The 2023 Queensland Reconciliation Award winners have been announced, with six inspiring initiatives and programs recognised for their dedication to reconciliation in the state.
During this year’s National Reconciliation Week, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the recipients at a ceremony in Brisbane.
Among those recognised were initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their families, businesses increasing job opportunities and programs highlighting First Nations art and storytelling.
Winning the Premier’s Reconciliation Award and the award for ‘Health and Wellbeing’ was Gold Coast Health for their Waijungbah Jarjums Service, which provides support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to receive continuity of care from pregnancy through to childhood.
Since COVID, they have delivered 180 indigenous babies known as ‘jarjums’, and they offer Welcome Jarjum to Country ceremonies acknowledging a baby’s connection to the lands they are born.
Bringing their lived experience to the birthing process, the team of staff all identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. They also run Indigenous-led hypnobirthing courses and yarning circles.
Other award recipients include AMS Group for their A Beacon for Reconciliation in the Business category. Winning the Community award was Garbutt Magpies Sporting and Cultural Association for their initiative, Mariakarti Nyawa, Kurranyu Nyinama – Look Back If You Want To Go Forward.
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School won the Education category for their St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Reconciliation Action Plan, and Queensland Theatre and Cairns Indigenous Art Fair won the Partnership award for Othello.
Each of the winning 2023 recipients received a share of $30,000 in prize money.
Now in its 21st year, the Queensland Reconciliation Awards have recognised more than 100 initiatives and partnerships to help foster “a fairer and more inclusive Queensland”.
Speaking to this year’s winners, Awards Ambassador Jonathan Thurston said it’s, “rewarding to see the strength of these initiatives and the pride being experienced from these communities.”
“I would like to congratulate and praise these inspirational Queenslanders. I look forward to learning more about the impact these programs will have on their local communities.”