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55
Importance of National Aboriginal Language Policy
That government and funding bodies reflect the importance of the National Aboriginal Language Policy in the provision of funds to Aboriginal communities and organisations.
Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages
Language revival is everyone’s business.
Reviving a language involves a lot of people. For example: people authorised to direct a program, people to research, analyse and prepare materials, people to teach language, people with technical skills and people to learn and use the language.
Aboriginal Justice Caucus Assessment
Recommendation 55 intended for governments to fund Aboriginal communities and organisations to support the maintenance and transmission of Aboriginal languages.
Actions taken partially align with the intent of Recommendation 55 as there has been investment in Certificate II, III and IV courses for learning and teaching Aboriginal languages. Swinburne University is supporting course development with delivery due in 2024-25 pending development of course materials and permissions from Traditional Owners.
Development of language training materials and establishment of the Victorian Aboriginal Languages Teachers Alliance support efforts to increase the number of Aboriginal language teachers and enhance access to these programs.
In Victoria's 2021-22 State Budget $2.7 million was allocated over four years for new Certificate II and III courses, and the 2022-23 Budget added $2.8 million to fund Certificate IV in Teaching First Nations Languages to increase Aboriginal language teachers in kindergartens and schools.
There are not a lot of people that speak language in Community. People are still learning so it's difficult… Permission to Teach creates an opportunity for people in our communities to work in a school, to teach the language, but they have to have a qualified teacher with them.
(Merle Miller, Representative, Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc.)
The Commonwealth Government funds various initiatives under the Indigenous Languages and Arts Program in Victoria. Several initiatives funded between 2022-25 focused on the reclamation and revitalisation of Aboriginal languages.
Recommendation 55 remains relevant as it aligns with ongoing efforts to promote Aboriginal language revitalisation, reduce barriers to teaching these languages, and establish a legislative framework to recognise and preserve Aboriginal languages in Victoria. Further work to implement this recommendation would support community aspirations to strengthen Aboriginal cultures, Communities and Aboriginal self-determination.
Priority for Further Work:
High
Relevance and potential impact | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low (0-2) | Moderate (3-4) | High (5-6) | |||
Extent of action taken and evidence of outcomes | High (5-6) | ||||
Moderate (3-4) | |||||
Low (0-2) | |||||
Potential Actions for Further Work
Strengthen Aboriginal languages in Victoria
Victorian Government to work with and support VAEAI to:
- Increase the number of people undertaking language training, teaching and/or supporting Aboriginal languages in early years and school settings.
- Build capacity of Aboriginal Community and Traditional Owners to continue to reclaim languages.
- Broaden the range of training courses in Victorian Aboriginal languages and continue building cultural safety processes for training and teaching of Aboriginal languages in Victoria.
- Increase capacity for VAEAI’s work with VALTA and provide ongoing professional development for trainees and teachers of Aboriginal languages.
- Create pathways to employment for Aboriginal community members transitioning from training to teaching Aboriginal languages.
Enact Legislation that recognises the significance of Victorian Aboriginal languages
Adopt legislation that promotes the significance of Victorian Aboriginal languages and supports resourcing for organisations and communities involved in language revival.
Background
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) recognised the importance of the preservation and revitalisation of Aboriginal culture and language in supporting Aboriginal people. Commissioner Dodson noted efforts to encourage Aboriginal language use in education were ‘a small but significant step toward the recognition of Aboriginal culture and identity in the schooling process’. The RCIADIC regarded successful implementation of the National Aboriginal Language Policy as a high priority for the maintenance and transmission of Aboriginal languages.
Actions Taken Since Last Review
Government updates on implementation of this recommendation are below:
Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions
DJSIR acknowledged the significant role that promoting, preserving and revitalising Aboriginal languages plays in fostering a strong sense of identity and culture.
In 2019, the Victorian Government funded the Certificate IV in Teaching an Endangered Aboriginal Language, supported by additional training funds, and included both this course and the Certificate III in Learning an Endangered Aboriginal Language on the Skills First Funded Course List.
The Victorian Government funded new Certificate II and III courses in Learning an Australian First Nations Language through a 2021–22 Victorian Budget investment of more than $2.7 million over four years, and allocated an extra $2.8 million in the 2022–23 State Budget to deliver a Certificate IV in Teaching an Australian First Nations Language to increase the number of Aboriginal language teachers in Victorian kindergartens and schools and strengthen cultural connections in education.
At the time of writing, there are accredited, government-funded courses in Victoria to support learning and teaching Australian First Nation’s languages including Certificates II, III, and IV. However, they are not yet being delivered. Swinburne University of Technology has been engaged by the department to support the development and contextualisation of resources for delivery in Victoria. The aim is to enable multiple providers to offer these courses, with delivery of revised Certificate II and III courses by 2025, following collaboration with VAEAI to seek permission from Traditional Owner groups for interested students to study their language.
With the VET First Nations Languages project, ongoing engagement with representatives from community groups is achieved through the Project Working Group with feedback and endorsement of the units developed. This is captured through Working Group meetings, progress and validation reports.
Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated
VAEAI established the Victorian Aboriginal Languages Teachers Alliance (VALTA) to support current, former and emerging language teachers and provide professional learning opportunities. VALTA meets online monthly and has had two annual forums since its establishment in late 2020.
Permission to Teach
Since early 2021, the Victorian Institute of Teaching has worked with the Department of Education and VAEAI to support teaching Aboriginal languages in primary schools by Aboriginal Elders and certificate qualified Aboriginal people. Permission to Teach will enable delivery of an Aboriginal language program in any Victorian school.
Impact
Outputs
Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions
The development of co-designed materials for the following courses will enable delivery through the TAFE network, following permissions from Traditional Owners:
- 10890NAT - Certificate II in Learning an Australian First Nation's Language
- 10891NAT - Certificate III in Learning an Australian First Nation's Language
- 10892NAT - Certificate IV in Teaching an Australian First Nation's Language.
As at December 2023, 41 units in total across Cert II, Cert III and Cert IV had been developed, 26 units were in progress, and 15 units had not yet commenced. When developed, outputs will include the number of learners completing the above courses. Outcomes from the delivery of the Certificate IV will be increased numbers of kindergarten and primary school teachers who can teach First Nations languages and an increased capacity to understand Aboriginal languages or to teach Aboriginal languages, with a downstream outcome of more people learning those languages in other settings.
Outcomes
Victorian Government
In the 2021-22 State Budget, $2.7 million was allocated over four years for new Certificate II and III programs, and the 2022-23 Budget added $2.8 million to deliver a new Certificate IV in Teaching an Australian First Nations Language and build a team of specialist teachers to revive language on Country and in classrooms and kindergartens.
This builds on the pilot course Certificate IV in Teaching an Endangered Aboriginal Language Course at Swinburne University of Technology, which was developed with Aboriginal groups and led by linguistic expert and Taungurung Elder Aunty Lee Healy.
Commonwealth Government
Between 2022 and 2025, approximately $3 million of Commonwealth Government funding was invested in Victorian initiatives under the Indigenous Languages and Arts Program.
Community Views
Professor Eleanor Bourke AM
Professor Eleanor Bourke AM Chairperson, Yoorrook Justice Commission
First Peoples lived across ancient and diverse landscapes, with connections to land and waters — from wooded highlands and volcanic plains to coastal inlets and sweeping river systems. Every nation was intricately bound to Country through lore, language, culture and custom. This is the heart of First Peoples’ identity.
Djirra
Djirra
Djirra strongly supports investing in Aboriginal self-determination to preserve our languages. Loss of language means losing knowledge and connection to history, culture, traditional ways and community. Strength in culture, connection, building resilience and pride reduces the risk of family violence occurring.
Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated
Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated
VAEAI noted there needs to be a greater focus and investment in the reclamation, maintenance and transmission of languages. VAEAI calls for the following actions to be taken:
- Legislate to recognise the significance of Aboriginal Languages in Victoria. Noting, this may follow the New South Wales approach with the Aboriginal Languages Act (2017) and the Aboriginal Languages Trust (2020).
- Build engagement and the capacity of the Aboriginal community and Traditional Owners, as Aboriginal communities continue to reclaim languages. Invest in Aboriginal languages so that the Aboriginal community can support individuals undertaking language training and grow programs to support early years and schools.
- Broaden the range of training in Aboriginal languages in Victoria. NSW is a great role model in this space. TAFE NSW offers 10 Certificate courses in Aboriginal Languages for Everyday Use Certificate I – III across 5 language groups (Wiradjuri, Gamilaraay, etc.).
- Build on cultural safety processes for training and teaching of Aboriginal languages.
- Build on the work VAEAI is doing with VALTA and for ongoing professional development for individuals who are training to teach or already teaching Aboriginal languages.
- Create pathways to employment for Aboriginal community members transitioning from training into teaching languages across Victoria.