The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria has opened applications for Traditional Owner groups to apply for a reserved seat on the assembly without formal recognition.
The assembly developed the additional pathway as a way to determine its own additional criteria for recognising Traditional Owner groups, rather than relying on the government process for formal recognition.
Assembly co-chair and proud Nira illim bulluk man of the Taungurung nation Marcus Stewart said the pathway was about self-determination, empowering the First Nations community to organise itself and choose its own representatives.
“As the elected assembly of First Peoples leading the way to Australia’s first-ever Treaty, we want to make sure everyone’s voice is heard and that our cultural ways of doing business are front and centre,” he said.
“We’re not going to be limited by colonial structures and concepts.”
The assembly has two types of seats — general and reserved — with 31 members in total.
General seats are filled by elected members during assembly elections, currently holding 21, and reserved seats are for representatives from Traditional Owner groups in Victoria with formal recognition under legislation.
However, Traditional Owner groups can now apply directly to the assembly for a reserved seat without the formal recognition as part of the Additional Reserved Seat Pathway — provided they meet certain criteria.
The group’s application area can’t be over any land that is already covered by existing reserved seat holders, groups must have significant support among Traditional Owners for the area, be an established group or nation and have ongoing connection to Country.
The Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation currently holds the reserved seat in the Goulburn Valley on Yorta Yorta country; however, the North East and Central North areas are among those without Traditional Owner groups filling reserved seats.
Once meeting certain criteria, groups can apply directly to the assembly, which will decide whether to grant a group a reserved seat.
If the group is granted a reserved seat, it can choose a representative to sit on the assembly and work with other elected members and assist on building the foundations for future Treaties.
For more information, visit https://www.firstpeoplesvic.org/reserved-seat-pathway/