b'COMMUNITY| LEGAL SECTOR| 2020SUSTAINABILITY INSIGHTRECONCILIATION IN AUSTRALIAReconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider community is a journey of improving mutual trust, respect and opportunities. Reconciliation encourages cooperation and unity between First Australians and non-Indigenous Australians.The treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples since European settlement is one that has failed to acknowledge the sovereignty of First Peoples and perpetuated structures that have created significant barriers for the more than 798 thousand First Australians in Australia today. To collaboratively work towards reconciliation, it is important to understand historical acceptance through truth telling. It is a critical step to improving our understanding of how history has shaped Australians relationships to, connection to, and respect for each others cultures. A formal process examining how to achieve recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution has been underway since 2011. In 2017 the Governments Referendum Council hosted a National Constitutional Convention at Uluru including over 250 First Nationsdelegates from across Australia. They issued the Uluru Statement from the Heart with a recommendation for an Indigenous voice to parliament.Progress of reconciliation is reflected in the targets set in the Commonwealth Governments 2008, 22 year Closing the Gap agenda. There have been ongoing failures to meet the interim targets. A new national agreement on Closing the Gap was negotiated with Indigenous representatives as a partnership, setting out four priority reforms aimed at changing how governments work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: 1.build and strengthen structures to empower Indigenous people to share decision-making with governments2.build Indigenous community-controlled sectors to deliver services to support Closing the Gap3.transform mainstream government organisations to improve accountability and better respond to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples needs and 4.improve and share access to data and information to enable Indigenous communities to make informed decisions.Reconciliation Australias Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program provides a framework for organisations to realise their vision for reconciliation based around the pillars of Respect, Relationships and Opportunities. Reconciliation Australias 2016 State of Reconciliation in Australia report discusses five dimensions of reconciliation; historical acceptance, equality and equity, institutional integrity, unity and race relations. In Australia the legal profession has filled an important role by working in each of these five dimensions to improve equality and reconciliation through;assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Centresdirect pro bono services for individuals and groupssecondments of staff to and from firms such as legal centres, land councils and other NGOsmutually beneficial strategic partnerships including coordinating probono sponsorships, corporate giving and volunteering Reconciliation Action Plans through Reconciliation Australiadevelopment of Indigenous lawyers through traineeships, scholarships and mentoring National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week activitiesa more diversified supply chain through procurement from Indigenous-owned businesses.Career Trackers, supported by eight AusLSA members, and Tarwirri, the Indigenous Law Students and Lawyers Association of Victoria are two examples of programs aimed at increasing the number and inclusion of First Australians in the legal sector.FORMAL POLICY PUBLISHED POLICYPOLICY POLICYPUBLISHEDYes 59% No 13% Not Reported 25% Yes 100%Currently in Development 3%46'