While based in our North Lakes office, Brianna has taken the opportunity to explore the many functions of the department as part of her professional development, delivered through the department's First Nations Participation Plan and Yhurri Ghurri Framework trainee program.

“I’ve been lucky enough to meet people in different divisions such as Infrastructure and Regional Strategy and the Indigenous Policy Team to learn about their project and policy processes,” she says.

Brianna was also proud to join Mari Dhiiyaan (Aboriginal family), a group of First Nations DSDILGP employees who meet regularly.

“Mari Dhiiyaan is a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander employees within State Development formed by aunty Kristian Rose and uncle Duncan Kerslake,” Brianna tells us.

“It initially started just as place where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees could come and have a chat about anything but soon turned into a group where we stared to talk about projects individuals are working on in the workplace, talk with senior leaders about ideas and concerns we have, talk about our big cultural events of the year like reconciliation week, Mabo day, NAIDOC week and what the department can do recognise these events and get conversations started about moving forward with things.”

“Mari Dhiiyaan are a small group of people helping to push some momentum towards implementing the Yhurri Ghurri framework and different conversations about how we can engage more and help with community development and the development of all new employees coming to work in the agency.”

To explore the 2022 theme of National Reconciliation Week – Be Brave. Make Change. – Brianna shares with us what reconciliation means to her:

“Reconciliation is about strengthening the relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous people to help benefit our communities and country. But to help get that party started I think it is a great idea for people to be talking about the colonisation of the past and the bad things that happened to help each other, and to understand that these things that went on are still fresh in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s minds because we have a generation of people walking around today that have been through those things.”

Brianna identifies five key strategies from Reconciliation Australia as a great place to begin an understanding of what a just, equitable and reconciled Australia could look like.

As Brianna says: “I think these five things can have a big impact on our society and help a lot of people – non-Indigenous and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – talk about the ugly past and other things easily.”

National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week is a national campaign held each year from 27 May to 3 June to celebrate and build on respectful relationships shared by Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians.

The dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey — the successful 1967 referendum (27 May) and the 1992 High Court Mabo decision (3 June). This year marks a significant milestone — 30 years — since the Mabo decision.

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and contribute to building a reconciled future.

Reconciliation Australia announced, Be Brave. Make Change. as the 2022 theme for National Reconciliation Week.

Change happens when we each make brave actions in our daily lives, and this year’s theme is a challenge to all of us to tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation — where we work, live and play.

The Queensland Government supports Reconciliation Australia’s themes and encourages each of us to get involved.