perkins OAM said.

“Australia is home to the oldest continuous culture on earth and provides our country with a unique and powerful place in the world. The Connection to Country is a key driver of the HP 2032+ Strategy, which is our system’s united roadmap to achieve sustainable success in the leadup to Brisbane 2032 and beyond."

“Through the HP 2032+ Strategy and this Joint Statement, the Australian high performance system is committed to creating culturally safe environments that support First Nations Peoples and maximises opportunities in sport, from the sporting field to all levels of sporting administration.”

The actions undertaken by the ASC and other signatory organisations since the Australian Sporting Network Joint Reconciliation Statement in 2021 include:

• Supported, or launched their own Reconciliation Action Plans
• Created their own formal or informal First Nations Advisory Committees
• Increased their cultural knowledge through training and education immersion programs
• Created several partnerships, relationships, and/or programs in collaboration with First Nations Elders, emerging leaders, and/or organisations.

The 2023 Australian Sporting Network Joint Reconciliation Statement, in conjunction with the HP2032+ Strategy Connection to Country, commits to the following:

• Share learnings and resources relating to current and future initiatives
• Support the continued development of Reconciliation Action Plans within the sporting network
• Improve the procurement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander goods and services across the network
• Develop and deliver cultural enrichment programs for First Nations athletes, coaches, and administrators
• Create a more culturally aware, inclusive, and safe environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples across all areas of our operation and performance
• Ensure our organisations are more reflective of the communities we represent, and
• Commit to reviewing our progress and sharing this year-on-year.

The full Australian Sporting Network Joint Reconciliation Statement 2023 can be found here, opens in a new tab. For more information about the ASC's Reconciliation Action Plan, please visit the website here, opens in a new tab.