Region: South West
Reserved Seat: No

My name is Michael “Mookeye” Bell, I’m from the Gunditjmara Nation in South West (SW) Victoria and I live in Heywood. I have been elected for the South West Region that takes in Geelong, Ballarat, Hamilton, Heywood, Portland, Warrnambool and the South Coast in Victoria.

Since late February 2024 until 9 August 2024 there has been a number of significant activities undertaken by the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria (FPAV). In our South West Region we seen the Treaty Day Out in Ballarat on 3rd March 2024, Colac Community Forum on 18 March 2024, State Wide Treaty Gathering at Kardinia Park in Geelong from 5-7 March, Treaty Info Session at Winda-Mara in Heywood on 18 April 2024, Warrnambool Regional Treaty Gathering 4 June 2024, Ballarat Regional Treaty Gathering 5 June 2024, FPAV Chamber Meeting in Portland from 26-28 June 2024. All these gatherings are contributing towards Treaty in Victoria.

On the 17 July 2024 we seen the launch of the Victorian Treaty Authority, this body was identified in the negotiated Treaty Negotiation Framework between the FPAV and the Victorian Government. The important work of the Treaty Authority is to support the Treaty Process as identified in the Treaty Negotiation Framework.

The FPAV Chamber conducted a Chamber Meeting at Lake Entrance in March 2024, along with the FPAV Chamber being invited to Victoria Government House to meet the Governor General with the recently established Treaty Authority. I also attended the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll as a FPAV Representative.

I liaise with Winda-Mara, DWECH, Kirrae, Gunditjmara, Ballarat Co-op and Wathaurong Co-op to promote the mentioned activities for our region. We’ve seen nine (9) activities take place in our region over the past six months, which is building capacity with Treaty Making.

As mentioned in my previous update, I’m a Co-convener of the FPAV Treaty Committee along with Ms Nerita Waight. Over the past six months the Treaty Committee has conducted eight Committee Meetings along with Workstream Meetings that feedback back to the Treaty Committee.

The work from the workstreams and Treaty Committee create recommendations for the FPAV Full Chamber to consider, as only the full chamber can make Treaty decisions. All FPAV Chamber Members are members of the Treaty Committee to support the work.

A significant FPAV and ACCO Forum took place on 26th August 2024 in Melbourne in regards to identifying practical outcomes in Treaty. It was great to see representations from the ACCO’s in the South West in attendance.

On the 27th August 2024, we as the FPAV conducted at the Victorian Parliament House, we had a strong representation from Members of Parliament who represent a number of different political parties. Our Co-Chairs spoke along with the Premier of the State, both Chairs of the Treaty Authority & Yoorook Commission also presented. It was a positive engagement, with more of these types of engagement to take place in the future, to ensure everyone understands Treaty.

I’m a member of the Yurpa Committee that works on the FPAV Cultural Governance, I’ve attended four Yurpa Committee Meetings since February 2024.

I’m also a member of the FPAV Audit – Risk Committee that has had five meetings since February 2024. Uncle Peter Hood is the Chairperson of the committee.

FPAV has established a Yoorook Committee to lead the FPAV response to the Yoorook Recommendation and submit submissions. I’m a member of the FPAV Yoorook Committee.

The next six months is a very important period for Treaty Negotiation, I recommend to all First Nation People in Victoria to continue to be engaged with the Treaty Process. As we have been elected for this term of the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria to negotiate a Statewide Treaty, we are on that pathway.

Wurruk

My name is Michael “Mookeye” Bell, I’m from the Gunditjmara Nation in South West (SW) Victoria and I live in Heywood. I have been elected for the South West Region that takes in Geelong, Ballarat, Hamilton, Heywood, Portland, Warrnambool and the South Coast in Victoria.

Activities I attended in March & May 2024:

Federation Uni Ballarat Discussion Panel on Treaty Process, Victorian Governor General Engagement, Treaty Day Out Ballarat, Colac Treaty Gathering, FPAV Chamber Gathering in Lakes Entrance, Aboriginal Honour Roll, the Statewide Treaty Gathering in Geelong, Winda-Mara Treaty Info Session.

I’m in contact via email with Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation, Dhauwurd Wurrung Elderly & Community Health Service, Gunditjmara Aboriginal Co-operative, Kirrae Health Service, Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative, Ballarat & District Aboriginal Co-operative, Worn Gundidj, BSW RAJAC, BSW Dhelk Dja, Dhumba Murmuk Djerring to promote Treaty Information and activities.

During this reporting period the FPAV has enhanced its Cultural Governance at the March Chamber Gathering in Lake Entrance. This meeting endorsed the establishment of five Workstreams for Treaty, the workstream are:

1. Representative Boby
2. Governance accountability
3. Strengthening Culture, Communities and Families
4. Inherent Rights
5. Economic Empowerment.

All Chamber Members were invited to register their interest in one or more committees, this will assist with processing Treaty. These workstreams and our existing committees develop proposals for the full Assembly Chamber to consider at Chamber Meetings.

As previously reported, I’m a Co-Convener of the Treaty Committee with Ms Nerita Waight. As a committee we have had six meetings for the reporting period along with planning sessions with FPAV Staff Members who support very well. I also attended four Audit, Risk, Remuneration Committee meetings, along with attending our Assembly’s Yoorrook appearance, Statewide Gathering and Portland Chambers Working Group Meetings for the reporting period.

We have booked the Portland Treaty Gathering for Tuesday 25th June 2024 from 12pm-6pm at the Portland Golf Club. The FPAV full Chamber Meeting will also be held in Portland from the 26th June – 28th June 2024. We are planning to give the Chamber Members and staff an experience at Tae Rak.

In finishing, as promoted in the FPAV Statement of Intent, this term of the FPAV will negotiate a Statewide Treaty. At this point in time the FPAV is developing a Statewide Treaty for Victoria, and it’s important for all First Nations People living in Victoria to be engaged with this process.

Wurruk

My name is Michael “Mookeye” Bell, I’m from the Gunditjmara Nation in South West (SW) Victoria and I live in Heywood. I have been elected for the South West Region that takes in Geelong, Ballarat, Hamilton, Heywood, Portland, Warrnambool and the South Coast in Victoria. 

As a SW Representative I attended a Treaty Youth Session in Heywood with the FPAV Youth Co-convener. It was good to see young people at the session, with many being too young to vote but they wanted to understand Treaty.  

We attended the Wayne “Swisher” Bell Memorial Cricket Match in Halls Gap on 11th Feb 2024. This event is in its 10th Year and last year FPAV attended to promote enrolments and Treaty Status, with the same focus for this match with over 100 Community Mob attending the event. 

I’ve liaised and had meetings with the CEOs of the Western District ACCO Collective (WDAC) in regards to the Treaty Status. The WDAC brings together the following ACCOs: Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-Operative, Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative, Kirrae Health Service Inc, Dhauwurd-Wurrung Elderly & Community Health Service Inc, Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation, Budja Budja Aboriginal Co-operative and Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-Operative. 

To support the business of the FPAV in Treaty Negotiation, the FPAV has created committees and working groups for Treaty Negotiation. 

• I’m a co-convener for the Treaty Committee, as elected by the members of the FPAV and we have had 20 activities for the Treaty Committee since late November 2024. I co-convene with Narita Waight from the Metro Region and Elected FPAV Council Member 
  • Since the start of the Second Term of the FPAV we have seen the establishment of the Self Determination Fund (SDF) and the Treaty Authority which are very important for Treaty in Victoria. 
• The purpose of the Treaty Committee is to support the FPAV Chamber to make decisions in relation to Treaty & Self Determination Fund. All FPAV Chamber Members are invited to be a part of the Treaty Committee. 
• The Treaty Committee received updates from Self-Determination Fund (SDF), at this point in time the SDF has called for engagement from Traditional Owner Groups to build capacity of their members for future Treaty Negotiations.   
• I’m a member of the Yurpa Committee that works on the FPAV Cultural Governance, I’ve attended two Yurpa Committee Meetings since November.  
  • Yurpa Committee is leading the Treaty State-Wide Gathering to be held in Geelong. 
• I’m also a member of the FPAV Audit – Risk Committee that has had two meetings since November 2024.  Uncle Peter Hood is the Chairperson of the committee 
• FPAV has established a Yoorook Committee to lead the FPAV response to the Yoorook Recommendation and submit submissions. I’m a member of the FPAV Yoorook Committee. 
• With the holiday’s now over and organisations and families are back online, I plan to connect with people and organisations over the next period. We have a Colac Gathering on 18 March 2024 from 5pm along with other Gatherings in the South West. 

Wurruk