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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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Two days of bold conversation about the wholesale changes needed to resource Traditional Owners’ ambitions for their futures. ✊🏾

Last week, we hosted the Traditional Owner Economic Development Roadmap Summit, where weve shared our most searing (and substantiated!) ideas for economic reform that would restore Traditional Owners to their rightful places leading the change they want to see for their communities.

The Roadmap upends decades of piecemeal Indigenous affairs policy, arguing: if we really want to overcome social disadvantage, we need more than a patchwork of programs and services.

What we need: big, bold action that resources Aboriginal communities to build independent wealth and enduring prosperity. 

15 economists. Two years of work. 10 Traditional Owner Corporations in the room.

And 11 policy changes over the next eight years.

Together, we shared some transformative ideas over our two days in Healesville, and we’re ready to get out and bring the Roadmap’s policy changes to governments, funders, and decision-makers. 

That’s the next step, because the Roadmap’s not just ideas on a page. It’s a tool we’re finalising with Traditional Owners to take to people with power, to influence real, enduring change.

👉🏾 Be the first to read the Roadmap when it launches: https://bit.ly/toc-roadmap

Two days of bold conversation about the wholesale changes needed to resource Traditional Owners’ ambitions for their futures. ✊🏾

Last week, we hosted the Traditional Owner Economic Development Roadmap Summit, where we've shared our most searing (and substantiated!) ideas for economic reform that would restore Traditional Owners to their rightful places leading the change they want to see for their communities.

The Roadmap upends decades of piecemeal Indigenous affairs policy, arguing: if we really want to overcome social disadvantage, we need more than a patchwork of programs and services.

What we need: big, bold action that resources Aboriginal communities to build independent wealth and enduring prosperity.

15 economists. Two years of work. 10 Traditional Owner Corporations in the room.

And 11 policy changes over the next eight years.

Together, we shared some transformative ideas over our two days in Healesville, and we’re ready to get out and bring the Roadmap’s policy changes to governments, funders, and decision-makers.

That’s the next step, because the Roadmap’s not just ideas on a page. It’s a tool we’re finalising with Traditional Owners to take to people with power, to influence real, enduring change.

👉🏾 Be the first to read the Roadmap when it launches:
... See MoreSee Less

Hello from Darebin Parklands, where (most of!) the Federations staff and Kumera the dog planned out a big-and-bold 2025.

Our staff planning day yesterday covered a lot of ground: mapping out a 12-month workplan, embedding our strategic plan into those priorities, learning more about our working styles and how to maximise the skills of our small-but-mighty team – and, of course, spending some quality time together in the lush Darebin Creek parklands.

One way to stay involved with our work this year is to sign up to our newsletter for Traditional Owner Corporation staff and members. Were writing that as we speak – sign up to receive Marchs edition next week!

👉🏾 https://bit.ly/4c1nmiu

Hello from Darebin Parklands, where (most of!) the Federation's staff and Kumera the dog planned out a big-and-bold 2025.

Our staff planning day yesterday covered a lot of ground: mapping out a 12-month workplan, embedding our strategic plan into those priorities, learning more about our working styles and how to maximise the skills of our small-but-mighty team – and, of course, spending some quality time together in the lush Darebin Creek parklands.

One way to stay involved with our work this year is to sign up to our newsletter for Traditional Owner Corporation staff and members. We're writing that as we speak – sign up to receive March's edition next week!

👉🏾
... See MoreSee Less

Today is National Closing the Gap Day, and the latest data shows key targets continue to go backwards.

Calls are increasing for systemic change over stop-start projects and patchworked services.

And we’ve been thinking about what that actually means.

We’ve just spent two days with 50-odd staff members from 10 Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations (plus a heap of stakeholders from government and industry), discussing our latest publication: a blueprint for economic development that we genuinely believe could provide generational change for First Nations communities.

Two years of thinking. 11 steps for change. Three staggered horizons.

The Roadmap recommends a total reimagining of economic development for First Nations communities – grounded in rights, with access to capital and markets, and with a clear-eyed view of mob strong in culture and on Country.

We all want good life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. And economic independence is what’s going to get us there.

Today is National Closing the Gap Day, and the latest data shows key targets continue to go backwards.

Calls are increasing for systemic change over stop-start projects and patchworked services.

And we’ve been thinking about what that actually means.

We’ve just spent two days with 50-odd staff members from 10 Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations (plus a heap of stakeholders from government and industry), discussing our latest publication: a blueprint for economic development that we genuinely believe could provide generational change for First Nations communities.

Two years of thinking. 11 steps for change. Three staggered horizons.

The Roadmap recommends a total reimagining of economic development for First Nations communities – grounded in rights, with access to capital and markets, and with a clear-eyed view of mob strong in culture and on Country.

We all want good life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. And economic independence is what’s going to get us there.
... See MoreSee Less

Real change begins when First Nations communities can determine their own lives, and that change requires economic independence.

Read our Closing the Gap Day media release👉🏾 bit.ly/41AmwEB

Real change begins when First Nations communities can determine their own lives, and that change requires economic independence.

Read our Closing the Gap Day media release👉🏾 bit.ly/41AmwEB
... See MoreSee Less

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