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Welcome to the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

We’re the state-wide body fighting for the rights and interests of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations while progressing wider social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives.

About

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land we work on as the First Peoples of this Country.

Country

Healthy Country means healthy communities. Our work recognises Traditional Owners’ rights and responsibilities to care and make decisions for Country.

Traditional Owner groups have knowledge, rights and responsibilities, stemming from 65,000 years of experience with Country. The Federation’s policy, advocacy and government relations work helps restore Traditional Owners’ authority in frameworks for managing of Country.

View our work for Country

Community

Community wellbeing means strong culture.

The Federation’s work recognises Traditional Owner Corporations as authoritative and representative decision-makers with rights, power, and responsibilities. Our advocacy and services support Traditional Owners to care for Country, culture and community.

View our work for community

Economy

Strong and independent economies sustain Traditional Owner communities and enable self-determination.

The Federation’s research, grant administration, knowledge-sharing and advocacy promote rights-based economic development for Traditional Owner Corporations.

View our work for economy

Impact

The Federation’s advocacy shapes the landscape in which Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations do their important work.

We have put cultural fire and cultural water on the agenda for government, sought greater protections for Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights, fought for a fair place in the expanding native foods and botanicals industry, championed Treaty and self-determination, supported a drastic reconsideration of how our cultural heritage is approached at both state and national levels, and worked to have Traditional Owners’ economic development considered as more than just small business grants.

See our impact

About

The Federation is the Victorian state-wide body that convenes and advocates for the rights and interests of Traditional Owner groups while progressing wider social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives.

Founded in 2013 by Traditional Owner Corporations who recognised they could be stronger together, we are by and for Traditional Owners: their policy and advocacy body, helping to enhance their authority on behalf of their communities.

Our strategy

Resources

Discussion papers
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Information sheets
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Publications
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Sophies on the other side of our social media and is typing this in the third person. Dont make this awkward.

Tap through to get to know our comms gal.

Sophie's on the other side of our social media and is typing this in the third person. Don't make this awkward.

Tap through to get to know our comms gal.
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Grants open for native title holders!

New Commonwealth Government grants are available to help Prescribed Bodies Corporates seize economic development opportunities and partner with government and industry.

The just-announced grants range between $50,000 and $750,000, and dont close until 30 June 2029.

Learn more 👉🏾 bit.ly/4fCJGCz

Grants open for native title holders!

New Commonwealth Government grants are available to help Prescribed Bodies Corporates seize economic development opportunities and partner with government and industry.

The just-announced grants range between $50,000 and $750,000, and don't close until 30 June 2029.

Learn more 👉🏾 bit.ly/4fCJGCz
... See MoreSee Less

Were dreaming of the weekends weather and plugging away at policy papers. Heres what some of our teams up to this week.

🔵 Lisa’s finalising the agenda for the next CEO Forum, and completing some milestone reporting for our Cultural Fire Leadership Group secretariat contract.

🔵 We’re appearing at the racism inquiry’s public hearing on Friday, and Sophie’s assisting with notes to support our submission on the systemic racism Traditional Owner Corporations face in doing their important work.

🔵 Steph’s still focused on water policy: she’s at an all-day Inland Water Target meeting tomorrow, and finalising our submission to the Commonwealth’s Water Act review. Plus, she’s starting a literature review for a partnership framework standard for critical minerals mining.

🔵 On Friday our cultural fire team held a fantastic workshop on its current policy paper – the policy and legislative barriers facing the practice of cultural fire – and Kurt, Gabby and Lisa are now settling content edits before it’s off to Sophie for proof-reading and formatting.

🔵 Kaley’s lined up a meeting for Traditional Owner Corporations with a Victorian Government department that raised our eyebrows with some interesting questioning around a grant program – we’re coordinating RSVPs to make sure everyone’s questions can be asked and voices can be heard.

We're dreaming of the weekend's weather and plugging away at policy papers. Here's what some of our team's up to this week.

🔵 Lisa’s finalising the agenda for the next CEO Forum, and completing some milestone reporting for our Cultural Fire Leadership Group secretariat contract.

🔵 We’re appearing at the racism inquiry’s public hearing on Friday, and Sophie’s assisting with notes to support our submission on the systemic racism Traditional Owner Corporations face in doing their important work.

🔵 Steph’s still focused on water policy: she’s at an all-day Inland Water Target meeting tomorrow, and finalising our submission to the Commonwealth’s Water Act review. Plus, she’s starting a literature review for a partnership framework standard for critical minerals mining.

🔵 On Friday our cultural fire team held a fantastic workshop on its current policy paper – the policy and legislative barriers facing the practice of cultural fire – and Kurt, Gabby and Lisa are now settling content edits before it’s off to Sophie for proof-reading and formatting.

🔵 Kaley’s lined up a meeting for Traditional Owner Corporations with a Victorian Government department that raised our eyebrows with some interesting questioning around a grant program – we’re coordinating RSVPs to make sure everyone’s questions can be asked and voices can be heard.
... See MoreSee Less

Mining for critical minerals harms Country. 

But Traditional Owners understand the need and demand for critical minerals, and are ready to partner with governments and industry to get mining happening. 

But agreement-making and equitable benefit-sharing have to be part of the conversation. 

Its how Traditional Owners can protect Country and ensure economic sustainability for communities.

Its par for the course in oil and gas, but not quite there in emerging economies.

So its up to the Federal Government to get the policy settings right and the expectations clear.

Read more in our submission to the inquiry into factors shaping social license and economic development outcomes in critical minerals mining projects across Australia.

Mining for critical minerals harms Country.

But Traditional Owners understand the need and demand for critical minerals, and are ready to partner with governments and industry to get mining happening.

But agreement-making and equitable benefit-sharing have to be part of the conversation.

It's how Traditional Owners can protect Country and ensure economic sustainability for communities.

It's par for the course in oil and gas, but not quite there in emerging economies.

So it's up to the Federal Government to get the policy settings right and the expectations clear.

Read more in our submission to the inquiry into factors shaping social license and economic development outcomes in critical minerals mining projects across Australia.
... See MoreSee Less

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