Approximately 150 senior RAP leaders gathered virtually for the first RAP Leadership Gathering of 2026 on 30 March, hosted by Reconciliation Australia, focusing on First Nations cultural heritage and the Dhawura Ngilan Business and Investor Initiative.
The cross-sector gathering — spanning not-for-profit, government and corporate organisations — reflects growing momentum to embed First Nations-led cultural heritage standards in practice.
Jamie Lowe (CEO, National Native Title Council) highlighted the Dhawura Ngilan Business and Investor Initiative, which supports organisations to integrate cultural heritage into governance, strategy, operations and due diligence. Insights from Cath Brokenborough (Lendlease) and Dean Parkin and Allen Roberts (Westpac) demonstrated the principles in action, with both organisations piloting Dhawura Ngilan and embedding it within their RAPs.
Key Insights
Breakout discussions highlighted several consistent challenges and opportunities across sectors:
• Compliance vs leading practice: Cultural heritage is often treated as a legislative or contractual requirement, which can limit holistic, values-driven approaches.
• Intangible cultural heritage: Recognition of cultural knowledge, languages and ICIP is still emerging, with capability gaps across organisations.
• Cultural competency: Building staff understanding of Country is critical to improving practice and reducing internal resistance.
• Community engagement: There is a need for earlier, sustained, trust-based partnerships beyond reliance on individual relationships.
• Cost and resourcing: Financial and operational constraints continue to drive minimum-compliance approaches despite growing commitment to improve.
Where to Next
All organisations have a role in protecting First Nations cultural heritage. The Gathering highlighted that while many organisations are beginning to take practical steps, including investing in cultural competency, implementation remains uneven across sectors. RAP organisations were encouraged to use the Dhawura Ngilan self-assessment tool to identify strengths and areas for improvement, and to engage with the Initiative for ongoing support as they continue to strengthen their approach.
