2025 National Reconciliation Week Breakfast

Reconciliation SA in conjunction with Principal Sponsor We Create Print Deliver is proud to present the 2025 National Reconciliation Week Breakfast at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Kaurna Yerta. 

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. 

The National Reconciliation Week (NRW) 2025 theme, Bridging Now to Next, reflects the ongoing connection between past, present and future. At a time when Australia faces uncertainty in its reconciliation journey, this theme calls on all Australians to step forward together. Bridging Now to Next urges us to look ahead and continue the push forward as past lessons guide us.

Each year Reconciliation SA hosts the Annual National Reconciliation Week (NRW) Breakfast to launch the week in South Australia. You are invited to purchase a ticket or table and join us in hearing how you and your community/organisation can bring this year's theme to life. This year's program boasts an impressive array of performances and speakers.  

EVENT PROGRAM

MC: Bianca Hunt
Headliner Performer: Marliya / Spinifex Gum
Keynote Speaker: Professor Jackie Huggins AM FAHA
Plus: Iwiri Choir, Imbala Dancers and more to be announced, including other speakers.  

Head to the bottom of the page to read detailed bios of each artist/speaker. 

This year, the First Nations Marketplace returns, displaying works for sale across different art mediums in our Exhibition Foyer. We'd like to thank The Circle – First Nations Entrepreneur Hub for collaborating with us on the curation of this part of our program. 

DATE AND TIME
    
Tuesday 27 May 2025
6.45AM - 9AM 
Please arrive between 6.15 -6.30AM to participate in the Smoking Ceremony with Uncle Tamaru on the North Terrace Plaza and to be seated by 6.45AM for a 7AM sharp commencement.
To avoid disruptions, late arrivals will not be granted entry until after the Welcome To Country concludes.

VENUE INFORMATION

Halls F, G & H, Adelaide Convention Centre, North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000 
The best entrance to the Adelaide Convention Centre will be from North Terrace. 


ATTENDEE INFORMATION & DIETARY REQUIREMENTS

To ensure all attendee dietary requirements are met, you will be asked to enter names and any dietary requirements via Humanitix.  

If you do not have this information at the time of booking your tickets, you will have an opportunity to do so via an automated link via Humanitix sent to all attendees closer to the event or you can select Edit Order in your booking confirmation email to update your details. Please make sure that you are receiving Humanitix emails in your primary inbox, not your spam folder. 

The deadline to receive all dietary and attendee information through Humanitix is 5pm Monday 19 May 2025. 

All attendee information will be provided to the Adelaide Convention Centre on this date and cannot be changed once this is done. If the details of one of the attendees on your table changes after this date, please do not ask us to update this information as it is past the deadline. 

Please do not send any attendee information directly to us via email, as it will not be recorded. It can only be done through your booking on Humanitix. 

This year we are enforcing the need to collect all of your attendee's email addresses via your Humanitix booking so that we can ensure all attendees are receiving vital information in the lead up to the event, including their table number. We understand that you may not have confirmed all the attendees at the time of making your booking. As mentioned above, you have the opportunity to add this information later and we ask that you are diligent about this to ensure a smooth experience for all guests. 


TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

Due the size of this event please expect delays in getting to the venue and plan ahead.

Car Parking
For car parking, fees and accessibility information click here.

Car Pooling & Ridesharing
To avoid delays, please consider Car Pooling or Ridesharing with friends, family and colleagues. Explore these options further on the City of Adelaide website.  

Public Transportation
To consider your Public Transportation options on the morning, please visit the Adelaide Metro website. 

Bicycle / Motorcycle Parking
You can find free bicycle parking at the main East and West Building entrances of the Adelaide Convention Centre. Motorcycle parking is available within both the Riverbank and North Terrace Car Parks with rates the same as for cars. 


SPONSORS

This event is supported by our Principal Sponsor We Create Print Deliver and Major Sponsors Adelaide University, Department for Education, and Flinders University. We are grateful for all of our event sponsors whom this event would not be possible without.

About Our Principal Sponsor
In a historical moment for the event, Reconciliation SA is delighted to welcome the first ever 100% Aboriginal owned and operated business as its Principal Sponsor. We Create Print Deliver is a one point campaign deployment agency for advertising, design, print, marketing and business services. Founded and led by CEO Pat Caruso, a descendant of Stolen Generations and proud Eastern Arrernte and southern Italian man, Pat’s connection to Country and Community was disrupted by his mother’s removal in Alice Springs in the mid 1950’s. Pat has spent the last 20 years reconnecting and working in his Culture and in that time has also become a sought after First Nations artist. 

Celebrating their 10th year of operation, We Create Print Deliver strives to build a legacy of exceptional customer experience and an impressive body of work, all whilst promoting diversity, inclusion and equity. We Create’s diverse experience in servicing Defence, Government, Mining, Health, Not-for profit, retail and more allows them to create opportunity for clientele, working partners and Community. We Create's intent is to contribute to a circular economy through investing $2m in a purpose-built collaborative working space, referred to as BLAKSPCE for First Nation’s business to engage with Industry.  

About the event, Pat Caruso says, “In a time of high visibility for First Nation’s representation and understanding our sovereignty, it’s important for us to work with like-minded people and organisations to capitalise on every opportunity. Talking is easy, action is hard, but paramount to insight change for First Nation’s people.  We need all people to be courageous and stand up for those who are disadvantaged. We Create is proud to partner with Reconciliation SA to assist in empowering people to take action.”     

CONTACT US

Before contacting our team, please read through the FAQ's below.  
If you have a question that is not answered in our FAQ's please contact our team via email at events@reconciliationsa.org.au or by phone on (08) 7082 2977. 

 
EVENT FAQ'S
  
I am booking a table, but I won’t have all the names and dietary requirements for each guest right away. Can I add this information at a later date?   
Your deadline to add ALL dietary requirements and names for your table is 5pm Monday 19 May 2025.
In May, you will receive an automated email via our ticketing platform Humanitix with a link to follow to add all your final dietary requirements if you are not able to include them at the time of booking your table. Or you can go into your original booking confirmation email any time before the cut off date to update attendee information by clicking the link 'Manage Order' and then 'Edit'.
  
Are there any complimentary tickets available?  
If you identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person and are unable to purchase a ticket, you may be eligible for a complimentary ticket, through the generosity of our Community Table sponsors. Please follow this link and scroll to the bottom of the page to join the Community Ticket Registrar. We are unable to guarantee a free ticket for everyone who expresses their interest in attending as our free ticket allocation is limited, however we do our best, based on the amount of free tickets we have available through our sponsors.  
 
What do I do if I miss out on a ticket?   
You are able to join the waitlist via Humanitix. Simply head to Humanitix and search our event, select 'Get Tickets' and then 'Join Waitlist'. For any tickets that may become available, they will be offered to those who are first on the list. If you would like to know where you are placed within the waiting list, please email events@reconciliationsa.org.au    
 
Where can I find more information about the 2025 NRW theme?   
Further information on 2025's NRW theme including downloadable resources are all available at Reconciliation Australia’s Website. 


EVENT PROGRAM BIOGRAPHIES

Professor Jackie Huggins AM FAHA

Professor Jackie Huggins AM FAHA is Bidjara and Birri Gubba Juru from central and north Queensland. 

She is currently Director of Indigenous Research, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, University of Queensland, Herston campus, Brisbane. 

Previously her work has included member, Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Co-Chair Reconciliation Australia and presently Co-Patron of Reconciliation Queensland with Dame Quentin Bryce AC and still remains active in the reconciliation space. 

She is the Co-Chair for the National Apology Foundation with Kevin and Jessica Rudd and a Director for the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth and Justice, Federation University Victoria. 

Other roles include Elder In Residence, Australian Broadcasting Commission, Elder in Residence, Australia Progress and Steering Committee for Passing the Message Stick and Common Threads. 

She has worked for over 45 years across community, academia, government and non government areas, nationally and internationally and is in demand as a speaker, mentor, writer, and adviser.  

Marliya / Spinifex Gum

Marliya is a group of young Indigenous singers based in Cairns, whose music goes straight to the heart. Born out of a collaboration between Gondwana Choirs and Felix Riebl, these young women sing with a warmth and richness that belies their age. 

Born out of a collaborative trip to the Pilbara to create new songs, Spinifex Gum began in 2016 when Marliya (Gondwana Choirs) & Felix Riebl and Ollie McGill (The Cat Empire) alongside the Yindjibarndi community, came together to create new music. 

Since then Marliya and Spinifex Gum has become so much more.  An album and a live show, a celebration of young people and talent and a challenge for the future.  When Marliya sing our voices come together as one and together we can say what no individual can.  We sing about the wonders and the challenges of our country.  We would like to take our stories and our message around Australia and share them with you. 

Bianca Hunt

One of this generation's most versatile personalities, Bianca Hunt has been honing her skills in the media industry for over a decade. A TV presenter, media personality, interviewer and author, Bianca's career spans sport, travel, fashion and music journalism. 

A proud Kamilaroi, Barkindji, Ballardong and Whadjuk woman, Bianca's unique upbringing playing music, competing in AFL, and undertaking dance training, has gifted her with the ability to genuinely connect with almost anyone. With a passion for hearing other people's stories and for sharing her own, Bianca has dedicated her career to uplifting First Nations people and platforming women in media. 

Presenting television across multiple networks, some of Bianca's most notable roles include SBS's Going Places with Ernie Dingo, Coles Healthy Kicks, Yokayi Footy, and even a stint on I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! 

In the brand world, Bianca has fronted campaigns for Bonds, LinkedIn and even a global campaign with Intrepid Travel. 

Always passionate for her people, Bianca is an ambassador for The Indigenous Literacy Foundation and Wyanga Elders. She has worked tirelessly to promote her love for AFLW and although no longer running, she founded AGNT BLAK, a groundbreaking talent agency for First Nations people. Her debut children's book 'Our Game' (Hardie Grant) furthers her connection to community and sport. Now, debuting her self-discovery book ‘Main Character Energy’ (Penguin), she gets to share challenges, insights and learnings of owning her own narrative to others. 

Iwiri Choir

The Iwiri Choir continues the choral tradition of the Pitjantjatjara Ernabella Choir, performing almost exclusively in the Pitjantjatjara language. Multi-generational in nature, many choir members follow in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents from the original Ernabella choir. For the choir’s elders, Inma (song) is a powerful healing tool and a vital way to fulfill cultural obligations, passing on traditions and strengthening future generations. 

Imbala Dancers

Imbala Consultancy is a First Nations owned and operated business that strives for excellence in delivering Aboriginal cultural education. We create a culturally attune space for cultural learning to take place. We are based in the Adelaide Hills on Peramangk Country. Imbala Consultancy is working in Partnership with Imbala Aboriginal Performance and Workshops by David Booth. Both businesses operate uniquely different however have a collaborative approach in working together to convey culturally sound and informative information to build culturally safe and meaningful relationships.

Imbala’s Dance Group consists of male and female dancers ranging from 4 to 35 years old. Our dance works are creatively choregraphed to tell stories through music, song and movement with the influence of traditional Aboriginal dance. Our new work showcases the journey through life and the aspects that connect us to our ancestors. With strong themes that highlight birth, loss, grief and reawakening. This interconnects life teachings that have been passed down from our elders and continued stories that are taught to the next generation.