Reconciliation plan hits snag

A Reconciliation Action Plan by Wangaratta council has been delayed but will be dealt with before the December council meeting. It was recommended that the plan go out to public consultation this week, but five councillors voted at Tuesday's meeting to defer its release. Cr Harvey Benton moved for the plan to be dealt with no later than the December council meeting for further consultation as there were several questions that came from the report that were not able to be addressed. "There are certain elements in the provision of the document that councillors want to make sure are clear and understand all the anomalies, if there are anomalies, so that we can come back and go out to the public with a plan that we feel comfortable with," Cr Benton said. However, Cr Allison Winters couldn't support the motion to defer the plan as she said the draft plan directly aligns to the actions within the past two council plans. "With our current community vision that Wangaratta is a place for everyone, there's community support for the draft plan and the community deserves the opportunity to provide feedback on what is a well developed document," Cr Winters said. "It formalises work that we already do well, it strengthens our leadership, and ensures a clear, accountable path forward. "If we truly believe in transparency and democratic process, then the very least we can do is put this document out for consultation and hear from our community now." Cr Tania Maxwell supported the motion to defer the plan as she believes the work council is currently doing with the Indigenous community provides opportunities for them to showcase their incredible culture and history. "For that to be imbedded in council plans is something I would like to know more about and have the opportunity to have further discussions," she said. "I have actually seen no evidence in previous council plans to support the need for this document." Mayor Irene Grant said she also had more questions than answers about what the plan will deliver. Council officers claimed that the plan came about after the community requested action for organisational reconciliation following consultation for the 2021-25 council plan. As an organisation, council first registered with Reconciliation Australia in December 2021. After several early attempts to establish the first Reflect draft, council reported they took a major step forward in late 2024 by engaging an experienced and culturally neutral First Nations consultant to help guide the process. Council officers said their insight and leadership have been instrumental in shaping the initial phase of the plan. The aim of the current plan is to acknowledge all Traditional Owners connected to the local area including Bangerang, Yorta Yorta and Tungurung tribes. Councillors Winters and Dave Fuller did not vote in favour of delaying the plan.

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