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Welcome to the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

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

About Us

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 on Country. The Federation works in the following areas to embed Traditional Owner voices in management of Country.

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Community

Community wellbeing means strong culture, people and place.

The Federation’s work recognises Traditional Owner groups as authoritative decision-makers with rights and power. Our advocacy, programs and services enable Traditional Owners to get on with the business of caring for Country, culture and community.

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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, 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 economic development considered as more than just small business grants.

 

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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.

We support the progress of agreement-making and participation in decision-making to enhance the authority of Traditional Owner Corporations on behalf of their communities.

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Resources

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Always a pleasure to yarn with Victorian Aboriginal News 🎙️

Were really grateful to Uncle Charles and the team for the sit-down with our interim CEO Kaley today – such a great opportunity to introduce Kaley to VANs audiences (including 3KND Kool N Deadly and Triple R - 3RRR 102.7FM!), and to speak out on some of the issues that matter most to Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations. 

Well share the podcast this week when its live. Thanks, VAN Talks!

Always a pleasure to yarn with Victorian Aboriginal News 🎙️

We're really grateful to Uncle Charles and the team for the sit-down with our interim CEO Kaley today – such a great opportunity to introduce Kaley to VAN's audiences (including 3KND Kool 'N' Deadly and Triple R - 3RRR 102.7FM!), and to speak out on some of the issues that matter most to Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations.

We'll share the podcast this week when it's live. Thanks, VAN Talks!
... See MoreSee Less

❤️💛🖤

So proud to walk in this years NAIDOC Week march. The sun came out for us!

An incredible event from Victorian Naidoc and their tireless volunteers – well done. A beautiful day of solidarity, care, community – and celebration.

Senator Jana Stewart
Taungurung Land & Waters Council

Ben Carroll MP
Ged Kearney 
Kathleen Matthews-Ward MP
Mark Dreyfus
Sarah Witty

❤️💛🖤

So proud to walk in this year's NAIDOC Week march. The sun came out for us!

An incredible event from Victorian Naidoc and their tireless volunteers – well done. A beautiful day of solidarity, care, community – and celebration.

Senator Jana Stewart
Taungurung Land & Waters Council

Ben Carroll MP
Ged Kearney
Kathleen Matthews-Ward MP
Mark Dreyfus
Sarah Witty
... See MoreSee Less

It’s great to hear Malarndirri McCarthy’s ‘looking at what we can do’ to progress national truth-telling. 

The Minister for Indigenous Australians told the ABC this week:

Now is the time, I hope, as we go forward, that we can look at what we can do at a federal level in regards to taking the steps that are required around truth-telling… now is the time to see action.”

An easy and immediate step: picking up the proposed national Truth and Justice Commission put forward by (her now-Labor colleague!) Dorinda Cox in a bill last year.

The Federation was pleased to contribute a submission and testimony to that bill – strongly supporting a federal Makarrata Commission that centres Traditional Owner groups’ cultural and regional authority in pursuit of systemic change, owned and led by First Peoples.

Read the news 👉🏾 bit.ly/44SL6mJ
Read our submission 👉🏾 bit.ly/4eH9lI5

—

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory Senator Dorinda Cox ABC Indigenous ABC News SBS News

It’s great to hear Malarndirri McCarthy’s ‘looking at what we can do’ to progress national truth-telling.

The Minister for Indigenous Australians told the ABC this week:

"Now is the time, I hope, as we go forward, that we can look at what we can do at a federal level in regards to taking the steps that are required around truth-telling… now is the time to see action.”

An easy and immediate step: picking up the proposed national Truth and Justice Commission put forward by (her now-Labor colleague!) Dorinda Cox in a bill last year.

The Federation was pleased to contribute a submission and testimony to that bill – strongly supporting a federal Makarrata Commission that centres Traditional Owner groups’ cultural and regional authority in pursuit of systemic change, owned and led by First Peoples.

Read the news 👉🏾 bit.ly/44SL6mJ
Read our submission 👉🏾 bit.ly/4eH9lI5



Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory Senator Dorinda Cox ABC Indigenous ABC News SBS News
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