Latest news with #CentralVictoria
SBS Australia
16-07-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
The Dja Dja Wurrung lead the way as Victoria edges closer to Australia's first state treaty
In the sacred country of the Dja Dja Wurrung people in Central Victoria, a historic transformation is underway. In Bendigo, at a traditional meeting place lit by fire and ceremony, cultural dancers move to the rhythm of resilience, welcoming a new chapter in the long struggle for recognition and justice. Here, where ancestral stories echo through the bush, the Dja Dja Wurrung have become the first Traditional Owner group to formally begin negotiating a local treaty under Victoria's state-led Treaty process. Their aspirations are bold, grounded in cultural authority and future-focused – not only for the well-being of today's generations, but for their children and the many to come. 'We caught up as a whole group to talk about the treaty late last year,' says Djaran Murray-Jackson, a Dja Dja Wurrung man and board member of DJARRA, the Traditional Owner corporation. 'Our mob really wanted to be one of the first to negotiate a local treaty. We authorised it at our AGM — and now we're here. It's very exciting.' The Dja Dja Wurrung's vision is to elevate their local voice to the same level as state and federal decision-makers. It's about tangible change — home ownership, university education, and cultural pride for young Dja Dja Wurrung people. For Murray-Jackson, this work is also deeply personal. 'I've got a four-month-old daughter,' he says. 'If every Dja Dja Wurrung person feels something from the treaty process, I'll be satisfied we've done the right thing.' Victoria: The national leader for a treaty While national treaty talks have stalled, Victoria has moved forward. In 2016, it became the first jurisdiction to commit to official treaty negotiations. Since then, the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria (the Assembly) has led a pioneering process to redefine the relationship between First Peoples and the state. Reuben Berg, co-chair of the Assembly, describes the statewide treaty as a way to ensure decisions affecting First Peoples are made by First Peoples. 'The Assembly is a democratically elected group of Traditional Owners. Through this first statewide treaty, we want to see that body play an enhanced leadership role — appointing people to key positions, holding government accountable, and ensuring ongoing truth-telling.' Victoria's Treaty Authority — an independent governing body overseeing the negotiations — is currently engaging with around 40 Traditional Owner groups across the state. Board member Thelma Austin says the appetite for local treaties is growing. 'The interest is definitely out there. Our role is to educate and help communities navigate the process.' Premier Jacinta Allan has thrown her support behind the Treaty process, backing both the collective state treaty and local agreements. 'Our community have been clear — they want action, and they want meaningful treaty negotiations,' she told attendees at the Dja Dja Wurrung cultural gathering. Local aspirations, global context The push for the Treaty in Victoria is part of a global movement for Indigenous self-determination. Indigenous leaders and legal scholars in the program The Case for a Treaty, airing on SBS's Living Black, highlight how Australia remains an outlier. It is the only British settler colony to have denied the presence of its First peoples to avoid treaty making. In comparison, New Zealand's Treaty of Waitangi — though imperfect and contested and largely ignored between 1841 and the 1970s — it has offered a platform for the Māori political voice, land settlements, and cultural revitalisation. Australia, by contrast, refused to acknowledge Aboriginal sovereignty or negotiate terms of co-existence. As legal expert Professor Megan Davis puts it, 'The British weren't competing with anyone in Australia, so there was no motivation for treaties. And we're paying the price for that today.' Victoria's Treaty process is attempting to correct that legacy. It's complex work, unfolding more than 230 years after colonisation, but it's beginning to come to fruition. For communities like the Dja Dja Wurrung, this is about reclaiming autonomy and creating lasting impact. Economic justice and cultural renewal Beyond symbolism, a Treaty is increasingly seen as a powerful mechanism for economic development and cultural strength. Darren Godwell, Chair of Indigenous Business Australia, says treaties offer a way to 'bridge historic disadvantage into inclusion.' 'Each of our sovereign nations is going to need a treasurer and a treasury,' says Godwell. 'Treaty allows Traditional Owners to pursue development on their own terms — whether it's fisheries, agriculture, sustainability or cultural enterprise.' For the Dja Dja Wurrung, that means having a say in local economic planning, land use and service delivery, with an emphasis on housing, education and language revival. A national path forward? While Victoria leads, other states lag behind. Queensland and the Northern Territory paused or abandoned their Treaty efforts after changes in government. Tasmania has opted for truth-telling without a formal Treaty process. South Australia has created a First Nations Voice to Parliament, with Treaty talks still emerging. In New South Wales, the Treaty Commission has just begun consultations under the Minns Labor Government. Despite this patchwork approach, leaders like Berg are optimistic. 'We don't need to wait for a national treaty to move forward locally. Victoria is proof that meaningful change can start in the states.' Senator Lidia Thorpe, a vocal advocate for Treaty and a Djab Wurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman, believes the real power lies with the grassroots. 'We need clans and nations represented at the local government level. Real change starts in community, not Canberra.' A promise to the future As the fire crackles on Dja Dja Wurrung country, elders, dancers and young families gather to welcome history in the making. The Treaty journey is still unfolding — fragile, hopeful, contested. But the message is clear: First Nations people are not asking for permission. They are reclaiming their future. And in Victoria, the road to Treaty has already begun.
SBS Australia
24-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- SBS Australia
What exactly is permaculture, and can you apply it to everyday urban life?
Analiese Gregory has embraced beekeeping as part of her move to a permaculture lifestyle in Tasmania. A Girl's Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Wild Cooking If you assume permaculture is only for rural homesteaders with chickens and endless veggie patches, it's time to think again. At its core, permaculture is not a gardening trend, it's a philosophy for living more sustainably, no matter where you are. 'It's a design system approach , which gives you a framework so you can design a life using ethics and principles,' explains Fernando Moreno, a homesteader based in Central Victoria. Originally from Colombia, Moreno once worked in business administration, until an internship on a regenerative farm and time spent learning from one of permaculture's co-founders shifted his entire outlook. 'For me, permaculture is an invitation to stop, slow down, and reflect on where you are. And then start thinking holistically about your impact on the world, your decisions, your relationship with your community, your relationship with food, your relationship with the house that you live in, your relationship with the energy that you use, and your relationship with your transportation,' he says. The word permaculture was coined in 1970s Tasmania by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren. Drawing from Indigenous knowledge and traditional land practices, they developed a framework to help people live in harmony with nature. Interestingly, it is in Tasmania that world renowned chef Analiese Gregory decamped to, swapping big city living for the permaculture way of life in her own country cottage. Her journey of embracing farming and sustainable living is documented in A Girl's Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Wild Cooking , with Season 2 launching in June 2025. Holmgren articulated 12 principles , which include 'observe and interact', 'catch and store energy', 'produce no waste', 'use and value diversity' and 'creatively use and respond to change.' Closer to home, your local community garden or even your compost bin are embracing permaculture principles. Best of all, it's not an all-or-nothing approach. 'Permaculture isn't rigid,' Moreno says. 'You can start where you are.' 'Instead of going and shopping to the big supermarkets, you might start thinking about supporting your local farmers at the farmers market,' says Moreno, who loves to eat what's abundant and in season. If you're dreaming of a backyard harvest, Hannah Moloney, co-founder of Hobart-based Good Life Permaculture , recommends taking the time to design your garden. 'This will help create space that meets all your needs, and is more likely to avoid mistakes which can cost you time and money,' she says . Wondering what is permaculture gardening? ' Diversity of plants is key to a healthy garden,' Moloney explains. "Grow a range of herbs, salads, vegetables, and fruits strategically. This diversity will help prevent pest invasions and provide a broad yield across all seasons." Grow food that you actually love to eat, and lean into companion planting (like pairing basil with tomatoes). Include some native plants too; they're well adapted to local conditions and support biodiversity. No big backyard? No problem. Moreno recommends using pots and vertical gardens to grow plants like lettuce, chillies and herbs. Even a sunny windowsill can be productive. 'There should be nothing organic going into your bin. Compost everything and cycle those nutrients back into your productive garden to feed the soil and plants,' says Moloney . If you're tight on space, a worm farm is a compact (and surprisingly low-maintenance) solution. Collect the cold water that runs while your shower heats up, or save the last bit of your water bottle. Buckets, basins and rainwater tanks are your allies in reducing water waste. Got too many pumpkins? Trade with neighbours, gift them, or start a community swap. Permaculture values community as much as it does sustainability. For Moreno, permaculture is a way to navigate a complex world with clarity and hope. 'People are really worried about the world and want to do something, but they don't know what to do. Permaculture gives you tools to start thinking about what you can do,' he sums up. Watch now Share this with family and friends
ABC News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Labor's Lisa Chesters retains Bendigo despite swing towards Nationals' Andrew Lethlean
Lisa Chesters has retained the regional Victorian seat of Bendigo for the Labor Party. The ABC is projecting Ms Chesters will hold the seat for a fifth term despite a significant swing towards Nationals candidate Andrew Lethlean. The central Victorian seat, in Labor's hands since 1998, has been on a knife's edge since the Albanese government's landslide victory on Saturday night. Ms Chesters held the seat by an 11.2 per cent margin leading into the election. Live results: Find out what's happening in your seat as counting continues Live vote counts have swung wildly between the two candidates since polls closed. A handful of seats nationwide remain in play, including the eastern Victorian electorate of Monash.
