Environment Victoria is proud to stand alongside First Peoples on the journey to Treaty in Victoria. It’s time to accept the truth about how Aboriginal people have been treated, heal injustices, and commit to a fairer society.
Restoring First Nations leadership over their land and waters can heal people and nature together, address ongoing injustices, and put Victoria on the path to a better, fairer society.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have cared for Country for thousands of generations. Today’s environmental problems are closely linked to the disruption of this sustainable land management developed over 60,000 years. Restoring those practices and putting First Peoples back in charge of their land and waters can heal people and nature together, address ongoing injustices, and put Victoria on the path to a better, fairer society.
Before colonisation, First Peoples managed every landscape sustainably – from tall wet forests filled with ancient trees to wide open grasslands and arid deserts. But now, very little of Victoria’s land is under Indigenous management – less than 0.5% of the state’s landmass. Traditional Owners also own less than 0.2% of water rights in Victoria, while big corporations and overseas investors reap billions in profits, and the Victorian government collects the royalties.
We support campaigns, led by First Nations Peoples themselves, to address this ongoing injustice – read more about these campaigns above.