In 2021, we supported the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council’s calls for strengthened cultural heritage legislation, to place Traditional Owners in charge of decision making about, protection and management of their unique heritage.

In April 2021, the Federation provided their response to Realising the value of Victoria’s public land – Renewing Victoria’s public land legislation – Discussion Paper. The recommendations aligned with the work Federation had previously undertaken through the First Principles Review Committee and the recommendations by that Committee to the Discussion Paper.

The Department of Environment, Water and Planning are still developing their recommendations for legislative reform.

• Realising the value of Victoria’s public land – Renewing Victoria’s public land legislation Discussion Paper
• Our Submission to Realising the value of Victoria’s public land – Renewing Victoria’s public land legislation

The Victorian Government values the integral role of Traditional Owners in hunting, land management and conservation and a key focus of the Sustainable Hunting Action Plan is to partner with Traditional Owners to build participation in these areas.

View the Sustainable Hunting Action Plan.

In May 2023, the Federation made a submission to to the Select Committee on Victoria’s Recreational Native Bird Hunting Arrangements. We note that the Traditional Owner Game Management Strategy sets out how Victorian Government departments and agencies will partner with Traditional Owners to deliver practical actions to build Traditional Owner participation in hunting, land management and conservation.

Our submission is concerned with how the Victorian Government, through this inquiry, can honour these commitments. Read our full submission here.