The Strategy is a result of extensive engagement with Victorian Aboriginal communities impacted by the Eastern Victorian Fires 2019-20 that identified a state-wide need to put Aboriginal communities at the centre of their recovery processes.
Broad impacts experienced by Victorians in the 2019-20 fire were:
- economic (to agriculture, industry, tourism, forestry, retail, homes, businesses, community facilities, roads, fences)
- physical (direct injury, smoke inhalation)
- mental health and well-being (distress, anxiety, ongoing psychosocial health issues for individuals and flow on impacts to communities), and
- environmental (area burnt, severity and frequency of the fires, loss of species, impacts on waterways).
After the flames – Community Reflections found that Aboriginal people were disproportionately affected by bushfires due to a higher proportion living in bushfire areas, their existing financial and structural inequalities, historical and intergenerational trauma, associated impacts to their connection and rights on Country and cultural heritage.
ERV is focussing its efforts to develop a roadmap for embedding Aboriginal community-led processes in recovery – from decision making and planning through to design, delivery and evaluation.
This Strategy embeds Aboriginal communities’ voices at its centre and is consistent with the whole of Victorian Government effort to enable self-determination, prioritise culture and support Aboriginal and trauma-informed approaches to healing.
The Strategy sets out the key domains, focus areas and priorities for ERV to:
- better align with pre-existing emergency recovery governance functions and influence required system reform
- increase Aboriginal community engagement with service providers in health, human service and land management organisations, or other specific areas of recovery expertise
- embed clear monitoring, reporting and oversight functions into Aboriginal community engagement practices of recovery efforts
- influence and inform practices for Aboriginal community preparedness, relief and recovery efforts considering the wide range of existing sector specific Aboriginal strategies
- leverage off existing mechanisms targeting service delivery to Aboriginal communities.
Case for change
Self-determination, (definition is derived from the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) is about choice. Embedding the recognised self-determination enablers within recovery processes will establish requirements for Aboriginal people to be at the centre of decisions impacting them. Australian and international evidence demonstrate transferring power, decision-making and resources is the most effective policy approach in producing lasting and sustainable outcomes for Aboriginal people. See the Department of Health website for more information.
It is also recognised that knowledge and capability gaps exist within the emergency management sector about the legislative and policy obligations to ensure Aboriginal communities’ self-determination and fundamental Traditional Owner rights are met. This has led to continued systemic barriers and practice failures in enabling self-determination and in upholding Traditional Owner rights. This affects the ability for systems and services to adequately address Aboriginal community recovery. Highlighting a need to develop and assess the capability requirements to effectively service Victorian Aboriginal communities.
Reforming emergency systems, process and elevating capability will support alignment with the Victorian Government’s commitment to enable self-determination and formalise responses to Aboriginal peoples’ unique rights and needs – particularly for Traditional Owners. These rights are further embedded in legislation and high-level agreements between Traditional Owners and the State of Victoria under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) and Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 (Vic.).
The State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP) identifies four recovery environments (Social, Economic, Built and Natural), whereas the Recovery Framework has established 5 lines of recovery, with the addition of an Aboriginal Culture and Healing line of recovery.
The Recovery Framework’s inclusion of the Aboriginal Culture and Healing line of recovery seeks to better address the identified needs of Aboriginal communities affected by emergencies and is consistent with the whole of Victorian Government commitments to Aboriginal people. ERV acknowledges that bushfires and other emergencies cause challenges for Aboriginal people and communities and their unique relief and recovery needs.
ERV will work with Aboriginal communities to maximise opportunities for operating under the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 2018-2023 and the Self-Determination Reform Framework to ensure Aboriginal individuals, families, communities, businesses and Traditional Owner groups are supported to self-determine appropriate recovery responses.
What this means
Self-determination is described as the ability for indigenous people to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
Victorian Government agencies and departments have a key role in advancing systemic and structural reform to enable and address barriers to Aboriginal self-determination.
Traditional Owners in Victoria have unique rights under section 19 of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (CHRR) as decision-makers, protecting and maintaining cultural rights and interests in their Country. The Victorian Public Sector is committed to embedding these rights to meet public sector obligations in the CHRR.
In Victoria, 11 Traditional Owner corporations also act as the authorised statutory bodies or Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs) to protect Aboriginal culture and heritage in their respective Countries.
Aboriginal peoples’ experiences of recovery
For Aboriginal people, relationships to Country, culture and community are interconnected and intrinsically linked to identity. This means when one of these foundations is impacted by a disaster, Aboriginal Victorians experience unique pain and loss. Damage on Country, culture and community ultimately impact on identity and can exacerbate existing intergenerational trauma and vulnerabilities.
“…the recovery of Aboriginal people from emergencies such as bushfires is influenced by a history of intergenerational trauma. Contemporary discrimination is a further barrier to recovery. The wariness some Aboriginal people have of government and its agencies means it is crucial that those involved in emergency management [and recovery] learn to work with the communities in a way that is culturally sensitive and appropriate.” - Inspector-General for Emergency Management, 2021, p.19
Findings in recent recovery efforts also highlight the resilience and strength of Aboriginal communities through the protective factors provided by culture, Country and community in healing from the trauma of disaster and emergencies. More information can be found on the Department of Health website.
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