The artwork on the cover of this report is by David Williams, a descendant of the Wakka Wakka people of central south-west Queensland. David writes the following explanatory notes about the artwork:
The depiction of the campfire circle, or healing circle, is a representation of the place in which healing takes place within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. The central location it takes in the artwork represents the importance of the campfire as a space for communities to come together and create positive outcomes. The ‘squiggly’ line represents the stories that happen in this circle and the white dots emanating from the campfire represent smoke and, more broadly, the benefits that come from dealing with trauma in such a therapeutic way.
The more traditional representation of spirit is used in this artwork to show the spirit overlooking the campfire to bring spiritual healing to the circle by rebuilding identity and culture. The spirit is also a symbol of the good spirit, or intention, that the Team brings by creating the Foundation to address healing needs. The sun symbolises new beginnings and the hope that comes from this new initiative of healing to address the root causes of unresolved trauma, grief and shame.
The progression of circles leading inwards from the bottom left of the artwork to the campfire signifies the intergenerational trauma that has occurred, leading to the use of the campfire to create communication as a therapeutic approach to address these traumas. The circles leading from the campfire start small and grow large, meaning positive outcomes that create growth within individuals. A timeline symbolises the positive flow-on effects of healing.
The river running down the left-hand side of the artwork is used to bring a calming effect to the artwork. As a colour palette, the blue balances the reds and yellows of the fire and symbolises peace and serenity as the aim of holistic healing for individuals, families and communities. The use of fire, and a colour scheme strongly representative of fire, is to show the importance that it has in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, from its use as a place for meeting to its use in back-burning country as a way of regenerating life.