Australian Navy Launches Indigenous Action Plan
The Royal Australian Navy is reaffirming its commitment to reconciliation and strengthening partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with the launch of a new five-year plan.
Launched on the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the Djalkiri – Foundational Footsteps: Navy Indigenous Action Plan 2026-2031 outlines how Navy will deepen cultural understanding, bolster community partnerships and create opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The plan includes actions to expand Indigenous recruitment and career pathways, while encouraging youth engagement and fostering stronger connections with Indigenous organisations.
Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Matthew Buckley, said the action plan represented an important next step in Navy's ongoing journey with First Nations Australians.
"Djalkiri reminds us that meaningful change is built one step at a time," he said. "At its heart, Djalkiri is about building a deeper maritime story alongside a shared purpose. Long before the establishment of the Royal Australian Navy, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples navigated, understood and protected the waters surrounding our continent.”
It recognises the contributions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have made to Australia's maritime heritage and the service of First Nations Australians in Navy, both past and present.
Madarpa Elder and clan leader Dr Djambawa Marawili, as one of the leaders in the Sea Rights movement, helped provide the vision behind the action plan.
Navy Indigenous Advisor, Lieutenant Commander James Holman, said the plan reflected years of engagement across Indigenous personnel and veterans, Indigenous Elders and communities, as well as the broader Navy.
