First Nations Legal & Research Services

First Nations Legal and Research Services is the native title representative body for Victoria. It is an Aboriginal controlled organisation, with a team of lawyers, researchers and community liaison staff that assist Victorian First Nations in their native title and formal recognition journeys. This submission provides an overview of the story of native title in Victoria. It explains how the existing process aligns with the principles of law enunciated in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the substantial benefits that could flow from implementing UNDRIP in Victoria. It considers practical changes that might assist in progression of native title claims. It also looks at how financial reparations for loss of land might be calculated, how this might inform treaty negotiations, and other non-financial means of redress.