Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan July 2018 – July 2020
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Our vision for reconciliation
Frasers Property Australia’s vision for reconciliation is to collaborate with Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the land on which we build so that we acknowledge our nation’s history and connections to country. Frasers Property’s brand is our promise – we are collaborative, respectful, progressive and real. We will be transparent and we will do what is right. Frasers Property’s Statement of Commitment to Reconciliation with Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples includes the following commitments: 1. To build Collaborative relationships Frasers Property will: • Acknowledge the histories of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their connection to the country that we operate on • Pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future • Commit to establishing a set of principles for engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples founded on respect, trust and authenticity to build meaningful relationships • Have open, transparent and respectful conversations to build enduring relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples • Create shared futures based on respectful and honest relationships and bespoke localised approaches
2. To build Respect for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ long & continuous cultures Frasers Property will:
3. To create Opportunities for meaningful outcomes with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Frasers Property will:
• Commit to building a culture of conscious awareness and acknowledgment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their histories
• Contribute to improving education, employment and health and well-being for all generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Learn from the world’s longest continuous culture, understanding stories and customs
• Develop a framework to guide the co-design of places and opportunities for projects and business activities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Build a legacy that reflects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as part of their inclusive and diverse communities
• Develop a consistent approach to collaboration and designing bespoke localised outcomes with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples • Commit to fostering economic prosperity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through creating opportunities for employment, procurement and support
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Our business
Frasers Property Australia is one of Australia’s leading diversified property groups and is the Australian division of Frasers Property Limited. We have over 90 years’ heritage in Australia and today our activities cover the development of residential land, housing and apartments, commercial, retail and industrial properties, investment property ownership, management and property management. Frasers Property Limited is an international real estate company and one of Singapore’s top property companies with total assets of S$30 billion as at 31 March 2018. We have businesses in Singapore, Australia, Southeast Asia, China and Europe, and our well-established hospitality footprint spans over 80 cities across Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and North Africa. Our multi-national businesses operate across five asset classes and was a proven legacy of shaping successful residential, hospitality, retail, commercial, and industrial and logistics properties. We are also a sponsor of four vehicles listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGXST), comprising three Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) focused on retail, commercial, and industrial properties, and one stapled trust focused on hospitality properties. Frasers Property Australia has the scale and influence of an international company with the benefit of Australand’s diverse history of over 90 years in Australia. We are local at heart, international of mind. In 2016, Frasers Property launched A Different Way, which is how we talk about our vision for a more sustainable future. We’ve committed our business to creating places where resources are re-used, recycled and restored, to fostering new ideas and undertaking tangible initiatives to help people lead happier and healthier lives. As a multi-national business of scale and diversity, we can bring the right expertise to the table to create value for our customers.
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Frasers Property Australia employs close to 750 staff, located in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. Our properties reach across five major Australian cities including Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Our corporate and construction operations are primarily within the boundaries of major or minor cities. As a truly diversified property company, our staff are employed in development, planning, design, construction, finance, sales and marketing, property and building management and customer service, and in the many corporate roles which service the business operations. While the number of employees who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our organisation is not precisely known, we are working to develop a culture where staff feel safe to do so.
Uncle David after his talk on the ‘Spirit of ANZAC’ at Fairwater in Blacktown, New South Wales
An engaging introduction to local Aboriginal culture by Uncle Lex for residents and friends at Fairwater in Blacktown, New South Wales
Harmony Day celebrated at Queens Riverside in East Perth, Western Australia
A Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony conducted by Aunt Judy Dalton-Walsh, an Wadawurrung Elder, and family at Mambourin, Victoria
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As an integral part of our A Different Way strategy, Frasers Property Australia is committed to integrating our Reconciliation Action Plan into our core business, further strengthening our commitment to and understanding of the importance reconciling our relationship with Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples over the next two years.
our design processes and meaningfully engaging Elders and young people in our business operations at every opportunity.
Frasers Property’s vision for reconciliation is to collaborate with Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community on the land on which we build so that we acknowledge our nation’s history and the connection to country that is so entwined with the identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is a vision that resonates with me personally and I am pleased to be able to confirm FPA’s commitment.
Rod Fehring
Frasers Property’s first RAP clearly articulates the ambition and expectation we are setting for ourselves to achieve our RAP goals. As a developer of land and property, we play a key role in designing communities that are inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their interests. Our RAP focuses on including local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in
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It’s clear that we are just beginning our reconciliation journey. I look forward to reporting on our progress when we review the next RAP in the near future.
Chief Executive Officer Frasers Property Australia
Our RAP
Undertaking a Reconciliation Action Plan is important for Frasers Property. There are four primary reasons why we have decided to pursue a RAP. Firstly, it is within the nature of our business to develop land. Out of respect for the Traditional Owners of the land and the land itself, a RAP will help us to acknowledge the land we build on and commit to actions to respect and create opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Secondly, having a RAP will support us in our goal to create an inclusive and open-minded workplace culture. We do not currently know how many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff we employ, and we don’t currently collect information on the heritage or ethnic background of any other employees. We hope that implementing a RAP will contribute to an increase in staff diversity and an increased sense of cultural safety to allow employees to voluntarily identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, should they wish. Thirdly, a RAP will actively encourage Frasers Property to employ new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. This will lead to an increase in cultural diversity and open a pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to look to Frasers Property as a potential employer. Finally, Frasers Property works with a range of stakeholders before, during and after development. Implementing a RAP will guarantee that Frasers Property actively seeks input from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout the stages of development so that a collaborative approach to development will result in a meaningful outcome.
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Our RAP Council
Our RAP Council first met in June 2017 to guide the development of our RAP.
RAP Internal Advisory Panel
Scott Ullman and John Briggs co-chair the RAP Council. The purpose of the Council is to govern the development and implementation of a RAP that reflects Frasers Property’s business, people and customers. The Council also identifies opportunities to build strong relationships between Frasers Property and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, organisations, communities and businesses, and in respecting and learning about their cultures, lands, waters, histories and rights. Over the past year, our RAP has been developed with consideration and discussion across the business including three members from our Executive Management Team.
General Manager, People and Culture
The Council developed a Terms of Reference (TOR) for both our internal and external advisory panel. Developing a TOR early on enabled the Council to make quick decisions when needed and follow a structured process for unexpectated events. A communication strategy has also been developed to raise awareness of our RAP and promote reconciliation to internal and external stakeholders. Frasers Property’s RAP Council is made up of an Internal Advisory Panel of FPA staff and an External Advisory Panel of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advisors. Frasers Property’s National RAP Champion is Amira Hashemi.
Ranna Alkadamani Paolo Bevilacqua General Manager, Sustainability and Real Utilities
Anthony Boyd Executive General Manager, Residential
Adam Gilling Maintenance Manager, Residential, WA RAP Champion
Amira Hashemi Sustainability and Innovation Coordinator, National RAP Champion and NSW RAP Champion
Joanna Russell General Manager, Retail Development
Paul Solomon Planning & Infrastructure Manager, Commercial & Industrial
Nicholle Sparkes General Manager, HSE and Residential Construction
Rebecca Stuart Recruitment Advisor, People and Culture
Scott Ullman Development Director, Residential, QLD RAP Champion
Karen Woo Community Development Manager, VIC RAP Champion
RAP External Advisory Panel John Briggs General Manager, Intract Australia Pty Ltd
Morgan Coleman Managing Director, Morgan Coleman Developments
Samantha Rich Architectural Technician, SJB Architects
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A snapshot in time of our RAP journey Well before the implementation of our RAP, Frasers Property has been engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Most notably, in September 2015, our business acquired a 115ha parcel of land in Deebing Heights, Queensland. A portion of this land includes the listed place under the Queensland Heritage Act for the Deebing Creek Mission (former). The Deebing Creek Mission operated between 1892 and 1915 as a reserve for Aboriginal peoples before it was relocated to nearby Purga. The reserve was rescinded in 1917 and the land was subsequently leased before becoming freehold in 1982. The heritage place listing for the Deebing Creek Mission (former) was created in 2004 in response to the following three criteria: 1. The site is an important part of Queensland’s history;
In addition to our consultation at Deebing Heights, Queensland, there are smaller ways in which Frasers Property Australia has been building on our reconciliation experience. • Since May 2016, we have sourced all printing paper, notebooks and tissues from Cultural Choice. • Our RAP Council External Advisor Morgan Coleman, spoke to Frasers Property’s Sydney staff during National Reconciliation Week in 2017, about growing up and going to university as a Torres Strait Islander man. He spoke to our staff about the challenges he faced and ways he overcame these challenges to build his own property development business. • RAP Council members and a selection of General Managers attended cultural awareness training in February 2018, delivered by The Blackcard Training.
2. The site has potential to provide further understanding of that history through its historical features; and 3. The site holds strong or special significance to Aboriginal peoples. Since October 2015, we have been consulting with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in relation to how best to incorporate conservation measures in the place listed area as part of the development outcome. That consultation has included public meetings, an open day on the land, many smaller stakeholder meetings, creation of the consultation website and engagement with the local Traditional Owners and Elders. Frasers Property is committed to working with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to ensure the values and significance of the former Deebing Creek Mission site are incorporated and reflected in the Heritage Response. Importantly, we are looking to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to be a part of building a legacy for the future that will share the important stories and history of this site.
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Relationships We believe that property development isn’t only about buying, building and selling; it’s about collaboration and developing relationships with suppliers, customers, relevant stakeholders and the broader community to deliver outcomes a community can be proud of. Our business would not be possible if it weren’t for the real relationships we develop that make us successful. We want to be more proactive in forming relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to support greater positive outcomes for our customers and stakeholders. Focus area: Relationship building with the Traditional Owners of the land on which we develop
Action
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
1.1
1.1.1 RAP Council oversees the development, endorsement and launch of the RAP
July 2018
1.1.1 – 1.1.4
1.1.2 Ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are represented on the RAP Council
July 2018, 2019
1.1.3 Meet at least quarterly to monitor and report on RAP implementation
Feb, April, July Oct 2018, 2019, 2020
1.1.4 Annually review RAP Council Terms of Reference
Nov 2018, 2019
1.2.1 Organise at least one internal event for NRW each year at each of our capital city offices
May 2019, 2020
1.2.2 Register our NRW event via Reconciliation Australia’s NRW website
May 2019, 2020
1.2.3 Support an external NRW event
May 2019, 2020
1.2.4 Ensure our RAP Council participates in an external event to recognise and celebrate NRW
May 2019, 2020
1.2.4
1.2.5 Extend an invitation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to share their reconciliation experiences or stories during NRW
May 2019, 2020
1.2.5
Frasers Property RAP Council actively monitors RAP development and implementation of actions, tracking progress and reporting
1.2 Celebrate and participate in National Reconciliation Week (NRW) by providing opportunities to build and maintain relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians
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National RAP Champion
1.2.1 – 1.2.3 State RAP Champions
National RAP Champion
State RAP Champions
Action
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
1.3
1.3.1 Develop and implement national, regional and country-specific engagement plans to work with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders
Sept 2019
1.3.1 – 1.3.3
1.3.2 Meet with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to develop guiding principles for future engagement
Jan 2020
1.3.3 Establish relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders in the areas where our offices and project sites are located
June 2019
1.3.4 Communicate to staff the opportunity to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander non-profit organisations through the exisiting 500 days of volunteer leave per year available to staff
Dec 2018
1.4.1 Implement and review strategy to communicate our RAP to all internal and external stakeholders
Aug 2018
1.4.2 Promote reconciliation through ongoing active engagement with all stakeholders
July 2018, 2019, 2020
1.4.2
1.4.3 Publish and promote the RAP on our website
July 2018
1.4.3
Develop and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations to support positive outcomes
1.4 Raise internal and external awareness of our RAP to promote Reconciliation across our business and sector
State RAP Champions
1.3.4 General Manager, People and Culture 1.4.1 General Manager, Corporate Marketing and Communications
National RAP Champion
General Manager, Corporate Marketing and Communications 1.4.4 Encourage external stakeholders to develop a RAP
June 2019
1.4.4 National RAP Champion
1.5 Develop a set of consistent engagement priniciples for engaging in authentic relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at all project sites
1.5.1 Update project register to recognise Country and relevant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, organisations and important relationships for all current and future projects
Nov 2018
1.5.2 Develop a framework for authentic and early engagement (starting at the acquisition stage) with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all our future projects
Feb 2019
1.5.3 Incorporate engagement framework into Business Process Manual
Feb 2019
1.5.1 Lawyer, Taxation
1.5.2 General Manager, Development and Design 1.5.3 National Manager, Business Process and Systems
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Respect We understand that the land holds significance to many members of the community and that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples hold knowledge about the land that is valuable in our efforts to understand more. To respect the significance of the land and Traditional Owners of the land, we will create a set of principles and guidance for our future developments. Focus area: Engaging and educating employees to raise awareness
Action
Deliverable
Timeline
2.1
2.1.1 Develop and implement a cultural awareness training strategy for staff which defines cultural learning needs of employees in all areas of our business and considers various ways cultural learning can be provided such as face to face workshops, online training or cultural immersion
June 2020
2.1.2 Investigate opportunities to work with local Traditional Owners and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consultants to develop cultural awareness training
Dec 2018
2.1.2 – 2.1.3
2.1.3 Provide opportunities for RAP Council members, RAP champions, HR managers and other key leadership staff to participate in cultural training for relevant staff
Dec 2019
General Manager, People and Culture and Human Resources Manager
2.2.1 Develop, implement and communicate a cultural protocol document for Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country, including localised protocols for engaging with Traditional Owners
March 2019
2.2.2 Develop a list of key contacts for organising a Welcome to Country and maintaining respectful partnerships
Dec 2018
2.2.3 Invite Traditional Owners into our corporate office to explain the significance of Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country
July 2019
2.2.4 Include an Acknowledgement of Country at the commencement of important internal and external events, project milestones and celebrations
July 2020
2.2.5 Encourage staff to include an Acknowledgement of Country at the commencement of all meetings
July 2018
Engage employees in continuous cultural learning opportunities to increase understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and achievements
2.2 Engage employees in understanding the significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols, such as Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country, to ensure there is a shared meaning
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Responsibility 2.1.1 Human Resources Manager and Business Unit General Managers
2.2.1 – 2.2.7 National RAP Champion and State RAP Champions
Action
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
Engage employees in understanding the significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols, such as Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country, to ensure there is a shared meaning
2.2.6 Invite a Traditional Owner to provide a Welcome to Country to at least one significant event such as an end of financial year update or project milestone in each state per year
Dec 2018, 2019
National RAP Champion and State RAP Champions
2.2.7 Install plaques with a Recognition Statement and Acknowledgement of Country at all Frasers Property Australia offices, retail centres, industrial sites, commercial sites and residential sales centres that we own
June 2020
2.2.8 Include Acknowledgement of Country, RAP artwork and RAP logo on email signature blocks during National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week
May 2019, 2020, July 2018, 2019, 2020
2.2.8
2.3.1 Review HR policies and procedures to ensure there are no barriers to staff participating in NAIDOC Week
July 2018, June 2019, 2020
2.3.1
2.3.2 Provide opportunities for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to participate with their cultures and communities during NAIDOC Week
July 2018, 2019, 2020
2.3.2 – 2.3.3
2.3.3 Raise awareness and share information amongst our staff of the meaning of NAIDOC Week, including information about the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities
July 2018, 2019, 2020
2.4.1 Develop an approach to cultivate co-design principles on sites where appropriate
Dec 2018
2.4.1 – 2.4.2
2.4.2 Pilot principles on all relevant projects
June 2019
General Manager, Design and Development
2.4.3 Embed our RAP deliverables into all Business Process Manuals
Dec 2018
2.4.3
2.3 Provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to engage with their cultures and communities by celebrating NAIDOC Week
2.4 Develop a set of consistent priniciples for learning and codesigning respectful place based spaces with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at all project sites
General Manager, Corporate Marketing and Communications
General Manager, People and Culture
National RAP Champion and State RAP Champions
National Manager, Business Process and Systems
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Opportunities We are committed to enabling employment and opportunities for participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and businesses. We will work collaboratively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to bring a range of new skills and experience into the business, so we benefit from a richer diversity of people and products. It will also serve to contribute to new projects, industries and services, and new ways of doing business. Focus area: Economic opportunities through employment and procurement
Action
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
3.1
3.1.1 Develop and implement an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment and Retention strategy
March 2020
3.1.1
3.1.2 Engage with existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and staff to consult on employment strategies, including professional development and employment opportunities
Dec 2019
3.1.3 Advertise all vacancies in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media
Dec 2018
3.1.4 Review HR and recruitment procedures and policies to ensure there are no barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and future applicants participating in our workplace
July 2018
3.1.5 Collect information on our current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to inform future employment opportunities
Sept 2018
3.2.1 Develop and pilot an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander procurement strategy with appropriate targets
Dec 2018
3.2.1 – 3.2.3
3.2.2 Review and update procurement policies and procedures to identify and remove barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to supply our organisation with goods and services, and ensure they are consistent with the Government Indigenous Procurement Policy
Dec 2018
General Manager, Health Safety and Environment and Residential Construction
3.2.3 Develop and communicate to staff a list of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses that can be used to procure goods and services
Aug 2018
Investigate opportunities to improve and increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment outcomes within our workplace
3.2 Investigate opportunities to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity within our organisation
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General Manager, People and Culture and Recruitment Advisor 3.1.2 – 3.1.5 Recruitment Advisor
Action
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
Investigate opportunities to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity within our organisation
3.2.4 Develop at least one commercial relationship with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander owned business
Aug 2018
3.2.4 – 3.2.5
3.2.5 Investigate opportunities to engage with Indigenous Chamber of Commerce bodies and industry partners to develop commercial activities and economic growth opportunities in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Aug 2018
3.2.6 Become a member of Supply Nation
Dec 2018
General Manager, Retail Development
3.2.6 National Manager, Business Process and Systems
3.2.7 Indicate preference to do business with suppliers, contractors and tenants who have a RAP or similar for major contracts greater than $10 million
Dec 2018
3.2.7 General Manager, Health Safety and Environment and Residential Construction
Governance, Tracking Progress and Reporting 4.1 Report RAP achievements, challenges and learnings to Reconciliation Australia
4.2 Report RAP achievements, challenges and learnings internally and externally
4.3 Review, refresh and update RAP
4.1.1 Complete and submit the RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire to Reconciliation Australia annually
Sept 2018, 2019, 2020
4.1.1 – 4.1.4
4.1.2 Investigate participating in the RAP Barometer
May 2020
4.1.3 Define resource needs for RAP development and implementation
Aug 2018
4.1.4 Define systems and capability needs to track, measure and report on RAP activities
Aug 2018
4.2.1 Develop an evaluation framework to track, measure and report on RAP activities
Dec 2018, 2019
4.2.1
4.2.2 Communicate RAP achievements, challenges and learnings to internal staff through the intranet and email
July 2018 onwards
4.2.2 – 4.2.3
4.2.3 Communicate RAP achievements, challenges and learnings externally through our website
July 2019, 2020
General Manager, Corporate Marketing and Communications
4.3.1 Liase with Reconciliation Australia to develop a new RAP based on learnings, challenges and achievements
Jan 2020
4.3.1 – 4.3.3
4.3.2 Send draft RAP to Reconciliation Australia for review and feedback
Feb 2020
4.3.3 Submit draft RAP to Reconciliation Australia for formal endorsement
June 2020
National RAP Champion
National RAP Champion
National RAP Champion
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Artwork ‘People, communities and places’ Our beautiful RAP artwork was created by Marcus Lee, creative director of Marcus Lee Design. The design captures the essence of nurturing respectful and trusting relationships with First Nations Peoples – based on authentic and transparent principles of engagement, delivered through projects and business activities nurtured through education and sustainable engagement toward a better shared future. The design celebrates heritage, inclusiveness and diversity and working towards a reconciled Australia. Marcus Lee was born and raised in Darwin, pursued his design education in Adelaide and is now based in Melbourne. With over 30 years design experience, Marcus’s driving force is his passion for design excellence. Marcus is a proud Aboriginal descendant of the Karajarri people in the Kimberley region, Western Australia.
Contact Amira Hashemi National RAP Champion & Sustainability and Innovation Coordinator (02) 9767 2323 0429 263 850 Amira.hashemi@frasersproperty.com.au