Language is important and can change over time. Words can have different meanings for different people, and we acknowledge the diversity of Aboriginal peoples, communities and cultures throughout Victoria.
Aboriginal people
We recognise the diversity of Aboriginal people living throughout Victoria. The terms Koorie or Koori are commonly used by many Aboriginal people of southeast Australia and appear in the names of some government and Community policies and programs. The National Agreement on Closing the Gap uses the term Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, while other policies and programs within Victoria and elsewhere in Australia may use the terms Indigenous or First Peoples to refer to the original inhabitants of the lands and waters now known as Australia.
The Implementation Plan uses the term Aboriginal to refer inclusively to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Victoria, except when quoting from or using the names of specific programs, organisations or frameworks which use different terminology.
Aboriginal organisations
An ‘Aboriginal organisation’ means an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation (ACCO), Traditional Owner group (including Traditional Owner Corporations (TOCs)), or other Aboriginal-led or Aboriginal-governed organisation.
We adopt the definition of an ACCO used in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, to mean an organisation that delivers services, including land and resource management, that builds the strength and empowerment of Aboriginal communities and is:
a. incorporated under relevant legislation and not-for-profit
b. controlled and operated by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
c. connected to the community, or communities, in which they deliver the services
d. governed by a majority Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander governing body.
In this Plan, ‘Traditional Owner group’ refers to a community of Aboriginal peoples who hold a distinct spiritual, cultural, and historical connection to a particular area of Country. A Traditional Owner group may be formally incorporated as a legal entity (e.g. a TOC), or it may exist as a non-incorporated community. A TOC is an incorporated group that represents the interests of Traditional Owners in a particular area. They may hold rights under federal or state legislation on behalf of the Traditional Owners they represent, or they may have no formal agreements in place.
Language, culture and Country
Aboriginal Language, culture, Country and Community are central to the identity, strength, resilience and wellbeing of Aboriginal people, families and communities. Connection to culture, Country, Community and kinship plays a vital role in supporting positive outcomes across all areas of life.
In this Implementation Plan, ‘Language’ refers to Aboriginal languages as the living expression of the world’s oldest continuing cultures, encompassing the cultural, spiritual and intellectual connections between people, Country, community and identity.
‘Culture’ refers to the knowledge systems, lore, customs, practices, values, objects and places that are culturally meaningful and connected to Aboriginal identity, community and Country.
‘Country’ refers to the lands, waterways and seas to which Aboriginal peoples are connected, including the cultural, spiritual, familial and ancestral relationships that underpin law, language, custom, identity and responsibility.
‘Community’ refers to the relationships and connections shared between Aboriginal people, families and kin. Community encompasses the cultural, emotional and social ties that create a sense of belonging and connect people to family, kinship, culture and Country.
The Victorian Government acknowledges the ongoing impacts of colonisation, including the disruption and loss of Aboriginal languages, cultural practices and traditional knowledge systems. We recognise that strengthening language, culture and connection to Country and Community is fundamental to advancing self-determination and achieving the outcomes of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
LGBTIQA+ and gender inclusivity
The Victorian Government acknowledges the diversity of gender identity, expression and experience among all people in Victoria, including Aboriginal people.
The term ‘LGBTIQA+’ refers to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer or asexual. We also acknowledge that some communities use additional terms related to gender and sexuality which are encompassed in the ‘+’ included in the acronym. Some Aboriginal communities use the terms “sistergirl” and “brotherboy”. Sistergirl and brotherboy are terms used in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to describe transgender people. Using these terms can validate and strengthen their gender identities and relationships. Sistergirls and brotherboys might be non-binary, female or male.
Queer is often used as an umbrella term for diverse genders or sexualities. Some people use it to describe their own gender or sexuality, as an identity that sits outside heterosexual norms. For some people, especially older people, the word carries negative connotations, because it was once used to discriminate.
We intend terms related to gender and sexuality to be read inclusively. They cover all people who identify with them, whether in whole or in part. The terms “woman/women” or “man/men” refer to all people who identify as women or men. This includes trans or cis people, regardless of their sex or gender assigned at birth. It also includes people who identify as non-binary or genderqueer. This approach respects the diversity of gender identities and experiences within the community. It also recognises that many issues in the Plan are gendered, and that colonialism and systemic injustice affect people of different genders in different ways.
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