My name is Nicole Atkinson, and I am a Member for the North East Region on the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria.
I am a Traditional Owner of North East Victoria, and I have strong ties to the South West of Victoria. I was born and raised in Shepparton, and have lived and worked within the North East Aboriginal Community my whole life.
I work locally in Aboriginal education, and I represent the Community on a number of boards and committees. I have a strong passion for Education and Social Justice.
The first iteration of the First Peoples’ Assembly has laid a strong foundation for our Communities to negotiate Treaty.
Through Treaty the possibilities for our Community are endless, from self-determination over our affairs, to the long overdue recognition and reparations that we deserve after more than 200 years of colonisation.
Our Community deserves a representative that knows them. As someone born and raised in the North East Aboriginal Community, I know both our struggles and our triumphs.
I will represent our Community on the First Peoples’ Assembly and advocate for a Treaty that empowers all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the North East.
Member Updates
November 2025 — Meeting of Assembly at Mildura
Nicole Atkinson, Bangerang and Gunditjmara, North East region of Victoria.
Recent work priorities:
Encourage community to enrol, especially the youth. Key messaging has been around the upcoming Treaty process – lower house and upper house of the Victorian State Government. Treaty is finally here and upcoming celebrations to be had next month
Engagement activities:
Bangerang Aboriginal Corporation’s Treaty engagement yarns and community events.
Insights:
Community is happy about Treaty. Congratulated and acknowledged on the hard work of the Assembly and the members. Still alot of work to do. Many questions about Gellung Warl.
Implementation:
Keep the conversations going about Treaty and Gellung Warl. Encourage community to enrol especially the youth. Yarn about the upcoming elections.
Looking ahead:
More than happy for Community to connect with me via email or mobile.
Conclusion:
We are now in the stages of the Treaty era!
August 2025 — Meeting of Assembly at Naarm
I am Nicole Atkinson, Bangerang & Gunditjmara, North East region of Victoria.
Work priorities:
Key messaging to community: to get along to the regional forums, to like & follow the Assembly’s social pages, encouraging mob to enrol to vote (if they haven’t already).
That we are on the cusp of making history.
Engagements:
Regional forums in Albury/Wodonga, Wangaratta, Seymour, Shepparton and Echuca.
Attended the Traditional Owners Group Meetings.
Insights:
Community is wanting to know when it will actually happen. Community is feeling many emotions.
Implementation:
To have those further yarns with community members when and where they want them.
To keep encouraging community to sign up and enrol to vote and also to receive communications about what the Assembly is doing so then the community is informed.
Looking ahead:
To make myself available for community to have further conversations as we progress towards Treaty.
Thanks:
To keep being informed about the Assembly as Treaty is on the horizon.
I would also like to express my gratitude and thanks to the Assembly, my community and region for their understanding whilst I was on Sorry Business for three weeks.
June 2025 — Meeting of Assembly at Halls Gap
Member update not submitted.
March 2025 — Meeting of Assembly at Traralgon
Recent work priorities:
Encouraging community to enrol to vote. How Negotiations have started with State Government. How Treaty will assist community and organisations.
Engagement activities:
- Attended with Jarvis Atkinson the pop-up stall at Rumbalara Co-operative
- Traditional Owner Forum
- Statewide Treaty Gathering
- Informal conversations with community and organisations
- Department of Education
Insights from Community
- People want to know if the Treaty will be fair and impartial for everyone, regardless of their identity.
- People are not sure if Treaty will be able to do this.
- People are not sure if Treaty will filter down to grassroots community.
Implementation
More conversations are to be had with those who have grave reservations about Treaty and the Assembly.
Looking ahead
Work in the education space to encourage young people to enrol to vote and have information sessions for those to be given the opportunity to learn more about Treaty.
In conclusion, I’d like to thank community for their input and to say, keep asking your questions.
January 2025 — Meeting of Assembly at Naarm
Hello, my name is Nicole Atkinson. My mobs are the Bangerang Nation and Gunditjmara Nation. I represent the North East region of Victoria.
I have focused on having informal conversations about Treaty and what that might look like for each community member. I also share information on how the Assembly is at the Negotiation stage and how it’s exciting and encourage community to keep up to date on what the Assembly have been doing.
I have participated in our region’s strategy session to forward plan for the first quarter of the year. As I go full time in my role from late January, I will be participating in a lot more engagement activities and community – this is something I look forward to.
Something I have been hearing from community is that they are interested in the Negotiation stage – what that means for them and community.
I will be looking to engage more with community and organisations to gain the collective support we will need to successfully negotiate and get a Treaty.
As I will be full time come late January, community will have more of an opportunity to connect with me. Whether that might be in person, online or via social media. I will be focusing on building collective support within the North East region.
I look forward to engaging more with my community and being able to have more conversations about Treaty.
November 2024 — Meeting of Assembly at Shepparton
Hello, my name is Nicole Atkinson, and I am a proud Bangerang & Gunditjmara woman. I represent the North East area of Victoria with the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria.
The key messages I have been sharing with Community is the upcoming Statewide Treaty, encouraging community members to be part of the process and encouraging others to enrol.
The feedback I receive from Community is where is the Treaty process at and how would Treaty affect them and what would it do for them. There is some positive feedback surrounding the upcoming Statewide Treaty.
Engagement activities I have undertaken is:
- 4-6 September 2024, FPAV September Chamber Meeting at Swan Hill.
- 25-26 September 2024, VACSAL Junior Football & Netball Carnival at Bendigo
- 5-6 October 2024, VACSAL Senior Football & Netball Carnival at Geelong & Port Arlington
- 12 October 2024, Dunggula Cultural Festival at Yarrawonga
- 2-3 November 2024, VACSAL Women AFL Carnival
I also have informal conversations with Community in many spaces about Treaty.
Many community members are not fully aware of Treaty and what it means for them. A lot of Youth does not know what Treaty is and what it means for them.
Looking ahead a key area of work would be to highlight the work of the Assembly and the Statewide Treaty.
September 2024 — Meeting of Assembly at Swan Hill
Member update not submitted.
June 2024 — Meeting of Assembly at Portland
Member update not submitted.
March 2024 — Meeting of Assembly at Lakes Entrance
Nicole Atkinson: Bangerang and Gunditjmara
North East Member, March Chamber Meeting:
Over the past few months I have been engaging with Traditional Owner Groups, community members, Aboriginal organisations and other key stakeholders on Treaty and the process of the Statewide Treaty. I have also engaged and given updates on the Yoorrook Commission and their reports and the Self Determination Funds.
Most of these engagements have been conducted in the spaces I occupy and general one on one conversations.
I will continue to update the North East members with the developments of the Statewide Treaty and the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria.
