Caring for Country and Legislative Reform

Rodney Carter is a descendant of Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta people and resides at Bendigo in Central Victoria. He currently works for his people, the Dja Dja Wurrung as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation and the Dja Dja Wurrung Enterprises Pty Ltd.

A defining moment for Rodney was negotiating the Dja Dja Wurrung people’s native title settlement under the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010.

Rodney applied for a position on Council because he strongly believes that Victorian Aboriginal people are those best placed to manage their own history, places and materials for the benefit of all Victorians.

Rodney was previous Chairperson of the Council over 2012, 2013 and 2014 and his current 3-year appointment as a Council member will end on 1 September 2021.

Rachel is from the Arrernte and Kalkadoon people. She is a filmmaker and primarily works through her company Blackfella Films, which she established in 1993. Her directing work includes the TV series Total Control and series one of Mystery Road. Her documentary work includes the series First Australian and movies Bran Nue Dae, Jasper Jones, Mabo, One Night the Moon and Radiance.

She lives between Sydney and Alice Springs, her traditional country. With her Arrernte community she has undertaken cultural resurgence initiatives including the recording of traditional Arrernte women’s songs and publishing of Arrernte audio language resources. She has served on a number of federal agency boards and currently serves on The Australian Heritage Council.

Hans Bokelund is the inaugural Director of Aboriginal Melbourne Branch. He decided to join the City of Melbourne because of the exciting new branch the City of Melbourne was establishing. Building on and enhancing the City of Melbourne as a recognised leader of Aboriginal culture – A City with an Aboriginal focus. Exploring ways to bring the City of Melbourne’s Reconciliation Action Plan to life and working with his team to revitalise relationships with the Aboriginal community members and cement Aboriginal Melbourne as a benchmark par excellence. Hans is also a Darumbal/Turrbal man from Queensland and past-President of Tarwirri (Indigenous Law Students and Lawyers Association of Victoria).

Jamie Lowe is a Gunditjmara Djabwurrung man and Chief Executive Officer of the National Native Title Council, a peak body set up to maximise the contribution of native title to achieving and improving the economic, social and cultural participation of Indigenous Australians. Jamie was also elected to the executive of First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, as Victorian Aboriginal Peoples move towards treaty.

Before joining the National Native Title Council, Jamie was Chief Executive Officer of the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, appointed by the Federal Court to hold native title rights and interests for Eastern Maar citizens over their country in southwestern Victoria. Jamie still stays involved in community and negotiations of settlement for future Eastern Maar claims.

Jamie has a background in both government and non-government sectors and has expertise and skills in governance, management, strategic planning and economic development. Jamie believes that creating economic independence and maintaining and growing cultural identity are key to creating a self-determining nation of Aboriginal people.

Racquel Kerr is a young Dja Dja Wurrung woman with connections to the Barapa Barapa and Boon Wurrung Peoples. 

With 10 years in the Aboriginal cultural heritage industry, Racquel specialises in legislative compliance, being one of the first appointed Aboriginal Heritage Officers in 2017, and currently appointed to the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council. 

Her current role is in Parks Victoria, as the Project Coordinator for the Dja Dja Wurrung Recognition and Settlement Agreement, focusing on partnerships within joint management. Racquel is also a law student at Deakin, with a focus on constitutional and human rights law.

Her passion lies within supporting community and young people to self determination, and understanding the current systems for change.

Racquel’s 3-year appointment as a Council member will end on 1 September, 2021.