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ACA’s second RAP endorsed by Reconciliation Australia

We are delighted to share that Reconciliation Australia has endorsed the ACA’s second Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)! Since launching our first RAP in August 2023, we have been strengthening our understanding of First Nations cultures and contemporary experiences, especially regarding the built environment and architecture profession. Building on this progress, we will continue at the Reflect level, giving ourselves time to develop meaningful, culturally appropriate initiatives across all our Australian branches.

Our RAP is championed by ACA CEO Angelina Pillai, RAP Working Group Chair Stephen Pearse and RAP Coordinator Emma Brain. All are vocal advocates for creating a fairer, more progressive architectural profession. Their persistent advocacy ensures reconciliation remains a priority on our organisational and professional agenda.

Our RAP Working Group consists of committee members from a range of practice sizes and locations:

  • Steve Pearse, NSW/ACT (Chair)
  • Fred Chaney, WA
  • Brett Hudson, QLD/NT
  • Annabelle Roper, VIC/TAS
  • Michael Hegarty, SA
  • Emma Brain, WA (ACA Staff)

Key achievements over the past two years include:

  • Inviting Rodney Dillon, a member of the Prime Minister’s First Nations Referendum Working Group, to speak about the Voice to Parliament referendum at our National Executive Meeting in Hobart.
  • Joining the Architecture and Design RAP Ring as one of eight core organising members, strengthening our industry leadership in reconciliation.
  • Hosting a successful webinar with Emma and Rhys from Acknowledge This! that attracted over 300 participants and became one of our most well-attended online events to date.
  • Expanding our First Nations Understanding  portal to include an up-to-date collection of CPD webinars, courses, articles, audio recordings, podcasts and websites to support architects in understanding First Nations knowledge and designing with Country.
  • Establishing a partnership with the University of Sydney to offer our members a 20% discount on their ‘Practicing on Country” course, making cultural education more accessible to practising architects.

Our ongoing RAP development continues to respond to changing industry needs. Many of our members work with government agencies that increasingly require a demonstrated understanding of Country and First Nations concerns in procurement processes. The NSW Government’s Draft Connecting to Country Framework demonstrates how our profession must integrate First Nations history, truth-telling and continuous culture into the built environment, with similar policies emerging across Australia. The revised National Standard of Competencies for Architects requires practitioners to develop their knowledge of First Nations culture to retain registration. We see supporting architectural practices in this vital area of professional growth as both an ethical obligation and a business necessity.

As part of our second RAP, we intend to advocate for smaller-sized member practices that may not have the resources to develop their own RAP initiatives. We will work with Reconciliation Australia to ensure that practices of all sizes can participate in and contribute to the reconciliation journey, amplifying our collective impact across the architectural profession. Together, we can work towards lasting positive change in both the architectural profession and the built environment of this country.