Carter elected to treaty group

DJAARA CEO and Dja Dja Wurrung elder Rodney Carter has been elected to the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria.

One of three people chosen to represent the Northwest Region, he’ll take part in ongoing treaty negotiations with the Victorian Government.

“The first iteration of treaty was about creating the framework,” he said. “This second iteration’s actually about trying to enable and allow a treaty to take place.

“The Assembly’s got a state responsibility in advocacy for a state type treaty, but then also to support groups individually, potentially to do their own treaties.

“For me being a Northwest Region elected member I want to make time with groups that don’t have representative organisations that are then authorised for the people. I think that’s really important.”

Mr Carter said he had some achievable goals in mind for his time in the Assembly, and the Dja Dja Wurrung can help achieve them.

“The appointment’s for about three years,” he said. “By the end of term, I’d like to set a target, a goal, that there is organisational representation in all of the North West and I think that’s achievable.

“It’s not without its challenges, but I think it’s attainable. Organisations like the Dja Dja Wurrung are more than ready and extremely capable to do a treaty so they can lead by example and aspire others to do the same.”

It will take time to achieve those goals, Mr Carter said working collaboratively was key to positive outcomes.

“I’m just going to have to make myself available all the time,” he said. “Be available to go and meet with people and explain how things could be enacted.

“Like the creation of organisations and the importance of them being representative of the people.”

Mr Carter is one of 22 successful candidates who ran for the recent First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria elections that took place between 13 May and 3 June with more than 7000 First Nations Peoples on the electoral roll and eligible to vote.