Home - Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

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 on Country. The Federation works in the following areas to embed Traditional Owner voices in management of Country.

View our work for Country

Community

Community wellbeing means strong culture, people and place.

The Federation’s work recognises Traditional Owner Corporations as authoritative and representative decision-makers with rights and power. Our advocacy and services support Traditional Owners to get on with the business of caring 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, 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.

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 advocacy body, helping to enhance their authority on behalf of their communities.

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Discussion papers

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Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

15 hours ago

Thanks to all who joined our cultural heritage workshop this week!

We were pleased to convene a two-day workshop for feedback and discussion on draft guidelines intended to support improvements in cultural heritage management in Victoria.

We brought together representatives from all 12 Traditional Owner Corporations for a closed session to enable frank and fearless conversation about necessary changes to proposed new cultural heritage guidelines.

Lisa (left in the first photo, with Steph and Kaley) told us the workshop was brilliantly chaired by Kaley, extremely well supported by Steph, and full of very constructive and engaging participation from the cultural heritage experts in the room from all the Traditional Owner Corporations.

Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion, shared your insights, and raised your voices.

Thanks to all who joined our cultural heritage workshop this week!

We were pleased to convene a two-day workshop for feedback and discussion on draft guidelines intended to support improvements in cultural heritage management in Victoria.

We brought together representatives from all 12 Traditional Owner Corporations for a closed session to enable frank and fearless conversation about necessary changes to proposed new cultural heritage guidelines.

Lisa (left in the first photo, with Steph and Kaley) told us the workshop was brilliantly chaired by Kaley, extremely well supported by Steph, and full of very constructive and engaging participation from the cultural heritage experts in the room from all the Traditional Owner Corporations.

Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion, shared your insights, and raised your voices. ... See MoreSee Less

Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

15 hours ago

Helping shape Victorias approach to Closing the Gap ✊🏽

We were pleased to co-chair todays meeting of the Closing the Gap Partnership Forum: a place where the Aboriginal community sector sits across the table from the Victorian Government and sorts out the priorities and actions towards the states Closing the Gap targets.

(Heres Lisa and Kaley with First Peoples - State Relations deputy secretary Terry Garwood).

Together, the Forum yarned about Closing the Gap targets relating to health, justice and digital inclusion (we led the community consultation on that one!), and enjoyed some really good discussion about what actions need to be in Victorias draft Implementation Plan.

Excited to finish the job at the next Partnership Forum in April.

Close the Gap

Helping shape Victoria's approach to Closing the Gap ✊🏽

We were pleased to co-chair today's meeting of the Closing the Gap Partnership Forum: a place where the Aboriginal community sector sits across the table from the Victorian Government and sorts out the priorities and actions towards the state's Closing the Gap targets.

(Here's Lisa and Kaley with First Peoples - State Relations' deputy secretary Terry Garwood).

Together, the Forum yarned about Closing the Gap targets relating to health, justice and digital inclusion (we led the community consultation on that one!), and enjoyed some really good discussion about what actions need to be in Victoria's draft Implementation Plan.

Excited to finish the job at the next Partnership Forum in April.

Close the Gap ... See MoreSee Less

Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

23 hours ago

Today marks 18 years since Kevin Rudd apologised to members of the Stolen Generations – and an opportunity for Victoria’s Aboriginal community to hold the government to account to making things right.

The 2008 apology was a first step, not a final destination: one part of the third recommendation of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report.

That recommendation – ‘components of reparations’ – also included guarantees against repetition, measures of restitution, measures of rehabilitation, and monetary compensation.

This recommendation hasn’t been fully implemented.

The Stolen Generations apology is old enough to vote in a country that still removes Aboriginal children from their families at historically high rates: in Victoria, 90 Aboriginal children in 1,000 are growing up away from family, culture, and Country.

‘Aboriginal children are raised by Aboriginal families’ is a goal of Victoria’s Closing the Gap work, and we’re at the Closing the Gap Partnership Forum today: a place to hold the Victorian Government accountable to work that Anthony Albanese described yesterday in parliament as a “moral imperative”.

He said to First People: “You have the right to a full and equal place in our nation and our future – unburdened by discrimination or disadvantaged, empowered by opportunity and security. That is the test – and the purpose – of Closing the Gap.”

The Partnership Forum is timely.

It’s a real opportunity for government to stand aside and let Traditional Owners and Aboriginal community members decide how to support their communities.

But that doesn’t permit governments’ indifference. We need better resourcing, bolder policy-making, and the political appetite to hear and support First Nations communities – to fulfil the promise of that 2008 apology and truly guarantee against this ever happening again.

Photo: from After the Apology, by Larissa Behrendt

Today marks 18 years since Kevin Rudd apologised to members of the Stolen Generations – and an opportunity for Victoria’s Aboriginal community to hold the government to account to making things right.

The 2008 apology was a first step, not a final destination: one part of the third recommendation of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report.

That recommendation – ‘components of reparations’ – also included guarantees against repetition, measures of restitution, measures of rehabilitation, and monetary compensation.

This recommendation hasn’t been fully implemented.

The Stolen Generations apology is old enough to vote in a country that still removes Aboriginal children from their families at historically high rates: in Victoria, 90 Aboriginal children in 1,000 are growing up away from family, culture, and Country.

‘Aboriginal children are raised by Aboriginal families’ is a goal of Victoria’s Closing the Gap work, and we’re at the Closing the Gap Partnership Forum today: a place to hold the Victorian Government accountable to work that Anthony Albanese described yesterday in parliament as a “moral imperative”.

He said to First People: “You have the right to a full and equal place in our nation and our future – unburdened by discrimination or disadvantaged, empowered by opportunity and security. That is the test – and the purpose – of Closing the Gap.”

The Partnership Forum is timely.

It’s a real opportunity for government to stand aside and let Traditional Owners and Aboriginal community members decide how to support their communities.

But that doesn’t permit governments’ indifference. We need better resourcing, bolder policy-making, and the political appetite to hear and support First Nations communities – to fulfil the promise of that 2008 apology and truly guarantee against this ever happening again.

Photo: from After the Apology, by Larissa Behrendt ... See MoreSee Less

Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations

24 hours ago

Whos getting to Gunaikurnai Country for this years Indigenous disaster gathering?

Were excited for this one: two days of sharing First Nations excellence in disaster planning, response, recovery and management, co-hosted by GLaWAC on Gunaikurnai Country at Lakes Entrance over 5-7 May.

Weve had a bit to do with the Monash University-led group behind NIDR, providing some policy inputs from our expertise working with Emergency Recovery Victoria on the Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery grant program.

And, of course, our member GLaWAC will host all delegates on-Country, and conduct a Welcome Reception and on-Country activities as part of the program.

Join us in May 👉🏾 bit.ly/4ahuqrW

Who's getting to Gunaikurnai Country for this year's Indigenous disaster gathering?

We're excited for this one: two days of sharing First Nations excellence in disaster planning, response, recovery and management, co-hosted by GLaWAC on Gunaikurnai Country at Lakes Entrance over 5-7 May.

We've had a bit to do with the Monash University-led group behind NIDR, providing some policy inputs from our expertise working with Emergency Recovery Victoria on the Aboriginal Culture and Healing Flood Recovery grant program.

And, of course, our member GLaWAC will host all delegates on-Country, and conduct a Welcome Reception and on-Country activities as part of the program.

Join us in May 👉🏾 bit.ly/4ahuqrW ... See MoreSee Less

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