Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan

Touch Football Australia

Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)

Touch Football Australia (TFA) in partnership with Reconciliation Australia have worked with the Indigenous Community to develop our Touch Football Reflect Reconciliation Action plan (RAP). The process has allowed TFA to pause and reflect on what we have achieved and currently undertake to respect and celebrate our Indigenous participants and culture. Our sport is formally recognised as being founded on the Eora nation in 1968.

View the Reconciliation Action Plan

Touch Football Australia's Reconciliation Action Plan is available below.

View the RAP Plan

RAP Panel Members

The TFA RAP has been developed by our Reconciliation Action Plan Panel (RAPP) which consists of seven members, and is chaired by proud Waka Waka and Wangan man Phil Gyemore. Our RAP will be championed by our CEO, Jamie O'Connor.

RAP Panel Members

Emus Men's Head Coach, Phil Gyemore (Waka Waka and Wangan man)
Emus Youth Assistant Coach, Melissa Mitchell (Bundjalung woman)
Touch Football Referee, Jordyn Tomba (Ngarbal man)
Touch Football Participant, Cameron Costello (Quandamooka man)
TFA General Manager People & Culture, Charmain Steventon

TFA's commitment throughout our Reconciliation journey is to be led by our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members to ensure that their lived experiences guide our sport to ensuring we implement strategies that achieve meaningful outcomes and progress towards closing the gap within our wider community.

RAP Action Group

To assist with championing the TFA RAP, TFA has assembled a RAP Action Group which acts as our eyes, ear, and are champions on the ground while also providing recommendations and assistance on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander matters to the TFA RAP Panel and TFA where possible. Members of the TFA RAP Action group are.

Former NRL Player and Touch Football Player, Cliff Lyons (Wiradjuri man)
Australian Touch Football Representative, Carly Walsh (Anaiwan woman)
Former Australian Rugby League and Touch Football Representative, Bo de la Cruz (Larrakia woman)
Touch Football Participant, Graham White (Iman descendent)
Touch Football Participant, Allan Girdler (Dagoman man)

Message from the CEO

Read the message from Touch Football Australia's CEO Jamie O'Connor.

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Message from Reconciliation Australia

Read the message from Reconciliation Australia's CEO Karen Mundine.

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Athelite Australian Emus

Australia's national representative Touch Football teams are known as the Athelite Emus. The Emu has a long history with Australia's Indigenous culture and is featured in many Aboriginal Dreamtime stories and artworks. The Emu reflects our respect for our past, current and future Indigenous Touch Football athletes.

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National Indigenous Touch Football Knockout

Touch Football Australia hosts the annual National Indigenous Touch Football Knockout in conjunction with Regional Enterprise Development Institute (REDI.E). This 2022 event will be again staged at Katrina Gibbs Oval, Dubbo across Saturday 5th November & Sunday 6th November.

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Dates of Significance

Touch Football Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Calendar of Significant Dates.

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Emus Rationale by Elaine Chambers-Hegarty

THE WAY OF THE EMU : My design has the inspiration of the Emu in the bush. The Emu is our largest bird, but what is lacks in flight it makes up in speed on the ground. They can travel distances and run at fast speeds if needed. This gives me the connection to the Australian Touch Football team - the fastest amongst the players. The Emu has much wisdom and can read the land well, just as the players can on the field. Markings represent its travels on the land and waterholes. The meeting circles on the artwork have six symbols around to represent the six players on the field. Plus you can see their tracks throughout the art, representing their travels through land and communities, leading a way to goodness, strength and pride.