Our Reconciliation Action Plan

Our new RAP sets a bold direction for the next three years, taking a whole-of-organisation approach, where accountability is shared and embedded across teams, programs and partnerships. It outlines four practical focus areas (and 27 deliverables) to build strong and trusting relationships, champion ongoing respect and understanding between cultures, and create opportunities through our corporate action. This includes ensuring we maintain at least 20% of Learning for Life scholarship students who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

We will focus on:

• Self-determination and cultural governance, ensuring Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander voices shape our decisions and strategies.
• Employment and retention, with a renewed Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Employment and Volunteering Strategy to attract, support and grow talent across our organisation. 
• Cultural learning, tailored to roles and functions, so that every team member understands how reconciliation connects to their work. 
• Strengthening partnerships, especially with community-controlled organisations, and advocating beyond our RAP deliverables to influence systemic change.

We are driven by the vision that our nation can become a place where Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children fully benefit from the education and learning opportunities that this nation has to offer, and the broader Australian community truly values and shows deep respect for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.

With the support of government and community partners, we implement a range of supportive programs delivered in the family, school and community environments to positively influence educational outcomes for children and young people. Through our work in 91 communities, in the 2024-2025 financial year, we supported 27,980 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

This includes providing a long-term educational sponsorship through our Learning for Life program to 18,715 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students.

In 2010, we first signed the Statement of Commitment to signal our agreement to respect the authority of the Australian Parliament in enacting a reconciliation journey and pathway for all Australians to observe.

In 2026, we have launched The Smith Family’s fifth Reconciliation Action Plan, developed under the guidance of the members of our National Advisory Group on Issues Concerning Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples, our RAP Working Group members and Reconciliation Australia.

It is a “Stretch” RAP (our third of this type) and, as such, signifies our deep dedication to making progress across the key pillars of the RAP program – respect, relationships and opportunities.

Student Kylinta is the talented artist behind the artwork we feature in our RAP.

"This painting is my aspect of the orca swimming into the sunset. The layers in the ocean represents the currents and challenges the orca has to make to survive. The first layer is smooth, soft, small, nothing serious until the other layers get bigger and bigger, more challenging for the orca to survive. The sun represents hope for the orca to survive, telling the orca to keep on trying."

Kylinta