This week, as Australians around the country mark National Reconciliation Week, AARNet is proud to take an important step forward on our own reconciliation journey with the launch of our first Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

Today, gathering on Cammeraygal Country in Chatswood, the location of AARNet’s Head Office, we marked this moment with a Welcome to Country delivered by local Elder Uncle Charles (Chikka) of the Gadigal people. A cultural performance featuring traditional dance and music was presented by Giralang Guwal, acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land and the deep, enduring cultural connections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This ceremony was shared via livestream with AARNet staff across the country—from Perth and Melbourne to Canberra and Brisbane—bringing us together in reflection and shared purpose.

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2025 is “Now More Than Ever.” It’s a powerful call to keep listening, learning, and acting. At AARNet, this message resonates deeply. Our Reflect RAP sets the foundation for action—committing us to meaningful learning and stronger relationships with First Nations communities.

“Launching the Reflect RAP during National Reconciliation Week is a meaningful moment for AARNet. It represents not only our values as an organisation, but our collective willingness to face the past, acknowledge the present, and walk toward a more inclusive future,” said AARNet CEO Chris Hancock.

Developed in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advisor Brendan Littlechild, our Reflect RAP outlines practical steps we’ll take over the next 12 months to build cultural awareness across our teams, embed respectful practices, and lay the groundwork for lasting change.

The plan also features a powerful artwork by Kamilaroi artist Bianca Gardiner-Dodd, commissioned especially for the RAP. Bianca’s work symbolises the interconnected journeys we share—woven across Country and community—and speaks to AARNet’s role in connecting people, ideas, and now, cultures.

A Beginning, Not an End

The launch of the Reflect RAP is just the beginning. It’s our formal commitment to ensuring reconciliation is part of how we work, relate, and grow as a company and as individuals. We are committed to learning, to action, and to walking together with respect.

We thank everyone who contributed to this important step forward—and invite our partners and stakeholders in the research and education community to join us on the journey.

Read AARNet’s Reflect RAP

Featured image: AARNet's inaugural Reflect RAP launch held at Concourse Chatswood. Photo: Good Thanks Media.