First Nations Insights: Co-design and power-sharing in practice

Ngarga Wangaddja means ‘mob talking’ in the language of the Nurungga people. It was the name chosen for ANZ’s First Nations internal advisory group, an internal platform for the voices of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff at ANZ.

The group provides a structured forum for consultation, advice, and guidance on matters pertaining to the First Nations employee experience. It helps inform and influence policy – including cultural leave and the Head of First Nations Strategy role – and provides a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to connect, with a core focus on cultural wellbeing, safety, and influencing the bank’s First Nations Strategy and Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

At this event we heard the learnings and benefits of co-design and power-sharing in practice from:

• Tenielle Rolfe, a proud Mununjali woman of the Yugambeh people, Co-Chair of Ngarga Wangaddja, and an Inclusion Program Manager at ANZ.

• Joel Lutui, a proud Wodi Wodi man, Co-Chair of Ngarga Wangaddja, and a Senior Officer in Deposits and Payments at ANZ.

Event takeaways

• Elevate First Nations voices: Proactively include First Nations perspectives in decision-making and leadership spaces.
• Embrace power sharing: Supporting others’ influence strengthens outcomes—it doesn’t reduce your own.
• Champion sponsorship: Leaders should advocate for and intentionally support the growth of First Nations employees.
• Use your influence: Speak up and advocate for First Nations colleagues, especially when they’re not present.
• Practice active allyship: Don’t leave reconciliation work solely to First Nations staff—step in, lead initiatives, and back their recommendations.
• Share responsibility: Create genuine opportunities and distribute the workload, rather than limiting support to symbolic events or moments.