ABOUT US
Who We Are
Reconciliation Tasmania is the peak state-wide body promoting reconciliation for all Tasmanians. We promote a deeper understanding, respect and justice for, and with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We build relationships across the Tasmanian community, facilitate education opportunities for all and collaborate closely with Tasmanian Aboriginal communities to celebrate history and culture and work to close the gap of disadvantage.
We are a not-for-profit social enterprise deriving operational funding from consultancy services, with project funding sourced through grant programs, funding bodies and philanthropic endeavour.
Our People
The Board of Reconciliation Tasmania reflects our independence, neutrality, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal membership as well as representation from three main regions – the northwest, north and south of the island.
Board Co-Chairs: Clair Andersen and Beth Gilligan.
Board members: Bonnie Bonneville, Simon Cook, Georgie Crockett, Simon Gates, Duncan Robinson, Donna Watson and Lee Wilson.
Staff: Reconciliation Tasmania runs with lean staffing numbers across the state. We have an office in Hobart on the Sandy Bay Campus of UTAS and operate with a General Manager and several part-time staff.
Members and volunteers: Everything RT achieves is a result of the dedication and passion of our active members and volunteers.
Reconciliation Tasmania – 2023 Board
Co-Chair Clair Andersen
Clair has Yanuwa and Gunggalida clan connections in the Gulf country of Northern Australia.
She grew up and began her education on Warumunga country in the Northern Territory before coming to Tasmania to completed high school and attend University.
Clair has worked in high schools, Adult Education, TAFE and university and has been actively involved in Aboriginal education for more than 30 years.
Currently, Clair is the Aboriginal Higher Education Advisor at the University of Tasmania.
More recently, her work has focused on building the cultural capacity of all graduates through the inclusion of Indigenous Australian content within teaching programs at UTAS.
Co-Chair Beth Gilligan
Beth grew up in NSW’s Hunter Valley, a descendant of Irish convicts. A graduate of Macquarie University and the University of Technology Sydney, she has worked in education as a teacher, facilitator and writer. She is a passionate advocate for social justice and achieving right relationships between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal people.
Beth moved to Hobart with her family in 2009 to become Principal of Dominic College where she spent 13 years until her retirement.
Previously, she has managed her own independent education consultancy in strategic planning, program reviews, human resource development and governance.
As a volunteer for Reconciliation Tasmania, Beth has a special commitment to supporting organisations developing Reconciliation Action Plans. She was elected to the Board of Reconciliation Tasmania in November 2022.
Donna Watson
Donna is a proud trawoolway/paredarerme woman from lutruwita/Tasmania.
She grew up in Launceston on the kanamaluka (Tamar River) and has worked extensively in the North East of lutruwita in a variety of schools throughout her long career as an Early Childhood Educator.
Many of the schools she has worked at have been rural or in low socio-economic areas leading to Donna’s strong belief in social justice and making sure every child and their community receive the support, care and environment that will lead to success.
Additionally, Donna has been a strong member, delegate and branch council representative in the Australian Education Union. She is the First Nations representative on the Tasmanian Branch Council and also a member of Yalukit Yulendj – the Federal Australian Education Union advisory body to include Aboriginal perspectives within their decision-making processes.
She was employed as the Tasmanian Australian Education Union Project Officer to work on the Yes23 campaign for the Voice to Parliament referendum. The results of which have inspired Donna to continue to work proactively in the area of reconciliation. She firmly believes that education is the key to our nation’s prioritisation of truth telling and treaty for First Nations Peoples.
Georgie Crockett
Georgie has a breadth of experience spanning restaurant management, banking, and quality management within the not-for profit sector.
Georgie is an experienced foster carer (over 15 years) with a passion for child safety and a strong social conscience. She has been noted for her ability to focus on blue sky possibilities as well as operational processes and detail. Her work in foster care and diversity matters has fueled an enthusiasm for social justice and equality and she takes pride in achieving practical outcomes.
Outside of work Georgie enjoys walking and exploring this beautiful place that is lutruwita.
Bonnie Bonneville
Bonnie is a professional environmental scientist – BSc (Hons), PhD, GAICD – and executive director of Bonneville Consulting which provides studies and advice for water quality management to government, water utilities, mining, and small industry.
She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a board director for Anglicare Tasmania and Cradle Coast Authority Regional NRM committee.
She is a gifted advocate and is passionate about achieving justice for Aboriginal People in Tasmania within our lifetime and protecting the natural values of our beautiful environment.
Bonnie is married and has two young daughters and lives in Burnie.
She enjoys playing netball, gardening, and doing the Burnie Parkrun. Bonnie is non-indigenous.
Simon Cook
Simon is the Sustainability Manager for Forico, the largest private forest manager in Tasmania. He graduated from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland and has over 25 years forestry experience in the UK, NZ, and Australia. Forico launched their RAP in early 2021 at Simon’s initiative, and he has been instrumental in delivering the plan, advancing the company’s reconciliation journey.
Simon is a passionate Forester and believes it is essential that we engage with and learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) communities.
Simon strongly believes that we can promote reconciliation through acknowledgement and implementation of traditional land management practices. Simon is also committed to establishing and strengthening relationships with ATSI stakeholders and improving employment outcomes for recruitment, retention, and professional development.
Duncan Robinson
Duncan is a proud Aboriginal man and acknowledges that Elders past and present have passed on their knowledges along broken and interrupted lines. These knowledges will continue to inform Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultural identity, practice and rights.
He is currently completing his PhD that will share the experiences of Aboriginal students at the University of Tasmania and how they navigate content that contains their stories, histories, culture and issues.
Duncan also teaches Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing at the University of Tasmania. He is passionate about how to develop a deeper understanding of working in culturally responsive ways that honour, respect and listen to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Lee Wilson
Lee’s career spans over 25 years working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the Northern Territory and Queensland in various diversity and inclusion leadership roles. This included 11 years working with the Australian Sports Commission delivering sporting outcomes in some of Australia’s most remote communities.
Moving back to Queensland in 2015 Lee spent the next 7 years working with Netball Queensland developing and implementing a national award winning leadership programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls in Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands.
Lee has dedicated a large part of his working career advocating for change and equity in this space. He is now the CEO for the Multicultural Council of Tasmania, where he continues to advocate for the broader Multicultural communities of Tasmania.
Simon Gates
Before entering the legal profession, Simon lived and worked in Timor-Leste in 2005 and 2006, working initially as an Australian Volunteers International funded volunteer for the Timor-Leste Government, then after civil unrest in 2006, he worked for Plan International coordinating the provision of humanitarian aid.
In Trouwunna/lutruwita (Tasmania) he was Crown Counsel for the Tasmanian Solicitor-General’s Office before working as a Senior Legal Advisor for the State Attorney-General. Prior to becoming a barrister with the Tasmanian Independent Bar, he was a partner of law firm, McLean, McKenzie and Topfer Barristers and Solicitors.
His exposure to the work Reconciliation Tasmania began with attendance at Come Walk With Us cultural awareness training events hosted by RT as part of the Tasmanian Leaders Program and through the Law Society of Tasmania’s process towards enacting a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
He also volunteered for RT as a facilitator for Understanding the Referendum workshops held in Northwest Tasmania, the experience highlighted the gaps in knowledge of the true history and treatment of First Nations people in the state. He believes reconciliation and truth-telling is vital for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Tasmanians to move forward collectively, while respecting the sovereignty and history of Aboriginal people.
