Treaty Grant For Wurundjeri Corporation
The Andrews Labor Government is supporting the Wurundjeri Land and Compensation Cultural Heritage Council Aboriginal Corporation to engage more Aboriginal Victorians in the state’s historic Treaty process.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Natalie Hutchins announced a Treaty Engagement Grant of almost $94,000 for the Corporation through the Treaty Community Engagement Program.
The grant will be used to develop a deeper understanding of what Treaty might mean for the Wurundjeri community given their inner-city location and the large number of non-Wurundjeri Indigenous people living on their country.
Research will also be conducted into how urban Indigenous populations in overseas jurisdictions have negotiated Treaty rights.
The Treaty Community Engagement Program supports Traditional Owners groups and other organisations and businesses to engage with Victorian Aboriginal communities as well as non-Aboriginal Victorians on Treaty. This will provide further insight on how self-determination and Treaty can strengthen Victorian Aboriginal communities.
The Program will also help ensure the Treaty process continues to be guided by Aboriginal voices and prepare the Aboriginal community for the establishment of the Aboriginal Representative Body and eventual Treaty negotiations.
Insights obtained through the Program will be used by the Victorian Treaty Advancement Commission as it works to establish the Aboriginal Representative Body as part of the next phase of the treaty process.
Today’s funding builds on the $370,000 in grants provided to Aboriginal organisations in the first round of the Program. Further rounds of Treaty grant funding will be announced soon.
The Labor Government has provided more than $37.5 million to support the Treaty process and promote self-determination among Victorian Aboriginal communities.
Quote attributable to Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Natalie Hutchins
“The voices of Aboriginal Victorians will always be at the centre of the Treaty process. This goes to the heart of self-determination.”
Quote attributable to Member for Richmond Richard Wynne
“The Wurundjeri know their community best and that’s why we’re supporting them to consult and engage on Victoria’s historic Treaty process.”