Paul West

‘- Focus on the ‘True History of Australia’ – including a deep understanding nationally and locally. Making explicit links between removal of land, language and culture and ongoing impacts on Aboriginal people. Also includes celebration of longest ongoing culture in the world and celebration of the impact of great Aboriginal people. – To do this, schools and department should focus on developing staff knowledge of previously stated content.

‘- Improved staff understanding of how intergenerational trauma (due to negative experiences) affects attendance and attitudes towards education now. – Improved staff and department understanding of ‘white fragility’ and ‘anti-racism’. – For schools that have significant Aboriginal population, on-site employee (KESO) to support relationships between families and staff and support other decision-making around Aboriginal issues (such as curriculum, implementing ILPs, attendance, wellbeing etc.). Not focussed data input and collection, not centralised with department as is current practice.

‘- KESOs – Department should be trying to better understand practices of schools that have played the “long game” in this space e.g. Bairnsdale West PS… 20+ years of consistently trying to improve staff and wider community understanding of local and national Aboriginal history. The school leadership has built strong community relationships with Dr Doris Paton (expert in Gunaikurnai language and culture) and GLAWaC (our local Aboriginal land management group), as well as families in the school community. This belief means that any actions that are implemented to improve understanding (at staff and student level) are done in a meaningful and respectful manner (and reducing the amount of tokenistic gestures e.g. putting a piece of Aboriginal artwork in office foyer without knowing the history or flying the Aboriginal flag with no understanding of why). – Also, wider acknowledgement of the Department’s recent apology to Aboriginal people for historical mistreatment and lack of understanding.