Acknowledgement of Country

The Department of Communities and Justice pays respect to the Traditional Custodians throughout NSW and acknowledges the strength of the Aboriginal people of NSW in sustaining the world’s oldest living culture.

We listen and learn from the knowledge, strength and resilience of Aboriginal communities.

We extend our respects to all Elders past and present, and to Stolen Generations Survivors and their descendants.

We celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal peoples and their ongoing cultures and connections to the lands and waters of NSW.

We extend this acknowledgement to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that are employed by the Department of Communities and Justice and recognise the unique and vital contribution in keeping mob safe.

We acknowledge that self-determination, working in partnership and shared decision-making are essential to achieving better outcomes with Aboriginal children, families and communities. We hope that this Strategic Plan will help us to deliver better outcomes together.

A note on terminology

In this Strategic Plan, we use the term ‘Aboriginal’ to refer collectively to Australia’s First People. This terminology is chosen with respect for the sovereignty and enduring cultural strength of the diverseAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the continent.

We acknowledge that no single term can fully encompass the identities, languages, and experiences of all peoples, and that individuals and communities may prefer different descriptors. We aim to be respectful, inclusive, and conscious of the diversity within Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities, and whose identities and experiences these terms seek to represent.