Today’s commencement of statewide Treaty negotiations is an historic moment to reset the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the state of Victoria, restore respect, and more meaningfully recognise the inherent rights First Nations peoples have long fought for, says the state-wide body that advocates for the rights and interests of Victorian Traditional Owner groups. Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations CEO, Paul Paton, hailed the commencement of negotiations for a statewide Treaty between the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and the Victorian Government as an opportunity for systemic change that will improve Aboriginal peoples’ life outcomes. “This is an historic moment in Victoria’s story and represents the start of the first fair Treaty in this state’s history,” says Mr Paton. “For the first time, big structural change that can help redress the harmful impacts of colonisation will be available to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Victoria – which will enable us to make decisions about our communities and the issues that affect us.” First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria is a democratically elected community body that will negotiate a statewide Treaty with the Victorian Government on topics that include recognising historic wrongs, making…

The Victorian Government must commit to joint decision-making with Traditional Owners for culturally significant species following its decision to allow the continued killing of dingoes across north-east Victoria.

The Victorian Government must protect dingoes state-wide and recognise them as a culturally significant native species for which Traditional Owner groups must make decisions, says the state-wide body that advocates for the rights and interests of Victorian Traditional Owner groups.

The Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations welcomes the formal recognition of Wamba Wemba Aboriginal Corporation as Victoria’s twelfth Registered Aboriginal Party as an important step towards upholding and activating Traditional Owner groups’ inherent collective rights.

The Victorian opposition leader’s incorrect claim that cultural heritage approval processes impede development are racist, baseless, and utterly unacceptable.

The Federal Government’s $14.6 million commitment to 12 new areas of land managed by Traditional Owner groups is a positive step towards increased Indigenous Protected Areas spanning south-eastern Australia – which are possible despite extensive freehold title in Victoria.