Lake Macquarie City Council recommended a suite of initiatives designed to strengthen inclusion, celebrate culture and reinforce the city's identity as a welcoming place at tonight's meeting.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said he was delighted Council recommended placing the Aboriginal Community Plan (Bayikulinan) on public exhibition.
"This draft plan reflects our commitment to supporting the Aboriginal community in Lake Macquarie by working together to build a future where culture is celebrated and all community members thrive in a sustained connection to self, spirit and place," he said.
"Aboriginal people make up about 5.5 per cent of Lake Macquarie's population – one of the highest proportions in NSW.
"The plan has been developed in partnership with the Aboriginal community of Lake Macquarie."
Key themes include the need for social cohesion, culturally safe services, employment opportunities and genuine consultation with Aboriginal people.
The Multicultural Lake Mac Plan 2025–2029 was also recommended for public exhibition.
"It is with great pride we issue the third iteration of Lake Macquarie's Multicultural Plan, our city's renewed commitment to fostering a vibrant, inclusive and culturally rich community," Mayor Adam said.
"Lake Macquarie is home to all walks of life, with 15 per cent of our residents born overseas and more than 11,000 speaking a language other than English."
The plan aims to address challenges such as racism, discrimination and social isolation, while also breaking down barriers to employment and improving services for migrants settling in Lake Macquarie.
Councillors recommended nominating Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz and Councillors Brian Adamthwaite, Madeline Bishop, Christine Buckley, Keara Conroy, Colin Grigg, Matt Schultz and Kate Warner to attend the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) annual conference from 23-25 November 2025.
LGNSW advocates for, supports and promotes the local government sector to improve community outcomes.
Councillors recommended Kennedy Creek be renamed to Maraikaan Creek and submitting a place name application to the Geographical Names Board.
It comes after serious criminal activity linked to Kennedy was revealed in 2021, prompting a push to remove his name from public places.
The full agenda and reports are available at meeting agendas and minutes.
The stream of tonight's meeting will be available online at lakemac.com.au within 48 hours.
