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Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) has advised that, as part of its commitment to the nation's reconciliation journey, its Reconciliation Action Plan Advisory Group (RAPAG) met for the first time in Melbourne yesterday.

Chaired by 1994 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Kyle Vander-Kuyp, the Group consists of Katie Sigsworth, also a 1994 silver medallist, and 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Cassie Woods (nee McCall).

Four-time Commonwealth Games representative and three-time Australian team Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti is also a member of the group, alongside CGA board member Jayne Ferguson and independent advisors Karen Milward and Craig Williams.

Travis Couch will serve as a subject matter expert after being Manager of Executive Operations at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, where he gave direct advice on various matters including the GC2018 Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

Dean Heta, rounds out the advisory group, having recently been appointed to the First Peoples Engagement Branch of the Victoria 2026 Organising Committee.

The establishment of the RAPAG follows the launch of the RAP in 2022, with the RAPAG to provide CGA with guidance and advice specific to its RAP deliverables and related initiatives across the sphere of reconciliation and areas of a cultural nature. 

For Vander-Kuyp, a four-time Commonwealth Games representative, the establishment of the RAPAG strengthens CGA’s dedication to the recognition and inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in its everyday operations.

He advised “it’s fantastic to be here today to have our first Reconciliation Action Plan Advisory Group meeting, working off the RAP that was launched last year and all the great leadership and inclusion that was shown in Birmingham too.

“I’m very excited to be chairing the committee, and I feel honoured and privileged to be part of a great line-up of Indigenous leaders and Commonwealth Games Australia leaders. I'm excited to see where we can go with our RAP.”

Commonwealth Games Australia Chief Executive, Craig Phillips noted the development of the RAPAG as a crucial step of the continuing journey of reconciliation, and one that is vital to the CGA’s strategic priority of ‘Connecting with Communities’.

Phillips explained “sport can be a powerful tool to unite and inspire communities, and the establishment of the RAPAG is a milestone in Commonwealth Games Australia’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation, bringing together people of all cultures and backgrounds.

"The working group were instrumental in launching our RAP in 2022 and it is our aim to embed the five dimensions of reconciliation - historical acceptance; race relations; equality and equity; institutional integrity and unity - into all that we do as an organisation.”

“The contribution of First Nations peoples to the Commonwealth Games Movement is something to be proud of, both on and off the field of play, and we are committed to building on our initial RAP to further connect with and positively contribute to our communities.”

“We look forward to working with the RAPAG to deliver this next chapter."

Image shows (from left): Katie Sigsworth, Kyle Vander-Kuyp, Karen Milward and Craig Williams of the Reconciliation Action Plan Advisory Group. Credit: Commonwealth Games Australia.

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