Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

The dates for National Reconciliation Week remain the same each year: 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey, the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.

The 27 May marks the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum.

In 1967 over 90 per cent of Australians voted in a Referendum to remove clauses from the Australian Constitution which discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. The Referendum also gave the Commonwealth Government the power to make laws on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The 29 May, marks when the Torres Strait Islander flag was first launched in 1992. It was designed by the late Bernard Namok in 1992 as a symbol of unity and identity for Torres Strait Islanders.

The 3 June marks Mabo Day. Mabo Day celebrates the 1992 High Court decision that ruled in favour of Eddie Koiki Mabo and other claimants that their people had occupied the island of Mer in the Torres Strait prior to the arrival of the British. This historic decision effectively recognised the existence of native title rights and rejected the concept of terra nullius, which claimed Australia was a land belonging to no-one prior to British occupation.

The 3 June also marks the end of National Reconciliation Week. This year's theme, National Reconciliation Week theme is "All In".

It is a call for all Australians to commit to reconciliation wholeheartedly, every day and take action to make change.

Twenty-five years ago, Corroboree 2000 brought together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous leaders in a historic call for reconciliation.

Corroboree 2000 and the Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk were significant events in our long journey and our determination to continue that journey towards a Reconciled Australia and justice for First Nations peoples is unstoppable.

The week reminds to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will and must continue.

Council is proud to be progressing our reconciliation journey with the development of our Third Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2026–28, a significant milestone that reaffirms our ongoing commitment to reconciliation.

Throughout National Reconciliation Week, there will be a variety of events and activities taking place across Council, designed to engage, inform, and inspire.

From the Reconciliation Action Plan launch and inaugural flag raising at Harmony square, to start the week of activities, to story time at Springvale Library and basket weaving Keysborough Hub, it brings opportunities for reflection, with many ways to get involved.

We encourage everyone to take part in at least one event during the week, start conversations with colleagues, and reflect on how you can be ‘All In’ for reconciliation in your role and in your everyday actions.

Resources and recommendations

Get some inspiration for your next read with book reviews from library staff highlighting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander titles on the Library's Read and Relax blog or visit the library catalogue to search an extensive collection of resources.

Parents and carers can find information resources on our New Directions Indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program website.