NIAA Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2026–2029
I am proud to present the National Indigenous Australians Agency’s (NIAA) Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for 2026–2029.
Reconciliation is central to who we are and how we work. As the Australian Government agency responsible for leading and coordinating policy, programs and service delivery in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the NIAA has a unique responsibility to embed reconciliation into our own operations while also leading and influencing change across the Australian Public Service (APS).
This new Stretch RAP reflects the next phase of our reconciliation journey. It builds on the strong foundations established through our inaugural 2022–2025 Stretch RAP, and responds to a changing national context shaped by the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and its Priority Reforms. These reforms make clear that improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples requires more than incremental change — it demands a transformation in how governments work.
For the NIAA, reconciliation and Closing the Gap are deeply connected, but they are not the same. Closing the Gap sets out the policy framework, targets and reforms required to address systemic disadvantage.
Reconciliation provides the cultural, relational and leadership foundations that make this reform possible and sustainable. Trust, respect, shared decision-making and cultural safety are not add-ons to reform — they are the conditions that allow reform to endure.
“Reconciliation is not an add-on to reform — it is the foundation that makes lasting change possible.”
During this period, we are evolving our RAP to better align with the Priority Reforms, recognising that reconciliation must be embedded within the systems, governance and decision-making processes that shape government action. This approach enables the NIAA to strengthen reconciliation as part of our core business and to more deliberately influence how the APS delivers lasting, system-level change, particularly under Priority Reform 3 — Transforming Government Organisations.
This Stretch RAP commits us to deepening partnerships, strengthening cultural capability, advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and economic participation, and embedding accountability and learning into how we work. It also reinforces our role as a model employer and as a steward of reform across the Commonwealth.
Importantly, reconciliation is not something the NIAA can deliver alone. It requires genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, collaboration across governments, and leadership at every level of the APS. Through initiatives such as the Indigenous Champions Network (ICN), our ongoing engagement with Reconciliation Australia, and leadership forums, we will continue to support shared understanding, accountability and collective progress.
I encourage all NIAA staff to see this RAP not as a separate plan, but as a guide to how reconciliation shows up in our everyday decisions, behaviours and relationships. By embedding reconciliation as business-as-usual, we strengthen our ability to deliver on our responsibilities and contribute to a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are heard, recognised and empowered.
Julie-Ann Guivarra
Chief Executive Officer
National Indigenous Australians Agency