The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has affirmed its commitment to reconciliation with the launch of its Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). 

“We are at the beginning of our reconciliation journey and our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan is the first step," AFCA Chief Ombudsman and CEO David Locke said. “It is a public statement of our commitment to reconciliation with First Nations peoples.” 

“As Australia’s financial ombudsman, we operate on Traditional Lands throughout Australia. We want to be an organisation that delivers its service to First Nations peoples through understanding, respect and cultural confidence,” Mr Locke said. 

AFCA’s Deputy Chief Ombudsman, proud Kureinji woman Dr June Smith, added: “The Reflect RAP serves as a guide to building meaningful, genuine and mutually beneficial relationships with First Nations peoples, communities and businesses so we can deliver culturally confident and accessible services. AFCA will contribute to reconciliation through financial and economic inclusion in this way.” 

Over the next 12 months AFCA will focus on strengthening relationships, respect and opportunities for First Nations peoples – the guiding pillars of its Reflect RAP – which has been formally endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. 

“We will actively seek to listen to and learn from First Nations peoples as we go on this journey,” Dr Smith said. 

AFCA joins more than 1,100 corporate, government, and not-for-profit organisations that have made a formal commitment to reconciliation through the RAP program. The four types of RAP – Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate — allow RAP partners to continuously develop and strengthen reconciliation commitments in new ways. 

AFCA’s Reflect RAP has the support of the AFCA Board, the AFCA Executive Leadership Team, and AFCA’s Accessibility & Inclusion Council. Dr Smith is the sponsor of this work. 

Find out more about the AFCA Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan here.

Published: 14 December 2022

Media enquiries media@afca.org.au

About AFCA

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is a non-government ombudsman service providing free, fair and independent help with financial disputes. It is a one-stop-shop for consumers and small businesses who have a dispute with their financial firm, over things such as banking, credit, insurance, advice, investments or superannuation. Where an agreement cannot be reached between parties, AFCA can issue decisions that are binding on financial firms.