Local Treaties empowering Traditional Owners and local communities
Traditional Owner Treaties will promote Traditional Owners’ aspirations and priorities
Traditional Owner Treaties can be negotiated by Traditional Owners about their aspirations and priorities for Country, including their traditional lands and waters.
Unlike Statewide Treaty, which will cover statewide matters that affect all First Peoples within Victoria, local Traditional Owner Treaties relate to matters that are important to Traditional Owners in their own local areas.
Regional communities can also benefit from local Treaties, for example, through the potential of improved partnerships, protection of shared interests (such as national parks) and contributions to regional economies (such as ecotourism).
Only one Traditional Owner Treaty can cover any particular part of Victoria
There can only be one Traditional Owner Treaty that covers any particular part of the State. Traditional Owners are empowered to decide who will negotiate a Treaty for their Country, including their traditional lands and waters, and to make decisions together about that Country. The Traditional Owner negotiating party is known as a ‘Treaty Delegation’.
To find out more, see Part B of the Treaty Negotiation Framework.
