Belinda Briggs

My name is Belinda Briggs, through my mother, father and grandparents and so on, I am Yorta Yorta, Wamba Wamba, Wurundjeri and Ngiyampaa. Together with my partner Bradley, a Kurnai man, we have two sons, we live and work in Shepparton on Dungala, kaiela Woka (Murray, Goulburn River Country).

I have strong connections within extended family network between Echuca where I was born, Shepp, Morooopna, Moama, Cummera and Barmah. Our family lines travel, along the Murray River from Albury to Mildura, with connections into NSW along Edwards at Deniliquin and Moonacullah, Lachlan River at Hillston and also at Coranderrk through my father, to my great grandfather.

My upbringing, those stories shared and handed down and continue to be handed down, those connections are what give me my belonging, values, principles, shape my identity and place in the web of connections between us all.

I see Treaty as a way to strengthen our capabilities and capacity to navigate the complexities we face today and ahead in the future. I see it giving us the means to negotiate our futures, our place in it, with our identities, culture, knowledge intact, strong spirit, healthy families and community.