- Coalition commits $15.7 million to Aboriginal Affairs if re-elected
- 40 more people to be inducted onto the Victorian Indigenous Honour Roll
- Victorian Coalition committed to closing the gap, protecting cultural heritage
A re-elected Napthine Coalition Government will invest almost $16 million over four years in new and extended funding to preserve and respect cultural heritage, promote reconciliation and close the gaps on Aboriginal disadvantage.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Tim Bull said the Victorian Coalition Government is strongly committed to the protection of Victoria’s rich Aboriginal cultural heritage and closing the gap on Aboriginal disadvantage.
“A re-elected Coalition Government will significantly increase support to Traditional Owner organisations, properly funding them to undertake their important work protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations,” Mr Bull said.
“We inherited from Labor a chronically under-funded Aboriginal heritage protection system, which has resulted in delays in development approvals and Traditional Owner organisations struggling to pay for heritage protection activities required by legislation.
“A re-elected Coalition Government would commit almost $12 million over four years to sustainably fund Registered Aboriginal Parties, which are the Aboriginal organisations charged with advising on, and protecting, cultural heritage.”
Mr Bull said a re-elected Coalition Government would also induct a further 40 outstanding Aboriginal Victorians onto the highly successful Victorian Indigenous Honour Roll.
“This will ensure more than 100 remarkable Aboriginal people and their achievements and contributions to the community will forever be held in high honour,” Mr Bull said.
”A re-elected Coalition Government will also invest $1.9 million to closing the gap in economic outcomes by driving the Victorian Aboriginal Economic Strategy and boosting economic opportunities for Aboriginal people and businesses.”
The commitment builds on the Coalition’s record $61.7 million investment to close the gap in Aboriginal health, funded in last year’s State Budget.
“We have restored funding to Reconciliation Victoria since coming to office and will provide a further $800,000 over four years to support the organisation to continue its important work bringing Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people together in lasting reconciliation,” Mr Bull said.
“The work of Reconciliation Victoria will be especially important over the next few years given the Federal Government’s proposal to hold a referendum to recognise Aboriginal people in the Commonwealth Constitution by 2017.”
A re-elected Napthine Government will also invest $1 million over four years to establish an audio-visual collection of the stories of Aboriginal Victoria to be held across the public library network.
“This collection will be an invaluable resource for promoting understanding and respect across the community, enabling library users, school children and local history groups to learn about the Aboriginal history of their local regions,” Mr Bull said.