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News & Media

Amplifying Traditional Owner voices in the media, raising Traditional Owner concerns through advocacy and celebrating Traditional Owner vision through policy is at the core of our work.

We do this through publications, media and engagement.

Discussion Papers

The development of the Federation’s treaty Discussion Papers was funded by the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) to support Aboriginal Victorians with the transition to treaty.

The Federation released six papers, developed to align with the insights and questions posed during Traditional Owner treaty engagement meetings.

The discussion papers successfully stimulate ideas, discussion and debate about treaty and agreement making in Victoria.

View all Discussion Papers

Annual Reports

The Federation publishes its financial statements detailing the group’s financial performance and that of its subsidiary companies.

The accounts are prepared in accordance with Australian Accounting standards, and as a registered charity, the Federation is subject to regulation by the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission.

View all Annual Reports

Media Statements

Clean energy strategy investment respects Traditional Owners as partners and rights-holders (6 December 2024)

Traditional Owner groups welcome recommended reforms for economic self-determination (27 November 2024)

Law reform to power Indigenous economic development a welcome step towards self-determination (26 November 2024)

Traditional Owner groups welcome Treaty negotiations (21 November 2024)

Traditional Owners must be at the heart of managing culturally significant native species (25 September 2024)

Victorian Government must protect and respect native dingoes, say Traditional Owner groups (7 September 2024)

Federation celebrates Wamba Wemba Aboriginal Corporation’s formal recognition (13 August 2024)

Victorian Opposition must end racist blame and get the facts straight on cultural heritage (29 July 2024)

Victorian Traditional Owner groups ready for cultural management of Country through increased IPAs (12 July 2024)

Aboriginal dispossession must wind up with VicForests (30 June 2024)

Traditional Owner groups welcome dedicated education funding as a step towards self-determination (31 May 2024)

Stolen water wealth must be returned to Traditional Owners through Murray-Darling Basin buybacks (20 May 2024)

Governments must restore and respect Traditional Owners’ authority for Budget pledges to be meaningful (15 May 2024)

Historic Bakaru Wayaparrangu agreement will redress past injustice and enable Traditional Owners’ prosperity (14 May 2024)

Victorian Government ministers must follow Yoorrook Justice Commission testimony with action (2 May 2024)

Victorian Government doesn’t fully understand self-determination, Yoorrook Justice Commission hears (17 April 2024)

Victorian Government must commit to Aboriginal-owned water title for Murray-Darling Basin (12 April 2024)

Declaration of the Southern Ocean offshore wind area does not respect Traditional Owner rights and responsibilities for Sea Country (18 March 2024)

Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery Grant Program (6 March 2024)

Governments must commit to the work of Closing the Gap (7 February 2024)

View all Media Statements

Strategic Plans

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.

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. Together, our joint purpose is to facilitate and amplify a strong voice for Traditional Owners and progress our shared interests.

View all Strategic Plans

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Fur sales considerations arent just about making possum skin cloaks.

Theres a much bigger picture at play: of how Traditional Owners are connected to and managing Country, how their rights and interests are respected, how continuous cultural connection happens in a colonised place, and how regulators make decisions that affect the fundamental principle that all industry in Australia now happens on stolen land. 

Thats the view we shared at todays workshop on a potential sale of fur, sharing our policy insights into how a potential ban could – inadvertently! – undermine Traditional Owners.

We were grateful to be invited to share our views, and proud to sit alongside Victorian Traditional Owner groups in this incredibly diverse forum.

Our CEO Kaley is second from right, between Animal Justice Party AJP Victorias Georgie Purcell and our natural resources management advisor Lisa, whos next to Victorian Labors Ryan Batchelor. Thank you Georgie and Ryan for the invitation to share our views.

Fur sales considerations aren't just about making possum skin cloaks.

There's a much bigger picture at play: of how Traditional Owners are connected to and managing Country, how their rights and interests are respected, how continuous cultural connection happens in a colonised place, and how regulators make decisions that affect the fundamental principle that all industry in Australia now happens on stolen land.

That's the view we shared at today's workshop on a potential sale of fur, sharing our policy insights into how a potential ban could – inadvertently! – undermine Traditional Owners.

We were grateful to be invited to share our views, and proud to sit alongside Victorian Traditional Owner groups in this incredibly diverse forum.

Our CEO Kaley is second from right, between Animal Justice Party AJP Victoria's Georgie Purcell and our natural resources management advisor Lisa, who's next to Victorian Labor's Ryan Batchelor. Thank you Georgie and Ryan for the invitation to share our views.
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Kaley Nicholson is the Federations next CEO. ✊🏾

A proud Koorie woman with an MIBL and Beyonce quote on her bedroom wall, shes – as of yesterday morning – officially our CEO. We couldnt be more thrilled.

Everything I do is for my community, and working with the Federation is no exception. I’m excited and honoured to take up the challenge of leading the Federation into this next phase, where we’ll see Traditional Owner Treaty negotiations begin, an even stronger focus on Traditional Owners’ economic rights and leadership, and fierce advocacy on the collective priorities of Victorian Traditional Owner groups.

Read our statement 👉🏾 bit.ly/488hHqs

Kaley Nicholson is the Federation's next CEO. ✊🏾

A proud Koorie woman with an MIBL and Beyonce quote on her bedroom wall, she's – as of yesterday morning – officially our CEO. We couldn't be more thrilled.

"Everything I do is for my community, and working with the Federation is no exception. I’m excited and honoured to take up the challenge of leading the Federation into this next phase, where we’ll see Traditional Owner Treaty negotiations begin, an even stronger focus on Traditional Owners’ economic rights and leadership, and fierce advocacy on the collective priorities of Victorian Traditional Owner groups."

Read our statement 👉🏾 bit.ly/488hHqs
... See MoreSee Less

Animals have deep, ancient cultural significance to Traditional Owner groups. 

Which is why we’re concerned early discussions about potentially banning fur sales in Victoria aren’t recognising Traditional Owners’ rights and interests.

It’s not just about possums and kangaroos: it’s about self-determination, Indigenous cultural intellectual property, and how any decisions would interact with future co-governance arrangements for culturally significant species. 

And we’re saying that loudly!

We’re excited to be joining Traditional Owner groups and other stakeholders at next week’s workshop on the proposed sale of animal fur in Victoria, hosted by MPs Georgie Purcell and Ryan Batchelor.

There, we’ll share our views on how any future scheme managing fur sales could respect Traditional Owner groups’ rights and interests, meet their priorities and expectations, and support their ongoing connection with and stewardship of Country.

Animals have deep, ancient cultural significance to Traditional Owner groups.

Which is why we’re concerned early discussions about potentially banning fur sales in Victoria aren’t recognising Traditional Owners’ rights and interests.

It’s not just about possums and kangaroos: it’s about self-determination, Indigenous cultural intellectual property, and how any decisions would interact with future co-governance arrangements for culturally significant species.

And we’re saying that loudly!

We’re excited to be joining Traditional Owner groups and other stakeholders at next week’s workshop on the proposed sale of animal fur in Victoria, hosted by MPs Georgie Purcell and Ryan Batchelor.

There, we’ll share our views on how any future scheme managing fur sales could respect Traditional Owner groups’ rights and interests, meet their priorities and expectations, and support their ongoing connection with and stewardship of Country.
... See MoreSee Less

Heres a snapshot of what some of our team is up to this week! 

🎨 Gabby’s preparing to present on the Workforce Development Framework at the CEO Forum, and reviewing the beautiful submissions we’ve had for freelance artists to illustrate the framework.

🧮 Our accounts steward Ken jokes “one day I will say something different”, but for now is again carefully following up receipts and invoices for payments made through our grants programs. 

📝 Kaley says it’s a “big week of governance”, and Ben can attest to that: they’re preparing for a Board meeting, as well as the upcoming CEO Forum and TOC Caucus meeting. 

💧 Steph’s assisting with drafting the agenda and collating papers for the upcoming TOC Caucus meeting on 11 December, and attending a cultural heritage management workshop and an inland waters target meeting.

🦺 Lisa and Kurt have met with a small business supporting Traditional Owners and local Aboriginal organisations in emergency response and recovery plans, and are connecting them with the CEO Forum to see what support is needed to take this approach statewide.

💎 Daniel’s had our climate-resilience grant administration proposal okayed by some Traditional Owner Corporations and other stakeholders, and is chasing Resources Victoria for a timeline to make its promised partnership payments to Traditional Owner groups to engage in implementation of the Victorian Critical Minerals Roadmap. 

🤝🏻 Kaley’s meet with Natalie Hutchins, the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, where she pitched the Federation’s unique role in the Aboriginal affairs ecosystem and the need to reinstate our core funding.

🌼 And Sophie’s just finished our November newsletter, is asking our team what they’re most proud of working on this year for next week’s social media content, and buying native blooms!

Here's a snapshot of what some of our team is up to this week!

🎨 Gabby’s preparing to present on the Workforce Development Framework at the CEO Forum, and reviewing the beautiful submissions we’ve had for freelance artists to illustrate the framework.

🧮 Our accounts steward Ken jokes “one day I will say something different”, but for now is again carefully following up receipts and invoices for payments made through our grants programs.

📝 Kaley says it’s a “big week of governance”, and Ben can attest to that: they’re preparing for a Board meeting, as well as the upcoming CEO Forum and TOC Caucus meeting.

💧 Steph’s assisting with drafting the agenda and collating papers for the upcoming TOC Caucus meeting on 11 December, and attending a cultural heritage management workshop and an inland waters target meeting.

🦺 Lisa and Kurt have met with a small business supporting Traditional Owners and local Aboriginal organisations in emergency response and recovery plans, and are connecting them with the CEO Forum to see what support is needed to take this approach statewide.

💎 Daniel’s had our climate-resilience grant administration proposal okayed by some Traditional Owner Corporations and other stakeholders, and is chasing Resources Victoria for a timeline to make its promised partnership payments to Traditional Owner groups to engage in implementation of the Victorian Critical Minerals Roadmap.

🤝🏻 Kaley’s meet with Natalie Hutchins, the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, where she pitched the Federation’s unique role in the Aboriginal affairs ecosystem and the need to reinstate our core funding.

🌼 And Sophie’s just finished our November newsletter, is asking our team what they’re most proud of working on this year for next week’s social media content, and buying native blooms!
... See MoreSee Less

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