The Fremantle Dockers today launched the club’s second Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), with the stated vision for a reconciled Australia that is an inclusive community, striving for equality and equity.
The club’s second Reconciliation Action Plan is known as a Stretch RAP because it focuses on implementing longer-term strategies while working towards defined measurable targets and goals.
To achieve Stretch RAP status, Reconciliation Australia requires organisations to embed reconciliation initiatives into their business strategies, so they become ‘business as usual’.
The 50-page document, which covers the period from March 2020 to February 2023, details 34 commitments and actions, including 100 measurable goals with annual or bi-annual timelines to hold the club accountable to what it has pledged to do.
Fremantle’s vision for a reconciled Australia, as outlined in the RAP, is for a community that is “united and built on respect; where all are welcome and have the opportunity to thrive…an inclusive community, striving towards equality and equity, that accepts and understands our shared history”.
Releasing the Reconciliation Action Plan at Fremantle’s 2020 AFL season launch today before 700 guests at Optus Stadium, president Dale Alcock said the club viewed the RAP as an extension of Fremantle’s trademark (The Freo Way), via its commitment to respect and excellence.
“We are determined to continue to use our position of influence to strengthen the Fremantle Dockers’ existing engagement with and contribution to the community,” Alcock said.
“Our second Reconciliation Action Plan allows us to formally acknowledge our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander links and provides us with the opportunity to honour and celebrate the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players who have represented our club since its inception and their cultures.”
Yindjibarndi woman and AFL Women’s player Gemma Houghton said just as the club had welcomed the inaugural AFLW team back in 2017, “we welcome all members of our community, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples”.
“The club, like football overall, is a place where all are equal and can be part of it,” Houghton said.
“Like the men’s playing group, our women’s playing group is also proud and excited to present the club’s second RAP to the community.
“It’s important to engage with our fans and communities and, particularly, for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to try and have a meaningful impact and make a difference.
“The club engages girls and boys through our Next Generation Academy as well as our community and school programs and also through the Kirby Bentley Cup and Nicky Winmar Cup, which showcase the talents of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander female and male footballers from across WA, and for which the club has committed to support in this RAP.
“Such opportunities are crucial to engaging young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and boys, not only in football but in providing these girls and boys with positive social and physical opportunities and outcomes.
“It’s important for both the growth of the game and our communities; to raise proud, strong and resilient young women and men.”
Fremantle forward and Noongar man Michael Walters said he was proud of the contribution he and his team mates had in drafting the new RAP.
“Many of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our playing group have had significant and ongoing input in to the development and implementation of the actions contained within this RAP, so it has been a real team effort,” Walters said.
“We have a moorditj (strong) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history at Fremantle, with 35 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and eight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women having played an AFL or AFL Women’s game for this club.
“We also have a moorditj (strong) history through the club’s work with the community.
“As players we enjoy being able to give back to our community where we can and many actions in this RAP reflect this great work and commitment that the club is already doing and that we commit to doing in the future, particularly with our Next Generation Academy locally and in the Kimberley.
“I am honoured to play a key part in representing our present, past and future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players on the RAP working group and look forward to seeing how the club and our loyal fans can continue to build upon our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and achievements together.
“It’s exciting and it’s great to be part of.”
Reconciliation Australia CEO Karen Mundine commended the club for its RAP.
“This Stretch RAP sees the Fremantle Football Club continue to play an important leadership role in progressing a just, equitable and reconciled nation, and demonstrates a firm commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement at all levels of the game,” Mundine said.
Alcock also acknowledged the contribution to the RAP by Fremantle’s co-major sponsor and Indigenous program partner, Woodside, number one ticket holder Dr Richard Walley, board member professor Colleen Hayward, internal club champions of the RAP in partnerships account manager Jana Gernhoefer and Indigenous and multicultural liaison officer and past player Michael Johnson.
“The club is extremely grateful for the leadership, effort and passion displayed, in particular, by Jana and Michael in championing the RAP,” Alcock said.
“A special thank you also to our co-major sponsor and Indigenous program partner, Woodside, the club’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander playing group, staff and board.
“Your passion and input were vital in the creation and implementation of this plan.
“I also take this opportunity recognise Reconciliation Australia for the integral role it continues to play in the journey to reconciliation and unity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians.”
Fact File
Approximately 10 per cent of players in the AFL system are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, however this number is consistently and significantly higher for Fremantle, at 21 per cent for the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
In 2017 during Sir Doug Nicholls Round, the club took great pride in breaking the AFL (and its own) record of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players to represent a single side, with eight players in Fremantle’s starting 22 being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Eight was also the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players on Fremantle’s inaugural 2017 AFL Women’s playing list, more than double any other club.
Background to the RAP
The Fremantle Football Club has a corporate and social responsibility to the community in which it thrives. Continuing to have a Reconciliation Action Plan that guides and makes the club accountable to achieve its vision of an Australian community that is united and built on respect, is an integral part of Fremantle’s strategic plan and the club’s work to support the community through consistently driving positive community engagement and fostering social inclusion opportunities.
As an AFL club we recognise that we are in a special position to be able to influence and have a long-lasting and far reaching impact on Australia’s journey towards reconciliation.
The club’s commitment to having a RAP and taking genuine steps to achieve reconciliation is important to everyone involved with the club - players, coaches, staff, board, members, fans and sponsors.
We work as one club, united in our pursuit of our vision for reconciliation.
Work on Fremantle’s RAP commenced in April of 2017, following the club’s move to its new training and administration facility at Cockburn Central.
To form this Reconciliation Action Plan, the RAP Working Group first looked at the deliverables and outcomes from its previous RAP as well as meeting each department within the club to understand more about efforts that were not currently identified in the RAP or areas that provided new opportunities to deepen the club’s work and extend its commitment towards achieving reconciliation.
Particular focus was held on assessing the club’s work within the community with what the club is currently doing and the impacts of these actions, and what opportunities there are to ensure the club continues to strive towards excellence and respect.
From here the internal champions continued to work with each department and representatives of the men’s and women’s playing groups to build and refine this document.
While this meant that the RAP development process took a much longer time than anticipated, the result means that the club has a strong document in place to guide its reconciliation journey for the next three years.
