Submissions Library

Charles Pakana describes his experiences as a disconnected Aboriginal man and how he has had to fight for his identity, like so many others have also had to do. Carrying great pride in his heritage, he has worked with community in Victoria for nearly 20 years, advocating for truth, voice and treaty. Charles seeks acknowledgement of disconnected people, and acknowledgement from the government that its legacy of genocidal acts have inflicted brutal disconnection upon thousands of Aboriginal people, who, without family, clan and nation support, continue to fight for a better Victoria and Australia.

Rev Deacon Katherine Davies reflects on their limited education about Aboriginal history and the misconceptions they held growing up. She highlights the lack of awareness about the injustices faced by Aboriginal people, such as the Stolen Generations, stolen wages, and no access to social services, which they only learned about later in life.

This submission discusses their knowledge of the ongoing impacts of violence and dispossession that First Peoples experience, the extremely limited education curriculum, and the open hospitality to the content from teachers. It advocates for listening and elevating First Peoples’ voices.

In this submission, the author outlines the history of colonisation in Victoria and it’s impacts on First Peoples, including massacres, the ‘Stolen Generations’, segregation and resistance. They highlight the need for truth-telling, respectful listening, and encouraging storytelling.

Anonymous 1138 describes how the colonisation of Victoria led to the eviction and mass killings of First Peoples, resulting in the loss of their culture and family structures. They discuss how the education system in the 70s and 80s provided little knowledge about First Nations history and calls for more comprehensive education and tangible actions beyond Acknowledgement of Country.

Anonymous 1129 outlines their knowledge that Victoria is an illegal occupation and discusses the ongoing war and genocide against First Peoples. They highlight the massacres, resistance, and the high rates of First Nations children being taken by protective services and through incarceration. They advocate for education on addressing theories of race and colonisation, as well as for reparations, accountability, language revitalisation, and treaty.

In this submission John Milton Karslake recounts a story shared by Wurundjeri elder Bill Onus about a “a day of terror” in the mid-1800s where Wurundjeri people were forcibly rounded up and confined by white settlers.

Tony Ford reflects on their research into the rapid dispossession of Aboriginal people in the Waranga area between 1838-1853. They note the lack of First Nations history in their own education and suggest contributing to truth-telling through listening, understanding and acknowledging the true history of colonisation.

This submission describes the colonisation of Victoria as traumatic and discusses how the entire structure of society was taken from First Nations peoples. It calls for comprehensive education on First Nations history, better representation, and public acknowledgment of First Peoples’ contributions and truths.