Outcomes from the Shepparton forum on self-determination
3 May 2016
Background
 As part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to strengthen dialogue
With Aboriginal Victorians and establish a meaningful and respectful two-way
conversation, the government held an open forum on 3 February 2016 to hear
directly from Aboriginal Victorians on self-determination.
 It was a powerful discussion and it was clear that the community had more to say. In
response, the government held four open forums in regional Victoria between April
and May 2016 in Mildura, Horsham, Shepparton and Bairnsdale.
 The views shared at these forums were instrumental in shaping the first Aboriginal Victoria
Forum held over two days on 26 and 27 May 2016.
 Out of that meeting, an Aboriginal Treaty Interim Working Group was established primarily
to consult Aboriginal Victorians and advise the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs on the
development of a treaty and the broader self-determination agenda.
 The Aboriginal Treaty Interim Working Group will undertake these consultations during
October and November and report back to community on key themes at the next Aboriginal
Victoria Forum on 13 December 2016.
Issues
 Participants considered four questions:
o What is needed to make self-determination successful?
o What are the fundamental principles for a treaty?
o What is the relationship between constitutional recognition and treaty?
o What should an Aboriginal representative structure look like?
Findings
What is needed to make self-determination successful?
 Participants highlighted the need for greater involvement by Aboriginal people particularly
in “funding policy”
 Participants noted the need for more resources and, over the longer term, economic
independence from government as much as possible
 Economic independence will require funding and resources to empower Aboriginal people
and enable them to undertake economic activity to build and sustain wealth
 Participants also spoke about the challenges in identifying who should speak for the
community and the tension between the need for everyone, including young people and
those who are typically excluded, to have their say while respecting existing authority
structures including Elders and Traditional Owner groups
 A number of participants noted the need for the Aboriginal community to mobilise and
counter what they perceived as apathy within the community to the threat of assimilation
and their culture
 Participants were of the view that policies attached to government funding do not align
with the concept of self-determination – this needs to be fixed
Unofficial
What are the fundamental principles for a treaty?
Participants identified the following as fundamental principles of a treaty:
 Economic:
o Compensation
o The return of land and access to utilised land
 Reconciliation:
o Acknowledgement of past wrongs
 Rights:
o Recognition of Aboriginal nations
o Compulsory inclusion of Aboriginal history and culture in the school curriculum
o Economic independence
o Language, history and culture
o Indigenous police force and judiciary
o Simple not complex
o Enforceable concrete rights
o Treaty for Traditional Owners
 Representation:
o Self-government and sovereignty
o Accountability of Government and Elders
o Decision-making processes
o Autonomous self-governance
o At least 50 per cent representation on Indigenous governance structures to reflect a
more equal partnership with the government
What is the relationship between constitutional recognition and treaty?
 Participants commented they did not know much about constitutional recognition and were
concerned about possible negative ramifications
 They were more comfortable with the idea of treaty recognising they are two separate
things, although it was acknowledged both initiatives were trying to improve the current
situation
 Participants understood that the debate was reflective of the state and federal relationship
in saying recognition would fall into place following the treaty
What should an Aboriginal representative structure look like?
 The prevailing view would seem to be that any structure should be “inclusive” in
representing Elders (“Aboriginal Elders Council”), youth, community, families,
representatives from all Traditional Owner groups, and also the “voice of people living on
the country”
 The importance of Aboriginal representation in the Victorian Parliament and in the Victorian
public sector in addition to a commission-like body was also emphasised, with the view put
forward that capacity-building and training need to start as soon as possible
Unofficial