Reconciliation Action Plan
What is a RAP?
Reconciliation action plans (RAPs) are part of Australia's national reconciliation movement. They provide a framework for organsiations to develop respectful relationships and create meaningful opportunities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Through three core pillars – relationships, respect and opportunities – underpinned by governance and reporting practices, the RAP framework enables organisations to implement initiatives in the workplace and beyond.
All RAPs must be approved by Reconciliation Australia – a national, independent organisation leading the nation’s reconciliation journey.
ANZCA’s Innovate RAP
Our vision for reconciliation is to lead safe and high quality patient care in anaesthesia, perioperative medicine, and pain medicine that’s culturally safe and equitable, and to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to train and have flourishing professional careers in these fields.
To progress this vision, our RAP details over 90 deliverables for the college to progress over the next two years across all areas of our operations. We encourage you to take a look at the RAP and think about how you can contribute to the reconciliation journey.
Year one RAP achievements, challenges and learnings
The ANZCA RAP was launched in February 2023. Over the first year of our RAP we have implemented, continued to action, and began work on the majority of deliverables outlined in our RAP.
Some of the achievments, challenges and learning acrsoss the RAP framework over the first year are described in this report.
About the artwork
Artist: Bitja (Dixon Patten)
Tribes: Gunnai, Yorta Yorta, Gunditjmara, Dhudhuroa, Yuin, Djab Wurrung, Wemba Wemba, Wadi Wadi, Yuin.
The art honours the importance of stillness and to deep listen to our breathing. Mother earth provides everything in perfect balance so that life is possible through our ability to breathe. Stillness gives us the opportunity to sit in reflection, to listen to our thoughts; allowing us to take in the good and release the bad.
It also honours anaesthetists and pain medicine specialists and their role in our healing journeys. Whenever society needs operations and surgical procedures, an anaesthetist’s duty is to keep us alive and to monitor our breathing.
The centre circle and ‘U’ symbols represent the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) coming together to learn about First Nations cultures and our collective values and wisdoms influencing their journey in connecting to our communities on a deeper level.
The river (blue path) represents cleansing and ones journey. The earth (red ochre path) represents being grounded and still. Both elements work symbiotically together and are the reason we can live, survive and thrive. The patterns in the river and earth pathways represent breathing in and out, our heart rate going up and down and the electrocardiogram patterns.
The black and white footprints and handprints represents ANZCA’s reconciliation journey.
The gum leaves represent being welcome and growth.
The stones represent healing.
The outer ‘U’ shape symbols represent the wisdom holders, our old people (elders and ancestors).
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