The Federation welcomed the opportunity to contribute a submission to the Independent Review of Victoria’s Wildlife Act 1975, which sought to update how the 45-year-old piece of legislation could better reflect contemporary views and values, including respecting Traditional Owners. Our submission focused squarely on Traditional Owner groups’ rights: calling for a refreshed Wildlife Act that enshrines UNDRIP, enables self-determination, and reimagines natural resource management into a cultural landscapes worldview. Download the submission

The Federation welcomed the opportunity to contribute a submission on the first pillar of the 25-year Plan for Victoria framework, which envisages a state that centres self-determination and care for Country in its planning decision-making. Our submission focused squarely on Traditional Owners’ rights – the plan is an opportunity to be visionary in realising the collective right to self-determination, end damaging practices that impinge on and undermine rights, centre cultural obligations to Country, and fully recognise Traditional Owner Corporations’ rights and authority by providing for power-sharing partnership, we said (in just six pages, too!). Download the submission

The Federation welcomed the opportunity to contribute a submission to the Truth and Justice Commission Bill, which would create a national truth-telling mechanism as called for by the Uluru Statement from the Heart. In response to the Joint Standing Committee’s request to hear how the Commission could be culturally safe, our submission urged a future Commission to Commission to seek cultural and community authority (including through engaging with Traditional Owner Corporations), embed internationally established Indigenous human rights into its design, and take the best parts of Victoria’s Yoorrook Justice Commission to ensure a culturally safe and meaningful truth-telling process. Download the submission Read the testimony

The Federation’s submission to the Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications’ offshore wind consultation inquiry.

The Federation welcomed the opportunity to provide further information relating to water entitlement buy-backs in the Murray Darling Basin and urge a focus on Traditional Owner interests and perspectives as this work progresses.

The Federation welcomed the opportunity to share our views and expertise on Traditional Owner economic independence with the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.

The Federation welcomed the opportunity to share Traditional Owner views on the Draft Renewable Energy Zone Community Benefits Plan in June 2024.

The Federation welcomed the opportunity to contribute a submission to truth-telling body Yoorrook Justice Commission’s inquiry into economic prosperity for First Nations peoples in April 2024.

The Federation welcomed the opportunity to contribute a submission the proposed legislation covering fake Indigenous art and broader Indigenous cultural and intellectual property legislation in June 2024.