Aboriginal communities have cultural, spiritual and economic connections to lands, waters and resources through their associations and relationship with Country. They have managed land and water sustainably over thousands of generations. Connectedness to lands, waters and resources on Country is an important determinant of Aboriginal health and wellbeing.
Past injustices and continuing inequalities experienced by Aboriginal people are still having an impact. Improving access to water for Aboriginal people will advance economic prosperity. This is part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to close the gap between Victorian Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
Over the next four years the Victoria government will develop and implement the Victorian Aboriginal Water Program. This will support Aboriginal Victorians’ continued access to Country contributing to cultural wellbeing and economic prosperity, and improve water resource management by bringing deep knowledge of Country to the management of land and water. This talk will discuss what the initiative hopes to achieve, strategic directions and asks how will we know we have succeeded?