Article by National Indigenous Times

A former AFL player and a former journalist are among the new faces elected to the next term of Victoria’s First Peoples’ Assembly.

Results of the Assembly’s third election were announced on Friday by the Treaty Authority, with 17 new members elected.

New members include former Essendon player and Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta, Wemba Wemba, Dja Dja Wurrung and Dhudhuroa man, Nathan Lovett-Murray, and former ABC journalist and Wemba Wemba, Yorta Yorta, Mutti Mutti, Barapa Barapa woman, Jedda Atkinson-Costa.

A further 12 Reserved Seats for Traditional Owner groups are elected through separate community processes.

The elections, held from March 21 to earlier this month, come after the Assembly negotiated the country’s first Treaty with the Victorian Government last year.

The elected body of Traditional Owners will oversee delivery of outcomes under Treaty through a new governance structure known as Gellung Warl, meaning “tip of the spear” in Gunaikurnai.