Our vision for reconciliation
Renewal SA’s vision for reconciliation is one where Culture and Country are fully interwoven with property and development; where our shared history connects us to place and is a source of pride.
Our vision is about strengthening respect for First Nations cultures and forging genuine partnerships to create meaningful social, cultural and economic change.
As the state government’s urban development agency, we are seeking to become a leader of reconciliation within South Australia’s property and development sector. Reconciliation is one of our strategic foundations and we recognise and respect the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live and will work together to deliver our Reconciliation Action Plan.
Our commitment to reconciliation
Renewal SA began its reconciliation journey in 2019 when we joined Reconciliation Australia’s RAP program. Our first Reflect RAP focused on listening and understanding how we could help build stronger relationships between First Nations and non-Indigenous peoples.
In 2022 we launched our first Innovate RAP, making real progress by engaging with First Nations businesses, integrating culture and Country into project design and creating new employment pathways through our Works Program.
With the establishment of the Office for Regional Housing, our work now reaches regional South Australia. We are supporting local communities and delivering housing that helps essential workers live and thrive where they are needed most.
Reconciliation is not a destination but a continuous journey of respect, reflection and action. This progress has set the foundation for our next chapter, our Innovate RAP 2025-2027.
Our reconciliation action plan
Our Innovate RAP 2025-2027 marks the next chapter in our reconciliation journey.
We are building on our progress and strengthening partnerships by embedding reconciliation into our culture, decision-making and projects. We are deepening relationships with Traditional Owners and communities, embedding First Nations perspectives in urban design and master planning, increasing employment and supplier opportunities and building accountability through transparent reporting.
Every action, whether on site, in planning, in procurement or within our teams, plays a role in ensuring Culture and Country are respected, represented and protected.
Our Reconciliation Action Plan Artwork | YALTANA YARTA
Our RAP artwork was created by local Ngarrindjeri, Kaurna, Yankunytjatjara artist, Allan Sumner.
In 2020, 42 Renewal SA staff attended a series of co-design workshops, sharing their understanding and ideas of what they wanted our RAP artwork to represent.
Allan considered this and what is important to our organisation and created “Yaltana Yarta” - Fresh Country. Yaltana meaning “Fresh or New”, Yarta meaning “Land or Country”.
This artwork is about Renewal SA and First Nations people working together, learning together, sitting down at the same table together and planning the future landscape of South Australia.
Additionally:
- Blue represents the water in the landscape which gives life to all things.
- Green represents our environment and caring for Country.
- The eight larger circular campsites represent Renewal SA’s growing organisation across South Australia.
- The four smaller outer campsites represent First Nations communities across South Australia.
- The bottom right campsite represents First Nations women and their voices in our communities.
- The bottom left campsite represents First Nations men and their voices in our communities.
- The two campsites at the top represent the coming together of Renewal SA and First Nations communities to celebrate diversity and joint achievements.
Reconciliation cultural advisors
We have engaged external First Nations Cultural Advisors from community to provide cultural knowledge and guidance to support the implementation of our Innovate RAP.
Aunty Yvonne Agius
Reconciliation Cultural Advisor
Aunty Yvonne Agius is an Esteemed Elder of both Kaurna and Narungga descent.
Aunty Yvonne worked as a public servant for over 40 years and an Aboriginal foster carer and educator of the younger generations about the past. She has shown great commitment to the preservation of Aboriginal heritage and has extensive experience representing a range of community groups that deal with heritage, Native Title, Nunga courts and the Granny’s Group, displaying a great commitment to reconciliation between First Nations peoples.
She is the Dual Chairperson of the City of Adelaide’s Reconciliation Committee and previous Vice-Chairperson of the State Aboriginal Heritage Committee.
Uncle Frank Wangutya Wanganeen
Reconciliation Cultural Advisor
Uncle Frank is a Kaurna/Narungga man born at Wallaroo on the Yorke Peninsula and raised at Point Pearce Mission. With over 30 years of service, Uncle Frank has contributed to committees focused on reconciliation, local government, Aboriginal heritage, native title, social justice, and Kaurna language revival.
A
respected cultural educator, he works with students and institutions to promote
awareness of Kaurna heritage and Aboriginal issues. His contributions extend to
Aboriginal health through SAHMRI and the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Uncle Frank’s commitment has been widely recognised receiving the Premier’s NAIDOC Award in 2017, being named City of Salisbury Citizen of the Year in 2021, and recently earning the 2024 Lord Mayor’s NAIDOC Award for his outstanding achievement, service, and contribution to reconciliation in the City of Adelaide. He also leads Kaurna cultural walking tours in the Adelaide CBD, raising the importance of walking country, heritage, and Aboriginal issues.
Jess Davies-Huynh
Reconciliation Cultural Advisor
Jess is a proud Kaurna woman of both Aboriginal and German-Australian heritage, who was born and raised on Kaurna Country. She is a direct descendant of Rathoola, one of the original apical ancestors of the Kaurna nation, and also has family connections to the Ngarrindjeri nation.
Jess is passionate about supporting self‑determination for Aboriginal peoples and their communities. As a young woman, she began following in the footsteps of her grandfather in pursuing Native Title rights for the Kaurna people. She has held leadership and advisory positions on several boards and working groups including the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation, Adelaide Parklands Authority and the Aboriginal Reference Group for Lot Fourteen.
Jess currently works at the National Indigenous Australians Agency, where she undertakes community engagement across the urban Adelaide region and supports reforms under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. She enjoys spending her free time with family, including her husband and their beautiful toddler.
Reconciliation Committee
With a clear mandate set by the Executive Team, the Reconciliation Committee is responsible for initiating, implementing and driving all activities associated with the Innovate RAP. Importantly, this committee will remain in place to oversee the continuing implementation of the developed action register.
Top left: Chantal Milton, Tessa Stemberger, Nic Mavrogiannis, Cassie Childs, Jonathan Argent, Chelsey Watson, Kate Hayward. Bottom left: Skye Bayne, Aunty Yvonne Agius, Uncle Frank Wangutya Wanganeen, Jess Davies, Kimberley Shearer, Ben Christensen.
For information on our RAP and journey of reconciliation contact:
Skye Bayne
Executive Director, Sales and Corporate Affairs
0412 254 445
[email protected]
Kimberley Shearer
Reconciliation Manager
0481 483 740
[email protected]
