The Glenelg Shire Council will make a landmark declaration at its monthly council meeting tomorrow night, formally announcing its position on improving and strengthening its relationship with traditional land owners.
The Glenelg Shire Council Position Statement will signify its commitment and actions to strengthen Aboriginal Inclusion in the Glenelg Shire between 2026 and 2030.
This document formally recognises that, while colonisation affected all of Australia, Glenelg’s historical context carries particular significance, and that the Glenelg Shire Council shares a responsibility to ensure this history is understood and shared truthfully and respectfully.
The proposed actions include annual public reporting and cultural competency training, supporting truth-telling initiatives and significant local commemorations.
According to Glenelg Shire Mayor Karen Stephens , the Glenelg Shire is the European Birthplace of Victoria, and that is an incredible cultural load that needs to be acknowledged.
“For our indigenous residents and also for us as a council, that’s an incredible cultural load that we have”, she said.
“We think it’s time for us to make a statement. There have been so many times where we have thought maybe we should, maybe we shouldn’t, but it’s appropriate now for us to do it”, Karen said.
The Glenelg Shire Council has had a long-standing partnership with the Traditional Owner Organisations within the Shire, with a Memorandum of Understanding being signed and endorsed by Council in 2005.
Since then, Glenelg Shire Council has worked in partnership with the Aboriginal community through a series of agreements and initiatives focused on recognition, reconciliation, and cultural inclusion.
According to tomorrow night’s agenda, the key information outlines that the statement will help build upon over two decades of collaborative effort, and it clearly outlines the intention and focus of the Council in continuing this work in Partnership with the Aboriginal community
