RECONCILIATION AUSTRALIA CO-CHAIR RETIRES
Media Release – Monday 21 February 2011
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Reconciliation Australia Co-Chair Prof Mick Dodson has announced that founding Board Director and fellow Co-Chair Mark Leibler will stand down from the Board—after more than a decade in the role.
At a farewell function with Reconciliation Australia’s Board and staff at Old Parliament House this morning, Prof Dodson honoured Mr Leibler’s long-term commitment to the reconciliation movement.
“Mark has made an outstanding contribution to Reconciliation Australia, and indeed reconciliation in this country, as a founding Board member of Reconciliation Australia since 2000 and then Co- Chair from 2005,” Prof Dodson said.
“During his time as Co-Chair, Mark was involved in the successful National Reconciliation Workshop in 2005, the 40th anniversary celebrations of the 1967 referendum in 2007 and the Apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008.
“Mark was also instrumental in the foundation of the Reconciliation Action Plan program that now takes in 20 per cent of the national workforce.”
Mr Leibler joined the newly formed Reconciliation Australia Board of Directors shortly after the historic Bridge Walks for Reconciliation in 2000 which saw almost a million people around the country march in support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Recently appointed Board Director Melinda Cilento, a non-executive director with Woodside Petroleum, will replace Mr Leibler as the non-Indigenous Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia.
While Mr Leibler leaves Reconciliation Australia, he will continue to be involved in reconciliation, being recently appointed Co-Chair of the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians.
“Every single Australian has an important role to play in reconciliation—and Mark has been an outstanding reconciliation ambassador by opening the doors to government and big business, getting them to listen and explaining how they can play their part in the process.
“He will continue this in his new role as Co-Chair of the Expert Panel and on behalf of all of the Board Directors at Reconciliation Australia I wish him the very best in this important work.” Reconciliation Australia is the peak body promoting reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians.
Media Contact: Kylie Thompson 0418 633 277 or kylie.thompson@reconciliation.org.au
