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Welcome to the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

We’re the state-wide body fighting for the rights and interests of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations while progressing wider social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives.

About

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land we work on as the First Peoples of this Country.

Country

Healthy Country means healthy communities. Our work recognises Traditional Owners’ rights and responsibilities to care and make decisions for Country.

Traditional Owner groups have knowledge, rights and responsibilities, stemming from 65,000 years of experience with Country. The Federation’s policy, advocacy and government relations work helps restore Traditional Owners’ authority in frameworks for managing of Country.

View our work for Country

Community

Community wellbeing means strong culture.

The Federation’s work recognises Traditional Owner Corporations as authoritative and representative decision-makers with rights, power, and responsibilities. Our advocacy and services support Traditional Owners to care for Country, culture and community.

View our work for community

Economy

Strong and independent economies sustain Traditional Owner communities and enable self-determination.

The Federation’s research, grant administration, knowledge-sharing and advocacy promote rights-based economic development for Traditional Owner Corporations.

View our work for economy

Impact

The Federation’s advocacy shapes the landscape in which Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations do their important work.

We have put cultural fire and cultural water on the agenda for government, sought greater protections for Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights, fought for a fair place in the expanding native foods and botanicals industry, championed Treaty and self-determination, supported a drastic reconsideration of how our cultural heritage is approached at both state and national levels, and worked to have Traditional Owners’ economic development considered as more than just small business grants.

See our impact

About

The Federation is the Victorian state-wide body that convenes and advocates for the rights and interests of Traditional Owner groups while progressing wider social, economic, environmental and cultural objectives.

Founded in 2013 by Traditional Owner Corporations who recognised they could be stronger together, we are by and for Traditional Owners: their policy and advocacy body, helping to enhance their authority on behalf of their communities.

Our strategy

Resources

Discussion papers
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Information sheets
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Publications
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Happy Tuesday! Heres what were up to this week.

🟡 Sophie’s writing this month’s newsletter (message us if you’re not on the list and would like to be!), and settling the structure of our annual report.

🟡 Kurt’s revisiting some of our past policy work on crown land water frontages, helping some environmental advocates ensure their upcoming campaigning promotes Traditional Owners’ rights and priorities.

🟡 Steph’s having a “water week”! She’s finishing our submission to the Commonwealth’s Water Act review, and providing feedback to the Victorian Government’s environment department on its approach to the Closing the Gap inland waters target.

🟡 Dan’s finished four big pieces recently: a submission to the inquiry into social license in the critical minerals sector, contribution to funding bids for a program of work to support Traditional Owners’ drought-resilience, a proposal to progress implementation of the Traditional Owner Economic Development Roadmap, and some next steps for our work in Traditional Owner Treaties. Plus, he’s started pottery classes!

🟡 Ben’s estimated 30 different papers he’s working across for various upcoming meetings of our governance structures – our Board, Federation Enterprises’ Board, and committees – and had a boring-sounding-but-ultimately useful win with our bank.

🟡 Lisa and Kaley are both deep in reviewing documents – highlights include a finalised workplan for our new project, some organisational strategic planning, and an upcoming cultural fire feedback workshop.

🟡 And Gabby’s focused on the implementation of the Workforce Development Framework – she had a great meeting with Traditional Owner Corporations’ human resources community of practice, and is planning a September meeting to progress some next steps.

Happy Tuesday! Here's what we're up to this week.

🟡 Sophie’s writing this month’s newsletter (message us if you’re not on the list and would like to be!), and settling the structure of our annual report.

🟡 Kurt’s revisiting some of our past policy work on crown land water frontages, helping some environmental advocates ensure their upcoming campaigning promotes Traditional Owners’ rights and priorities.

🟡 Steph’s having a “water week”! She’s finishing our submission to the Commonwealth’s Water Act review, and providing feedback to the Victorian Government’s environment department on its approach to the Closing the Gap inland waters target.

🟡 Dan’s finished four big pieces recently: a submission to the inquiry into social license in the critical minerals sector, contribution to funding bids for a program of work to support Traditional Owners’ drought-resilience, a proposal to progress implementation of the Traditional Owner Economic Development Roadmap, and some next steps for our work in Traditional Owner Treaties. Plus, he’s started pottery classes!

🟡 Ben’s estimated 30 different papers he’s working across for various upcoming meetings of our governance structures – our Board, Federation Enterprises’ Board, and committees – and had a boring-sounding-but-ultimately useful win with our bank.

🟡 Lisa and Kaley are both deep in reviewing documents – highlights include a finalised workplan for our new project, some organisational strategic planning, and an upcoming cultural fire feedback workshop.

🟡 And Gabby’s focused on the implementation of the Workforce Development Framework – she had a great meeting with Traditional Owner Corporations’ human resources community of practice, and is planning a September meeting to progress some next steps.
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Meet Dan, the renewables man!

The force behind our work for Traditional Owners in economic development, including ensuring theres a seat at the table in emerging economies.

Meet Dan, the renewables man!

The force behind our work for Traditional Owners in economic development, including ensuring there's a seat at the table in emerging economies.
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Traditional Owners interests too often get forgotten in environmentalism.

Even though Traditional Owners are a big part the reason these beautiful natural landscapes are here today.

Thats why were pleased to see the Environmental Defenders Office creating paid position for mob on its strategic advisory committee, which advises the legal organisations on ways it can strengthen First Nations outcomes.

$668 per day paid to members, who are appointed for a two-year term, including five meetings per year. EOIs close 7 August.

Wed love to see Traditional Owners of Country in Victoria on this committee.

For more information and to see the EOI form, please contact first.nations.program@edo.org.au

Traditional Owners' interests too often get forgotten in environmentalism.

Even though Traditional Owners are a big part the reason these beautiful natural landscapes are here today.

That's why we're pleased to see the Environmental Defenders Office creating paid position for mob on its strategic advisory committee, which advises the legal organisations on ways it can strengthen First Nations outcomes.

$668 per day paid to members, who are appointed for a two-year term, including five meetings per year. EOIs close 7 August.

We'd love to see Traditional Owners of Country in Victoria on this committee.

For more information and to see the EOI form, please contact [email protected]
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The words are right, but the policys lacking.

Heres what we think of the Australian Governments response to the parliamentary inquiry into economic self-determination and opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The words are right, but the policy's lacking.

Here's what we think of the Australian Government's response to the parliamentary inquiry into economic self-determination and opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
... See MoreSee Less

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