The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters, skies and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and to their community leaders, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
About the artist
James Baban is an Aboriginal man born in Darwin (NT) and member of the Stolen Generation. His mother’s country is Mutburra/Tjingili (NT), his father’s country is Limingan (NT) and his skin name is Janama.
About the artwork
Artist James Baban led the creation of PM&C Reconciliation Art with an all staff workshop. The artwork represents PM&C’s ongoing reconciliation journey, with over 120 staff and Ngunnawal Elder Aunty Serena Williams contributing to the artwork during Reconciliation Week 2024. During the department’s NAIDOC Week 2024 celebrations James Baban gifted this artwork to the department in a handing over ceremony to PM&C Secretary Glyn Davis.
The central circle represents PM&C and its staff. The 4 lines extending into the corners are the rivers traveling to the 4 corners of Australia – as one can travel up and down the rivers, it represents a journey – the dots contributed by PM&C staff along the rivers mark the banks of this journey. Each quadrant of the painting represents different communities across Australia; the circles in each quadrant are reflections of the conversations PM&C staff have throughout the country and that information feeding back into the centre. The u-shaped images are 'bums in the sand' – PM&C talking to communities with a hands on approach providing feedback to PM&C in the centre. The circles are all connected, the rivers are wavy and meandering as nothing is straight, and all are connected.
The overall message of the artwork is collaboration, conversations and consultation with communities from across Australia. This information comes back into the centre to inform our policy, advice and our reconciliation journey at the centre of government. It emphasises that we are all connected in this journey.