What we are doing
We engage with Indigenous businesses to develop and deliver culturally appropriate training packages for our staff. We consult with our staff and partner with local community representatives to develop cultural capability training sessions that are tailored specifically to various regions.
Our online internal Cultural Awareness Training package focuses on understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, history, identity, and the importance of communication to strengthen our support for Indigenous clients and staff.
We will continue to build on the foundations of our organisational cultural capability through partnerships with the Australian Public Service Commission and National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), to better educate and support our staff and clients through training and cultural immersion activities.
Staff networks
We continue to support our site-based employee networks, which enable staff from across the ATO to share knowledge, perspectives, and information on events and local matters.
Moondani
Moondani is our Indigenous employee network. It means ‘embrace’ in the Woiwurrong language of the Wurundjeri People, the Traditional Owners of Melbourne and surrounding lands of Victoria.
Kawutilin
Kawutilin (pronounced Ka-woo-tilin) is our Ally network. It means ‘coming together’ in the language of the Wonnarua People, the Traditional Owners of the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales. This name was selected, and the artwork created by our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, to represent all ATO employees working towards reconciliation and inclusion in the workplace.
Staff stories
Jawun secondment experience
Abbey Wright, Communications Manager
In February 2020, I took part in the Jawun secondment program. My secondment saw me spend 6 weeks working for the Kununurra Waringarri Aboriginal Corporation (Waringarri) in the beautiful East Kimberley, Western Australia – home of the Miriwoong People. Waringarri is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to improve the physical, emotional, and social wellbeing of Aboriginal people in the Kununurra region.
The East Kimberley showed me that there are added layers of challenges that come with working in a remote community. All the things you expect as challenges are real, the internet is slow, the power is often out, and people mostly work on ‘Kununurra time’. I soon realised these challenges are benefits in disguise.
These challenges mean you have more time to spend on building strong relationships with the community, and more time to spend ensuring your solutions are exactly what the organisation needs. Working on ‘Kununurra time’ gave me the chance to understand more about Country, culture, and language, and gave me insights into the cultural differences in the Miriwoong community.
I helped Waringarri with grant applications, annual reporting, and a communication and brand portfolio. I was also involved in an IT project to move Waringarri onto a cloud-based storage solution. I remain in regular contact with my host organisation, assisting them with web content and acting as a sounding board for managerial advice – particularly relevant during COVID-19.
My favourite community activity was the Kununurra Community Kitchen, where each Sunday we served more than 60 community members a hot meal and had a yarn. My Waringarri colleagues and I also took part in school pickups and drop-offs, and I assisted by creating a strategy to increase school attendance. Jaliwang (barramundi) fishing, crocodile-spotting, camping and trekking were also weekly occurrences.
Jawun is an incredible opportunity to be an active ally to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. If you’re interested in assisting communities to reach their goals by supporting community-led and community-driven programs, I’d strongly recommend you apply for the Jawun program. In the Kuku Yalanji language of Cape York (the founding region of the Jawun program), Jawun means ‘friend’, and you’re sure to leave your secondment with many more of those.
Evergreen Program participants
Kia Yeatman, Administration Officer
I’m a proud Gunggandji and Lower Coastal Yidinji woman from Yarrabah in Far North Queensland. I travelled to pursue the Evergreen Program opportunity in ‘cold Canberra’. In 2019 I completed the program, which consisted of two 9-month rotations in specialist business lines. It was a fantastic opportunity to kickstart my career with the public service and helped me gain an understanding of all things taxation and superannuation.
I’ve increased my business knowledge through a variety of opportunities which has enhanced my communication and professional skills, as well as my understanding of the mechanics of the ATO’s operations. The skills I’ve acquired have helped boost my confidence and make work interesting and enjoyable.
The ongoing training and support through the Evergreen Program have greatly assisted me in my ATO journey. The program has challenged me in various ways and as a result I have lifelong networks.
Tula Bushman, Client Engagement Officer
I’m a proud woman from St Paul (Moa Island, in the Western Islands of the Torres Strait). I completed the Evergreen Program in 2018 and now work as a Client Engagement Officer in Public Groups and International and am an active member of the Moondani network.
The opportunities I’ve had within the Evergreen Program have been amazing, providing a pathway into the ATO and the tools to succeed within the organisation. My first rotation was in Superannuation and the second in Objections and Review, supporting clients through the ATO’s complaints process. The diverse rotations were a great opportunity to develop my skills. It was a great experience where I dealt with clients daily and began learning about the taxation and superannuation systems. I thoroughly enjoyed working in my rotations as I am committed to continuously learning and challenging myself.
The Evergreen Program provides a unique opportunity for participants to start their career with the ATO in a supportive environment while simultaneously developing professional and technical skills. As part of the program, we are provided with opportunities to build our capabilities with both on-the-job and formal training which supported me to obtain a formal qualification.
Kawutilin Ally
Catherine Griffin, Measurement and Evaluation Director
I joined the ATO in 2011 through the Graduate Program and have volunteered on ATO NAIDOC Week working parties since 2012. Over the years I have moved across business lines and into various management positions, but I have prioritised my participation in NAIDOC and National Reconciliation Week activities and have become a member of the Kawutilin Ally network.
This network has given me the opportunity to learn more about the Turrbal and Jagera Peoples, as the Traditional Owners of the land on which I live and work. This has encouraged me to seek out further information through webinars and events organised by universities and national advocacy organisations committed to the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Besides getting to know the dedicated and fun staff across our Indigenous networks, my personal highlights from participating in site working parties include:
- championing and participating in NAIDOC Week celebrations in Musgrave Park, a key Aboriginal meeting place in Brisbane
- organising bush foods catering and arranging for a speaker on biocultural consulting to celebrate on-site Indigenous events
- experiencing traditional dancing at ATO NAIDOC Week celebrations
- participating in traditional painting and weaving under the guidance of local artists at the 2018 Brisbane inter-agency NAIDOC Week event.
I encourage everyone to get involved with your local NAIDOC and National Reconciliation Week events and the Kawutilin Ally network. These initiatives provide staff with the opportunity to strengthen our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures across Australia.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander senior leader
Geoffrey Galvin, Property Services Director
I joined the ATO in 2011 as a Project Manager and have forged a successful career working across various disciplines. During my time I have faced many career challenges that have contributed to my learning and development and as a result have refined my leadership aspirations.
Through my journey, I have championed inclusion for all people from diverse backgrounds and have taken every opportunity to mentor other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to help them in their career paths.
Being part of an organisation that understands the importance of diversity helps me bring my whole self to work and empowers me to achieve my very best.
Procurement
Jemma Jefford, Procurement Officer
One of the most fulfilling aspects of my role as a Procurement Officer is the way in which it allows me to not only help the ATO to achieve its business objectives but have an opportunity to have a meaningful impact through supporting Indigenous businesses and communities.
As a Procurement Officer, I am in a unique position to guide and enable the ATO’s supplier relationships. Supported by the provisions under the Commonwealth Government’s Indigenous Procurement Policy, I use the ATO’s need to purchase goods or services as an opportunity to invest in the Australian Indigenous business sector. This investment, I have learned, can have a significant and positive flow-on impact on Indigenous communities.
Recently I was fortunate to partner with Learning and Development to procure training for staff across various topics. This contract was an extremely rewarding relationship where the Indigenous business continually demonstrated their subject matter expertise, adaptability, flexibility and innovation. These skills allowed the ATO and the business to deliver a nation-wide capability program despite the challenges of COVID-19; and despite these challenges, this business contributed to an award-winning capability program that has gained interest across a number of government agencies.
This is just one of many examples of the value that Indigenous businesses can add, and I am proud of the work we do here in the ATO with our Indigenous business partners.
The next time you are in the market to buy something, either personally or professionally, I encourage you to consider an Indigenous business.
Tax and superannuation community partnerships
Murray Bamford, Business Strategy Manager
A key focus for the ATO is improving the superannuation experience for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We are working with both government and non-government partners to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples receive the full value of the superannuation system. We use a number of ‘channels’ to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, including online services, a dedicated phone line and face-to-face engagement in remote communities.
Through the ATO’s participation in community tax and superannuation initiatives, Murray had the opportunity to visit Thursday Island in the Torres Straits; partnering with QSuper to support clients with a range of queries, including debts incurred, compassionate release of super and lost and unclaimed super.
2019 and 2020 Tax Time spokesperson
Karen Foat, Assistant Commissioner
Torres Strait Island Media Association (TSIMA) Radio 4MW’s mission is to connect the voices and culture of the Torres Strait through media. Established in 1985, Radio 4MW is a 24-hour radio service broadcasting on 1260AM, airing across Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait) and the Northern Peninsula area.
Each year the ATO partners with Radio 4MW to update their listeners on tax and superannuation help and support resources. Some examples of the kinds of information we cover include:
- how to lodge your tax return quickly, securely, and smoothly
- linking your myGov account to the ATO’s online services
- the ATO’s Reach Out program – which provides tailored support and education to help Indigenous small businesses meet their tax and superannuation obligations
- the ATO Indigenous Helpline, available on 13 10 30 and the ATO’s dedicated webpage ato.gov.au/Indigenous which provides more information about ATO support services.
We also discuss information specific to COVID-19 and how to access content about ATO assistance and the tax and superannuation measures within the Government’s Economic Support Package, including:
- giving individuals early access to their superannuation
- providing cash flow assistance for employers
- increasing the instant asset write-off, making more businesses eligible.