Evidence Library

This submission discusses moving from their ancestral country seeking acceptance but facing racism. Despite efforts to assimilate, they endured discrimination from people who hated their existence. They now work at a university, fighting to have people handling big projects achieve their social procurement targets. They advocate for investigating social procurement numbers provided by universities.

Aunty Eileen Maude Alberts is a Gilgar Gunditj woman. This submission is a transcript where she discusses her and her family’s life.

In this submission, a fourth-generation white Australian woman reflects on her family history, her privilege, her journey towards understanding Aboriginal history and culture, and how we can move away from current colonial structures and communities through education and building relationships.

This submission from Duncan Rouch addresses key issues related to homelessness of Aboriginal people, including the number of Aboriginal households on the Victorian Housing Register, the number and nature of Indigenous homelessness, and the chronic underfunding of Aboriginal Housing Victoria. It also offers recommendations for improvement.

This submission reflects on the Voice to Parliament referendum, highlighting the strength of Mob in the face of the ‘No Vote’ and the toll it has taken on community.

In this submission, Leanne Edwards Kodga, of Lake Tyers, discusses the handback of the Lake Tyers mission as freehold title land in 1970-71, how they thought things would change from the missionary days to self-determination, and how the opposite has occurred.

Cristie is a Gunai Kurnai woman and single mother who pursued a career in social emotional and wellbeing services. In her work to strengthen Aboriginal culture, ‘keeping our culture strong through health,’ she followed policies and regulations to raise concerns, which ultimately resulted in her being blackballed by non-Indigenous colleagues.

This submission from Bonneville Chew details their experience and the trauma incurred attending Cottage by the Sea in Queenscliff as a 7-year-old Aboriginal child in the 1980s

The submission describes an Aboriginal woman disconnected from her heritage due to her father being adopted into a white Irish family. It discusses the effects of inter-generational trauma on the father, leading to alcoholism, depression and loss of identity.

Yohann, originally from Brittany, France, now living on Bunurong Lands, reflects on the revival of Breton culture through music, education, live events and bilingual signage. They look forward to similar recognition and use of local languages occurring in Melbourne.