Region: Metropolitan
Reserved Seat: No

Member Content

My name is Troy Austin, I am a proud Gunditjmara man born and bred in the Inner Suburbs of Melbourne on Wurundjeri Woiwurrung land. I pay my respects to their Elders both past and present and their descendants.

The past few months have been a difficult time for our community., there has been so many community members that have entered the Dreamtime, and I send my love and deepest sympathies to everyone that has lost a loved one, friend or colleague during this time.

Personally, I have continued to juggle a number of responsibilities including my role as an Elected Member of the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria (FPAV) and Executive Officer of the North Metro RAJAC Executive Officer as well as local community commitments.

I have committed to attending the regular Treaty Committee and Yurpa Committee meetings as well as the two workstreams that have been established to shape a body that will implement a Treaty for the Future Generations and Strengthening Culture, Community and our Families. I’ve consistently attended the Chamber, Treaty and Yurpa Committee meetings and have recorded a 92% attendance rate. Given the part time nature of my tenure on the FPAV I believe I am fulfilling my obligations to represent the Metropolitan Aboriginal community at these meetings.

I attended the 40-year anniversary of the Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Incorporated.

Following on from the Statewide Treaty meeting held in Geelong earlier this year the Metro Treaty Forum also provided community members with an opportunity to learn more about the activities of the FPAV and seek answers to any queries that they had. I have been privileged to attend these forums as well as the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies conference that the FPAV co-hosted.

A Reconciliation Week event at Barbunnin Beek in West Heidelberg provided various community activities for the community and was a great opportunity to celebrate the good work that is being done in the local community in Banyule and neighbouring communities. The First Peoples Network Meeting was also held at Barbunnin Beek, providing an opportunity for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups with an opportunity to celebrate achievements and promote services & programs available to the local community. The Treaty Engagement Team was in attendance at both of these community events.

NAIDOC events throughout July including a NAIDOC Community Day at the AALI, Fitzroy Stars Football Matches for Men and Women, Treaty Cup Basketball Match, Hume Community Dinner, NAIDOC Flag Raising, Kangan TAFE event with The Long Walk, Elders Luncheon, Government House Reception with the Governor, NAIDOCV March and NAIDOC Balls in the North Metro and West Metro regions.

The FPAV are committed to ensuring that data sovereignty is protected and remains with Aboriginal people.

I remain concerned about the level of racism being experienced by our community members particularly within the Education sector and at local sporting venues.

Community groups and individuals have publicly voiced their opposition to the Victorian Governments decision to reverse it’s decision to raise the age of criminality responsibility to 14 years of age, The State Government have maintained their commitment to raise the age to 12 but many in the community do not believe that this decision goes far enough,

The FPAV Chamber meeting in Portland in June was a productive forum and allowed the Chamber to consider priority areas that could be included in a Statewide Treaty and identify strategies that will allow us to be effective in our deliberations leading into future negotiations with the State Government.

The FPAV submitted our Declaration of Readiness to the Treaty Authority signalling our intention to negotiate with the State of Victoria. I have promoted the opportunity for community members to register their support or comments in relation to the FPAV intention to negotiate a Treaty, these comments are to be received by 17 September 2024.

The Launch of the Treaty Authority at the Treetops Melbourne Museum was a historic occasion and signified the importance of the work that is being achieved as we set our sights on achieving Australia’s first Treaty, It was significant that our FPAV members met at the Fig Tree at the top of Gertrude Street Fitzroy where our Elders would gather long before we had Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.

The ACCOs Sector meeting held with FPAV members in Preston provided an opportunity for clarification about the role of ACCOs once a TREATY is negotiated. The ACCOs and FPAV members committed to coming together later in the year to resume these discussions.

I have joined the Youth Voice Working Group and have welcomed the discussions to consider how the Youth Voice being established by FPAV will engage and work with the Koorie Youth Council and local youth groups across the state. This is an exciting opportunity to inform our youth about Treaty and strengthen young peoples voices and advocacy in Victoria.

I am looking forward to the Chamber meeting in Swan Hill and the opportunity to meet with the Elders Voice.
I welcome the new members of the FPAV; Lowana Moore, Reserve Seat Holder for the Wamba Wemba Traditional Owner Group and Lisa Briggs, Elected Metro Member. I also thank Shane Charles for his time on the FPAV, it was a pleasure working with Shane over the past 12 months.

I encourage all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members throughout Victoria to reach out to your local FPAV members to share your thoughts about a Treaty in Victoria, There are some great engagement opportunities coming your way soon, please take the opportunity to learn more about the work that is being done and the opportunities that lie ahead for our families and communities, Our Elders laid the foundations for our rights to be recognised, it is up to all of us to enshrine a Treaty for Future Generations that honours their visions for their descendants.

My name is Troy Austin. I am a proud Gunditjmara man, born and raised in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. I am honoured to have been elected as a Metropolitan member on the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria (Assembly) to represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members across Melbourne and throughout Victoria.

The Assembly has progressed a lot of initiatives since we were elected in June 2023, building on the foundational work of the inaugural Assembly. The Yoorrook Justice Commission, Self Determination Fund and Treaty Authority are major establishments that have been achieved by the Assembly.

The standing up of the Elders Voice, a Youth Voice, the recent Statewide Gathering and Regional Gatherings that are being held across Victora, will help the Assembly set our priorities for negotiations with the State Government.

Since joining the Assembly I have been committed to developing my knowledge of the various elements of the Assembly’s work and gaining an understanding various documents and frameworks that are designed to navigate the pathway to achieving a Treaty in Victoria.

I am committed to two workstreams of the Assembly:

• Workstream 1 – Future Assembly and Transformed Relationships and
• Workstream 3 – Strengthening Culture, Communities and Families

These two committees will help shape what a future Assembly will look like, consider how decisions will be made through a future voice of our people and continue truth telling and healing initiatives. I have always been committed to improving Justice and Social Justice outcomes for our people and I continue to strive for advancements in Health, Housing, Employment and Education.

I am a member of the Yurpa Committee that is responsible for strengthening the cultural governance of the Assembly. I am also a member of the Treaty Committee that supports the Chamber in relation to progressing a Treaty and the Self Determination Fund.

Whilst a majority of my community consultation has been centred in the northern suburbs I am committed to visiting other areas throughout the metropolitan region to hear their local issues and witnessing firsthand the amazing work that is being done.

I recently attended the VACSAL 40 Year Anniversary and was proud to be present to hear the induction of Aunty Margaret Atkinson, Uncle John Gorrie and Uncle Phil Cooper as Life members of the organisation. I am a regular attendee at the Fitzroy Stars men’s and women’s football matches. I have attended community engagements at Barbunnin Beek, Wandarra Aboriginal Corporation and I attended the Ngarra Jarra Noun Healing Ceremony. I was proud to hear the Chief Commissioner of Police gave an unconditional apology to the Stolen Generation. I also attended the weeklong Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies conference which I found to be an amazing experience.

I am concerned about the level of racism that is being reported in schools, on the sporting fields and in the general community. Racism appears to have escalated since the failed Voice Referendum but maybe it is just being reported more as our mob are committed to calling it out and saying Enough Is Enough!!!

This is a small snapshot of the work that I have been doing and I welcome the opportunity to expand on this report with you in the future. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to attend the Assembly’s regional discussions or our local engagements that are being held throughout your local communities so you can have your say and hear about the work that we are doing by the Assembly.

I would like to wish everyone a very happy NAIDOC, stay Blak, Loud and Proud and Keep The Fires Burning.  If you see me out and about be sure to come and have a yarn.

Kind regards,

Troy Austin

FPAV Metro Member

I pay my respects to the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation and honour their Elders both past and present. I thank them for allowing me to live, work and play on their land and raise my family in Naarm.

My name is Troy Austin, I am a proud man of the Fighting Gunditjmara. I was born and raised in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne. I have been fortunate to witness the growth and achievements of many Aboriginal organisations from humble beginnings in Fitzroy. Our organisations are now considered among the best in their fields.

My community contribution commenced around 1985 when I decided it was my time to leave school and go to work with my dad, Jock Austin at the Fitzroy Stars Aboriginal Community Youth Club Gymnasium following the sad and untimely death of his brother and co-worker, my Uncle John ‘Longfella’ Austin.

Other positions I have held include the Tumbukka Regional Chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) representing western half of Victoria from the North West Metro Area up to Mildura and across to Portland. I was a members of Steve Bracks’s Premiers Advisory Committee and was instrumental in the establishment of organisations such as those now known as the Koorie Youth Council and Djirra. I became the ATSIC Commissioner of Victoria representing our State at the National level until the Howard Government closed ATSIC stripping our people of our voice at local, regional, national and even international levels after a mere 10 years of existence. I worked for Aboriginal Affairs Victoria and led consultations across Victoria to establish 38 Local Aboriginal Networks. I am currently the Executive Officer for the North Metro Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee, a position I have held since 2005.

I have a personal passion for the Fitzroy Stars Football and Netball Club dating back to 1978. I enjoy a game of Golf with my fellow members of the Indigenous Golf Association Victoria, and I follow the 2023 AFL Premiers the Collingwood Football Club.

Among the priority areas that I am focussed on include Youth Justice, Justice, Health, Housing, Education, Child Protection and Sport and Recreation. It is challenging to see Aboriginal Children in detention and the level of incarceration of Aboriginal community members breaks my heart. The recent report that only four of the targets in the Closing the Gap strategy are being met reinforced the need for Treaty/Treaties and calls for Aboriginal people to take control of portfolios that impact on our people. True self-determination means that Aboriginal people should be developing initiatives and strategies to address the needs of our community and we should be properly resourced to deliver spiritual, cultural, physical and emotional care of our people.

My engagement activities include attending the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria run community engagements. I believe that these engagements are important and provide the opportunity for community members to come together to discuss issues, engage with FPAV staff, Elected members and Traditional Owner representatives. I encourage the attendance at these events as it keeps community members informed and provides an opportunity for us members to engage and stay connected to the community and meet new people. I have had the privilege of hearing what is happening in people’s lives and what their thoughts are about the benefits or challenges that the concept of a Treaty presents.

My engagement activities have included yarns with community members at meetings and community events. It is promising to witness firsthand how invested community members are in the Treaty process. Community members understand that we are in the early stages of developing a Treaty with the State Government in Victoria, but they are eager to see the detail of what a Treaty will look like.

I look forward to hearing the enthusiasm of youth voices and the continued wisdom of Elders as we move towards the development of a Treaty in Victoria.

During my time with ATSIC I travelled throughout Victoria to hear the voices of Elders and other community members and what their thoughts were of a National Treaty. Our motto back then, in the early 2000’s was Treaty – Let’s Get It Right! That motto is still relevant today as we begin negotiations for State and local Treaties here in Victoria. We are all determined to get to a Treaty, and it is well and truly overdue, but I believe that we must get it right, as there may not be opportunities to rectify the Agreement in the future. What we negotiate today will impact our Children, Grandchildren and generations to come, “Let’s Get It Right”.

I support the structures that have been established by the inaugural FPAV members, they have set a strong foundation for the current structure and Governance of the FPAV and this has placed it on a solid position to strengthen our hand in negotiations with the State Government. The work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission and recently announced Treaty Authority provides greater clarity and transparency than anything that has preceded this current structure. The FPAV are 100 per cent committed to walking with our community and this continued at the recent Treaty Day Out event and the upcoming Statewide Treaty Gathering where we will listen intently to your thoughts and directions as well as share our personal and collective aspirations.