Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the draft Marrgeil Strategy. With a special thank you to our First Nations community members through the RAP Advisory Committee, Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place and the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Corporation

Also to Wurundjeri Elder, Aunty Gail Smith, who provided the name the 'Marrageil Strategy', which translates in Woi-wurrung to 'Powerful Strategy'.

Engagement with the community has been an integral part of the Strategy's development and supported us to explore trends and opportunities to develop objectives, commitments and outcomes that are relevant to you.

The Marrageil Strategy and Action Plan were adopted on Monday 15 July 2024.

To view the minutes from the 15 July Council Meeting, go to Council's website and refer to Item 4.1 in the minutes.

Community engagement

Stage 2

From 21 May to 20 June 2024, we consulted with the community on the draft Marrageil Startegy (formerly the Self-determination Strategy).

84 people provided feedback through an online survey.

View the Stage 2 full consultation report or take a look below at a summary of what we heard.

What we heard

94% of respondents support the Strategy.

Feedback included support for:

  • Self-determination
  • Shared decision-making and Treaty
  • The respectful way the Strategy had been developed
  • The positive impact it will have on community and reconciliation
  • The alignment to legal and human rights frameworks
  • Praise for being comprehensive, actionable, and realistic
  • Focusing on local implementation.

Context

Banyule's Self-Determination Strategy will guide Council as it continues to work with local Aboriginal communities towards Reconciliation. It will deliver on the core pillars of the new Victorian Aboriginal and Local Government Strategy and:

  • align with the Victorian Government's self-determination policies and Treaty discussions
  • build on community movements towards Truth and Treaty
  • deliver action beyond Council's current Reconciliation Action Plan
  • give voice to a plan that reflects our community
  • be Aboriginal-led, with the potential for local governance.

Read more about the pillars below or take a look at the  Victorian Aboriginal and Local Government Strategy.

Stage 1 Engagement

Community engagement

From 5 December 2023 to 5 February 2024, we consulted with the community to help develop Banyule's Aboriginal
Self-determination Strategy.

During Stage 1 engagement we developed the framework, vision and principles.

158 people (50 who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) provided feedback through a variety of engagement activities, including an online survey, workshops and stakeholder consultations with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Aboriginal Corporation, Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place Committee, RAP Advisory Committee and Yarra Plenty Regional Libraries.

View the full consultation report or take a look below at a summary of what we heard below.

What we heard

97% of respondents support Council's journey of Reconciliation.

The word clouds below show the community's response to 'what does Aboriginal Self-Determination mean to you', with the most frequently used words from people's survey responses shown as larger text:

Word cloud of open responses to question, What does Aboriginal Self-Determination mean to me. With the most frequently used words from peoples survey shown as large text. Works which appear are decisions, community, voice, impacts

We also heard that:

  • There was support for Council projects that focused on Reconciliation, including:
    • endorsement of the Uluru Statement from the Heart
    • Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Place
    • RAP Advisory Committee
    • Inclusive Employment Program (First Nations Traineeship).
  • There was overwhelming support for current Council-run education activities/events that support Reconciliation.
  • There is an ongoing need to support The Barrbunin Beek Aboriginal Gathering Plan.
  • There were opportunities for growth in the Reconciliation space, including:
    • higher representation of First Nations people in Council
    • higher recognition of First Nations culture in buildings and the landscape
    • increased expenditure on the First Nations community/space
    • provision of culturally safe spaces.
  • The six (6) strategic priorities highlighted were:
    • Lift up the social connection, health, and wellbeing of First Nations people.
    • Put Caring for Country principles at the centre.
    • Celebrate and share Aboriginal history, heritage and culture.
    • Enhance First Nations inclusion and cultural safety.
    • Increase economic opportunities for First Nations people.
    • Improve First Nations self-determination through engagement and representation.

The seven pillars

Read the Victorian Aboriginal and Local Government Strategy pillars

Genuine partnership between Aboriginal Victorians, local councils, and the Victorian Government that celebrate, understand and embed Aboriginal cultural heritage and foster trust and respect.

Open, proactive, and ongoing dialogue between Aboriginal Victorians and local councils that is understanding, purposeful, meaningful, thoughtful, and mutually beneficial.

Clarity and genuine ownership and accountability that recognises the critical role Aboriginal Victorians, local councils, and the Victorian Government play in progressing self-determination.

Aboriginal cultural values, voices, knowledge and rights are embedded into the work local councils perform in creating vibrant local communities.

Aboriginal people actively participate in the state economy through employment and business ventures.

Genuine partnerships between Aboriginal Victorians including the Aboriginal Community Controlled sector, local councils, regional self-determining structures including Dhelk Dja and the Victorian Government that improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of Aboriginal Victorians.

Effective and sustainable funding models that support Aboriginal Victorians and local councils and enable the Strategy.

Council's journey

Council's support and work with Aboriginal Australians

Council’s commitment to Reconciliation and to the Aboriginal history and people of Banyule is longstanding.

In 2009, Council endorsed the Statement of Commitment to Indigenous Australians which identified key themes of commitment, apology, respect, recognition, rights, participation, advocacy, access and equity. This commitment continued with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan 2017-21 and Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2020-22.

Of the 104 RAP actions, 69 have been delivered, 17 have been prioritised for completion, eight were deemed no longer suitable and ten will be included in the new Self-determination Strategy.

Throughout delivery of the RAP, and despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Council has demonstrated ongoing commitment to Reconciliation and working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to achieve our RAP goals and our vision for a just, equitable and reconciled Australia. The RAP Final Report was presented to Council in February 2023.

In December 2022, Council voted unanimously to adopt the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, deciding it could play a role in facilitating discussions and information sharing around the Statement’s key principles: Voice, Treaty and Truth.