Right People for Country project
Right People for Country
The Right People for Country project supports Traditional Owner groups to reach durable agreements about boundary and group composition issues. These agreements will assist Traditional Owner groups to gain appointment as Registered Aboriginal Parties under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 and negotiate native title settlements with the Victorian Government under the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 and Native Title Act 1993.The Right People for Country project moves agreement and decision making for Traditional Owners away from governments and courts, and provides support to Traditional Owners to reach agreements themselves.
Agreement making support
Support offered through this project is tailored to the needs of Traditional Owner groups. Types of support available include access to independent facilitators, skills training (strategic negotiation, group decision-making and dispute resolution), support to walk and map country, and resources to hold meetings. More information about agreement making support is found in the Right People for Country: Agreement Making Fact sheet (Word 78 KB).
Project development
Established in 2009, the Right People for Country project is overseen by a Steering Committee of key stakeholders from across native title and cultural heritage management systems - the Victorian Traditional Owner Land Justice Group, Native Title Services Victoria, Departments of Justice and Planning and Community Development (Office of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria) and the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council. The project is managed by the Office of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.
The Committee’s Report (Word 898 KB), produced in March 2011, details the project’s agreement making approach based on advice from Victorian Traditional Owners and what we have learned from national and international best practice.
The Right People for Country project is currently supporting a number of pilots to assist Traditional Owner groups to reach agreements about boundary and group composition issues. These pilots will further develop and demonstrate the Right People for Country agreement making approach.
Contact Us
For more information about the Right People for Country project, please contact:Project Manager, Right People for Country project
Office of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria
GPO Box 2392
MELBOURNE VIC 3001
Phone: (03) 9208 3243 or email