Callum Mackenzie: Let’s talk about reconciliation. Not just during NAIDOC Week

By Callum Mackenzie, Managing Director, Rare & WA Chair & Board Member, Advertising Council Australia.

NAIDOC Week is always a good opportunity to pause, reflect, and consider what reconciliation truly means in our workplace. But this year, I’ve been thinking more deeply about how we make sure it doesn’t just become another week of well-meaning posts and temporary gestures.

Earlier this year, Advertising Council Australia conducted a national survey to gauge agencies’ progress on their reconciliation journey. The results were equal parts heartening and confronting.

Yes, we’ve made progress. Around half of all agencies now have a RAP in place, most at the Reflect stage, and more than 70% have engaged in some kind of cultural capability training.

Importantly, three-quarters of respondents said reconciliation is a mid-to-high priority for their business. That’s a good sign.

But there’s still a long way to go. Many agencies are trying to do the right thing without knowing what “best practice” actually entails. Some have meaningful initiatives in place, but nothing formal. Others rely on a few passionate individuals to keep the fire lit, rather than embedding reconciliation as a whole-of-business responsibility.

Time, resources, competing priorities – we’ve all heard (and maybe used) the excuses. But they don’t stack up if we genuinely believe reconciliation matters.

What I’ve learned is this: it’s not about having all the answers. It’s about being willing to ask better questions. Where does reconciliation actually sit in our business? Is it visible? Is it active? Are our teams supported to build cultural understanding in ways that go beyond tick-box training, through meaningful, real-world connection and learning?

That said, structured learning can be a powerful starting point. To help teams build cultural confidence, ACA has partnered with BlackCard to offer a new suite of e-learning modules focused on cultural confidence. They are available here, and ACA members can access them for just $99 (using your ACA member password at checkout).

In October 2024, ACA hosted a national webinar exploring practical ways agencies can strengthen their commitment to reconciliation, from diversifying supply chains to embedding First Nations voices in the briefing process.

The actions discussed were clear and actionable, reinforcing a simple truth: this isn’t easy work, but it is necessary. And it’s more powerful when we do it together, not just as individual agencies, but as an industry that values truth-telling, respect, and meaningful change.

This NAIDOC Week, I’m not here to tell you whether you should have a RAP, what it should look like, or which stage it needs to be at. I’m simply encouraging you, as I’m encouraging myself, to keep going. Keep asking questions. Keep showing up, because reconciliation isn’t a box to tick. It’s a commitment we choose to live every day.

Let’s make sure we’re walking the talk. This week, and every week after.