Victoria 2026 - Commonwealth Games

[RooBlu]

1 hour ago, Gonzo said:

LOL. Regional rail is a joke in Victoria even after spending billions of dollars to create services even slower than previous services. Oh and who was the head of the failed & corrupt (V/Line) Regional Rail Victoria? The same clown that is now the CEO of Victoria 2026. Herr Commander

You clearly know nothing about the dynamics of regional Victoria. Since 2002 some $3 billion had been spent upgrading rail lines, reinstating stations and lines closed under the Kennett government, introducing 100 3-car VLocity sets, modernising signalling and automating level crossing signals. Stations have been upgraded and ticketing automated. Since these upgrades every township with 120 km radius of Melbourne has booked because of faster, more available, modern and clean train services. VLine patronage has soared to point if being victim of its own success. Services have only slowed down due to the frequency of station stops and hugely increased passenger numbers.

Since the VLine upgrades began in 2002 Geelong has added 100,000 people, Ballarat 30,000, Bendigo 27,000, Bacchus Marsh 18,000, Wallan from 4000 to 15,000, Kilmore 4,500 to 10,000, Broadford 2100 to 4,500, Ballan 1500 to 3,200. So there might be a reason that the services don't always hit their benchmark times. Then again come to think of it Metro in Melbourne never, ever runs to it's schedules.

We're not interested in the inane and I'll informed opinions of somebody from Melbourne coming onto this thread pouring crap all over regional Victoria. Honestly if you can't offer anything constructive and just want to come here trolling and carping about something that you haven't got a snowflakes chance in Hell of changing, then perhaps this forum isn't for you. What do you reckon?

[AustralianFan]

Respected First Peoples elders talk about Victoria 2026

 

[Victorian]

2 hours ago, AustralianFan said:

Respected First Peoples elders talk about Victoria 2026

 

This Games are going to heavily focus on Indigenous Victoria. 

[AustralianFan]

9 minutes ago, Victorian said:

This Games are going to heavily focus on Indigenous Victoria. 

Absolutely

[AustralianFan]

Bendigo likely to be host for shooting if sport added to Victoria 2026:

 

Preferred candidate Bendigo proposes integrated shooting event for Victoria 2026 - 10/08/2022 - Inside The Gameds

 

[RooBlu]

7 hours ago, Victorian said:

This Games are going to heavily focus on Indigenous Victoria. 

Goodness I hope that they don't go too over the top with it, the indigenous population in Victoria is highly urbanised and integrated to the point of virtual invisbility. It's hardly like indigenous customs form a cornerstone to Victorian culture and daily life. I'd hate to see the Games being highjacked by the government pushing a virtue signalling agenda or this state treaty that the Premier keeps talking about.

[RooBlu]

7 hours ago, AustralianFan said:

Bendigo likely to be host for shooting if sport added to Victoria 2026:

 

Preferred candidate Bendigo proposes integrated shooting event for Victoria 2026 - 10/08/2022 - Inside The Gameds

 

I'd like to see shooting get up. Put the track cycling at John Cain Arena and rowing on Lake Wendouree. But I guess we'll find out late next month 

[Brekkie Boy]

13 hours ago, Victorian said:

Bold vision leads to hunger games
 

The News, April 13, 2017, lauded the Shepparton-inspired bid for a regional “people’s” Commonwealth Games as bold and visionary.

Our editorial following the announcement was not dismissive of the concept, despite the scant detail provided.

We said at the time that “all grand projects require two cornerstones — a bold dream anchored in reality”.
 

 

The reality, even then, was clear.

The Commonwealth Games was facing an uncertain future with few countries, let alone cities, prepared to take on the difficult and expensive task of hosting the event.

The South African city of Durban was elected to host the 2022 Games but pulled out due to financial constraints, leaving Birmingham to step in.

Victoria was aiming for 2030 but was able to snare the 2026 slot because it was a serious bid, and there were no other bidders.

Our capacity as a state, and a nation to host major international sporting events would have also helped.

That Greater Shepparton has not to date been rewarded for its leadership and vision is the only negative about the start of the countdown to 2026.

Four hubs, Gippsland, Geelong, Ballarat, and Bendigo, have been announced as the central pillars of the regional games — the rest of regional Victoria has been thrust into the Commonwealth equivalent of The Hunger Games.

Originally pitched by City of Greater Shepparton as an event spread across 11 regional cities, the field currently sits at five, including Melbourne.

Those five will logically consume most of the infrastructure and therefore the benefit of a Games legacy.

The rest are hoping (and lobbying) for something: sporting events, cultural events, anything.

The longer the public campaigns and arm twisting are allowed to continue by those towns and regions who are currently missing out, the more animosity it will create.

The real legacy of the Games should be the shared sense of achievement and confidence generated by successfully hosting a major international event.

Every region, every major regional city, should have that opportunity, but especially Shepparton, which had the foresight and gumption to pursue the dream in the first place.

Can't you just link to articles, or at least put them in quotes so you have to expand to read the whole thing.

Whilst updates are appreciated posting them in full in a larger font size just makes the thread feel more cluttered than it needs to be.   Pretty poor online etiquette too to repost articles without linking to the source.

[AustralianFan]

11 minutes ago, RooBlu said:

Goodness I hope that they don't go too over the top with it, the indigenous population in Victoria is highly urbanised and integrated to the point of virtual invisbility. It's hardly like indigenous customs form a cornerstone to Victorian culture and daily life. I'd hate to see the Games being highjacked by the government pushing a virtue signalling agenda or this state treaty that the Premier keeps talking about.

In the spirit of reconciliation, I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the various lands on which we are each on throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and water.  I acknowledge and respect Elders, past, present and emerging.

Wow. I am quite stunned at your post as it was quite unexpected and not one that I would have predicted.

I’m sorry RooBlu but your post is unfortunately not correct, it is inapproriate and very disrespectful (I suspect unintentionally on your part) to the various First Nations people on whose lands these Games will be respectfully held in Regional Victoria.

Rooblu I do respect you and your posts which are usually well considered but on this, you are out of touch.  I hold my hand out in the spirit of reconciliation.

I do need to advise you that there are numerous nations of First Nations peoples in the area covering and beyond Victoria.  The elders from the video are from several lands on which the Victoria 2026 Games will be held which are mostly outside of Melbourne as these regional gamesare Regional Games Commonwealt.

We are not one group.  We are one of many of some of the oldest living cultures on this planet in this various and many First Nations people throughout Australia.

I am a Nyoongar man from Perth. I am an Indigenous Australian in Victoria and I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation and whose land I live on in Melbourne and on and their connections to land, sea and water.  I acknowledge and respect our Elders, past, present and emerging.

The countries, the lands, on which the Victoria 2026 Games will be held are covered in this attached map of RAPs -

Victoria's current Registered Aboriginal Parties

The Map containing the registered traditional owners is at the above website for information of anyone in Victoria who are uncertain on who the registered traditonal owners are on the lands they are on this very second.

Two of the highly respected Indigenous elders from the various lands who spoke in this video about the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games are:

Uncle Rodney Carter - Djaara Balaki Wuka

• Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation

Aunty Joy Oldaker - Wadawurrung Traditional Owners

• Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation

 

[AustralianFan]

@Victorian I liked your recent logo and colourful reperesentions of the various lands of our First Peoples on which the Victoria 2026 Games will be held.

Below is the Map showing the current registered Aboriginal Parties / Traditional Owners across Victoria.

On this Map, to the right are the RAPs websites containing  information and various other information and contact details of these

@RooBlu in the spirit of reconciliaiton, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has just released the 2021 Census Information on their website and you can can get a reasonable picture of the number of Indigenous Australians across the various lands on which the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games events and festivals will be held if you use Local Government Areas as a guide.

@RooBlu the various and highly proactive and highly organised many Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and Aboriinal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) represent many resilient, proud and strong Indigenous peoples, right across the length and breadth of Regional Victoria, not only the metro area.

Link >> Victoria's current Registered Aboriginal Parties

 

 

                    Barengi Gadjin Land Council

 

Bunurong Land Council

 

Djaari Balaka Wuka

 

Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corportation

(continued next post)

[AustralianFan]

First People of the Millewa-Mallee Aboriginal Corporation

 

Gurnaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation

 

Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation

 

Taungurung Land and Waters Council Aboriginal Corporation

 

Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation

 

Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation

 

Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation

 

This list over the last two posts are the complete list of eleven Registered Aboriginal Parties right across Victoria.

As we move toward Victoria 2026, there will be many Welcome to Country ceremonies, cultural performances, CWG compeitions, events and festivals, related to the Games across the many lands of the different First Nations peoples as represented in this list of registered traditonal 

Link >> Victoria's current Registered Aboriginal Parties

 

[AustralianFan]

Link:  First Peoples Assembly of Victoria - Treaty for Victoria

 

The Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held and no doubt celebrated during the Opening Ceremony an historic period for the people of Victoria as the Treaty for Victoria nears completion.

We are the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria

 

[Victorian]

5 hours ago, Brekkie Boy said:

Can't you just link to articles, or at least put them in quotes so you have to expand to read the whole thing.

Whilst updates are appreciated posting them in full in a larger font size just makes the thread feel more cluttered than it needs to be.   Pretty poor online etiquette too to repost articles without linking to the source.

Last week I was posting links and got criticised for it. What more do you want me to do? 

[AustralianFan]

@RooBlu many Indigenous Australians live on various First People’s lands right across Victoria including many who live outside of Melbourne in various Regional locations.

As we move toward Victoria 2026, it’s important to understand that the many, many Indigenous Australians in Victoria are most definitely not invisible and are amongst the most proactive in Australia. 

Here is just some list of ACCOs (Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations) from right  across the length and breadth of the State of Victoria:

Aboriginal Housing Victoria
Phone: 03 9403 2100

Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BADAC)
Phone: 03 5331 5344

Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-Operative (BDAC)
Phone: 03 5442 4947

Dardi Munwurro
Family violence, healing and behaviour change programs for men.
Free Call: 1800 435 799

Djirra
Culturally safe and specialist legal and non-legal support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who experience family violence.
Free Call: 1800 105 303

Gippsland and East Gippsland Aborigines Cooperative Ltd.
Phone: 03 5150 0700

Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative
Phone: 03 5559 1234 

Healing Foundation
Supports Stolen Generations survivors, families and communities.

Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place
Phone: 03 9725 2166

Rumbalara Aborigines Cooperative
Phone: 03 5820 0000

The Aboriginal Community Elders Services Inc 
(ACES)Phone: 03 9383 4244

Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency
Phone: 03 9287 8800

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO)
Peak body for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal peoples living in Victoria.
Phone: 03 9411 9411

Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
Free Call: 1800 064 865

 

Networks and Gathering Places

Greater Melbourne North, South and East including Maribyrnong, Frankston, Mornington Peninsula and Healesville

Gippsland region, including Latrobe, Orbost, Lakes Entrance and Sale

Loddon Mallee region of Victoria, including Swan Hill, Mildura and Bendigo 

Grampians region of Victoria, including Ballarat, Wimmera (Horsham) and Halls Gap (Gariwerd)

Barwon South West Local Aboriginal Networks

 

Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations

Here is a link to a map showing the 32 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Aboiginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across Victoria:

Indigenous peoples geographical locations in Victoriaare reflected in the many regional locations in the above lists.

All this is not new.

First Peoples are not invisible in Victoria.  Far, far from it.

You just need directions.

It’s just that at times

[Victorian]

Look, I think (and fully support). I think there will be a balance however, the CEO has also mentioned a few times that there will be a focus on First Nations people. I wouldn’t be surprised if the name wasn’t Victoria 2026 and instead was Naarm 2026. 
 

There is no doubt there will be an indigenous themed logo and branding. An eagle (Victorian indigenous totem?) could also be the mascot for the Games I suspect. 
 

After the ‘Stolen-wealth Games’ demonstrations from the past Commonwealth Games in Australia, engaging with Indigenous Victorians for these games is important so we can embrace ATI and use the Games as a platform to do so. 

Below is an interesting article I can across online 

https://www.nit.com.au/victoria-2026-commonwealth-games-a-chance-to-show-the-world-sovereignty-was-never-ceded/?amp

[RooBlu]

6 hours ago, AustralianFan said:

In the spirit of reconciliation, I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the various lands on which we are each on throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and water.  I acknowledge and respect Elders, past, present and emerging.

Wow. I am quite stunned at your post as it was quite unexpected and not one that I would have predicted.

I’m sorry RooBlu but your post is unfortunately not correct, it is inapproriate and very disrespectful (I suspect unintentionally on your part) to the various First Nations people on whose lands these Games will be respectfully held in Regional Victoria.

Rooblu I do respect you and your posts which are usually well considered but on this, you are out of touch.  I hold my hand out in the spirit of reconciliation.

I do need to advise you that there are numerous nations of First Nations peoples in the area covering and beyond Victoria.  The elders from the video are from several lands on which the Victoria 2026 Games will be held which are mostly outside of Melbourne as these regional gamesare Regional Games Commonwealt.

We are not one group.  We are one of many of some of the oldest living cultures on this planet in this various and many First Nations people throughout Australia.

I am a Nyoongar man from Perth. I am an Indigenous Australian in Victoria and I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation and whose land I live on in Melbourne and on and their connections to land, sea and water.  I acknowledge and respect our Elders, past, present and emerging.

The countries, the lands, on which the Victoria 2026 Games will be held are covered in this attached map of RAPs -

Victoria's current Registered Aboriginal Parties

The Map containing the registered traditional owners is at the above website for information of anyone in Victoria who are uncertain on who the registered traditonal owners are on the lands they are on this very second.

Two of the highly respected Indigenous elders from the various lands who spoke in this video about the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games are:

Uncle Rodney Carter - Djaara Balaki Wuka

• Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation

Aunty Joy Oldaker - Wadawurrung Traditional Owners

• Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation

 

I understand and am not trying to be rude or offend anybody, and apologise if I have. My point is that Victoria is definitely not like the Northern Territory, Western Australia or Northern Queensland where the Abriginal population is visibly present, where its concentration and cultural influence is far greater. I'm simply saying that it's nowhere near as great in Victoria and to try and project that it is gives a very false impression. The truth is that most Victorians really wouldn't know who many of the people with indigenous heritage are in their communities unless those people actually tell them (" my grand mother is aboriginal" or "my great grandparents on my dad's side" etc.).

You're looking at this through a young persons eyes who hasn't witnessed the Cancel Culture actively at work in Australia since the Whitlam era. The flying of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander flags might seem everyday to a 20 yo, but it's only been sanctioned by government for about ten years. Welcome to Country ceremonies to white Australians are only a new event that's come into vogue over the last several years. Many support these new initiatives, and personally I see no harm in them.

In my life time I have seen our country transitioned to something barely recognisable to the country I knew as a child in the 60s and 70s. The changes have been enormous and in many instances forced upon us whether we jolly well liked it or not.

[Victorian]

Some more updates 

 

 

 

 

 

[Victorian]

Big news brewing regarding Word Rowing’s bid for Rowing to be included in Victoria 2026. Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprints have been put forward instead of traditional rowing events. If this is approved, looks like Geelong are getting more events in 2026.

https://amp.smh.com.au/sport/row-over-rowing-new-sport-for-2026-commonwealth-games-hits-choppy-waters-20220810-p5b8ry.html

[Victorian]

https://amp.abc.net.au/article/101314120

[Australian Kiwi]

On 8/9/2022 at 10:16 PM, TorchbearerSydney said:

Don't think Australia has anything much to learn about hosting Comm Games or Olympics- we do an exceptional job every time.  Most of those lessons seem to come straight from the Sydney 2000 playbook anyway.

Yeah agree - the article is somewhat confusing. Yes, Birmingham has been a stunning success - but without sounding arrogant organisers of VIC26 have got the knowledge and experience from 2000, 2006 and 2018 for us to draw on. 

[Australian Kiwi]

3 hours ago, Victorian said:

Look, I think (and fully support). I think there will be a balance however, the CEO has also mentioned a few times that there will be a focus on First Nations people. I wouldn’t be surprised if the name wasn’t Victoria 2026 and instead was Naarm 2026. 

Naarm is the Melbourne region, not Victoria. 

Your suggestion is problematic because the entire idea of 'Victoria' - its very boundaries and existence - stems from colonisation and has nothing to do with the tens of thousands of years of society that existing before it. Its a very, very tight balance between respect and genuine acknowledgement and being disingenuous. 

[Australian Kiwi]

3 hours ago, RooBlu said:

I understand and am not trying to be rude or offend anybody, and apologise if I have. My point is that Victoria is definitely not like the Northern Territory, Western Australia or Northern Queensland where the Abriginal population is visibly present, where its concentration and cultural influence is far greater. I'm simply saying that it's nowhere near as great in Victoria and to try and project that it is gives a very false impression. The truth is that most Victorians really wouldn't know who many of the people with indigenous heritage are in their communities unless those people actually tell them (" my grand mother is aboriginal" or "my great grandparents on my dad's side" etc.).

You're looking at this through a young persons eyes who hasn't witnessed the Cancel Culture actively at work in Australia since the Whitlam era. The flying of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander flags might seem everyday to a 20 yo, but it's only been sanctioned by government for about ten years. Welcome to Country ceremonies to white Australians are only a new event that's come into vogue over the last several years. Many support these new initiatives, and personally I see no harm in them.

In my life time I have seen our country transitioned to something barely recognisable to the country I knew as a child in the 60s and 70s. The changes have been enormous and in many instances forced upon us whether we jolly well liked it or not.

I don't understand your point - is Victoria's cultural heritage less vital or important than in Australia's north? 

Victoria's highlands were actually home to some of the largest indigenous populations pre settlement - which really makes the aftermath of colonisation and frontier wars even more horrifying because the population was decimated and assimilated. 

Northern Australia is more 'visibly' indigenous because its simply less colonised and industrialised compared to the South East. 

[Victorian]

If you have any ideas, EOI ideas close tomorrow 

 

 

[AustralianFan]

3 hours ago, RooBlu said:

I understand and am not trying to be rude or offend anybody, and apologise if I have. My point is that Victoria is definitely not like the Northern Territory, Western Australia or Northern Queensland where the Abriginal population is visibly present, where its concentration and cultural influence is far greater. I'm simply saying that it's nowhere near as great in Victoria and to try and project that it is gives a very false impression. The truth is that most Victorians really wouldn't know who many of the people with indigenous heritage are in their communities unless those people actually tell them (" my grand mother is aboriginal" or "my great grandparents on my dad's side" etc.).

You're looking at this through a young persons eyes who hasn't witnessed the Cancel Culture actively at work in Australia since the Whitlam era. The flying of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander flags might seem everyday to a 20 yo, but it's only been sanctioned by government for about ten years. Welcome to Country ceremonies to white Australians are only a new event that's come into vogue over the last several years. Many support these new initiatives, and personally I see no harm in them.

In my life time I have seen our country transitioned to something barely recognisable to the country I knew as a child in the 60s and 70s. The changes have been enormous and in many instances forced upon us whether we jolly well liked it or not.

Again, so many things completely wrong and incorrect assumptions in what you have said @RooBlu including hat you have said about Indigenous Australians in Victoria.  So wrong. No offence, but so so wrong. Oh my gosh, where do I start RooBlu.

Firstly, I’m grateful for you taking 40 years off my life, and oh, to be 20 again

Why on earth would you think I’m in my 20s?  I don’t get that.  I’ve never revealed my age on gamesbids.com, ever.  Are we both of a similar age? I suspect so since you appear to have also lived through the Whitlam era.

Ok, for the first time on gamesbids.com, I’m revealing I am an Aboriginal man who is in his mid-60s now living and working with First Nations peoples and other organisations in Victoria.

I lived through the Whitlam era and my father stood as an independent for parliament in that 1975 polarised election.  Further, we all grew up in our family campaiging and actively working to bring Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal people together including campaiging for the Yes Vote in the historic successful Referendum in Australia when a landslide majority of 91% Australians in a majority of states voted Yes to amend the Australian constitution to:

“allow the Commonwealth to make laws for Aboriginal people and include them in the census”.

Prior to the historic 1967 Referendum to amend the Australian Constitution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, the oldest living cultures in earth were not counted in the census.  We were regarded as ‘Flora and Fauna’ in the Australian Constitution.

Now I needto ask, and again no offence intended, from what weeties packet did you draw your statement that:

RooBlu:  “My point is that Victoria is definitely not like the Northern Territory, Western Australia or Northern Queensland where the Abriginal population is visibly present, where its concentration and cultural influence is far greater”

Seriously, you need to get out more.  … I can help you with that.

Allow me to correct your statement.

Aborignal people in Victoria are the most active in the entire country.

Let me say that one more time both now and historically.

Aborignal people in Victoria are the most active in the entire country.

Look, I don’t know who or what has led you to believe to make the statement you made but it is so so completely wrong,  historically and factually.

The various Indigenous communities across Victoria are highly visible, culturally active and progressive and inclusive in all of Australia.  

You just need to open your eyes.      Said in the nicest way possible.  and you are not the only one, don’t worry. 

I said that at the Opening Ceremony of Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games that the various Indigenous nations and cultures in Victoria will be celebrated, including and the historic Treaty for Victoria by the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria (click this link).

The First Peoples Assembly of Victoria (FPAV) has been in place for a while now and led by Indigenous Elders in Victoria.   FPAV which meets in the actual Victorian parliament assembly chamber of Victoria.

Victoria and Melbourne in particular is where it all began many years, led by elders such as Pastor Sir Doug Nicholls from Fitzroy in Victoria and Australia’s first Aboriginal State Governor (South Australia).

Below is the first Aboriginal people assembly in the entire country of Australia and it is happening right here, right now in Victoria to consult and negotiate a Treaty for Victoria.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in other states and territories around Australia are looking to Victoria as the First Peoples Assembly, the first in Australia, makes it way down the path of history for the entire country.

We are the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria.

Walk with us.

 

 

 

[RooBlu]

3 hours ago, Australian Kiwi said:

I don't understand your point - is Victoria's cultural heritage less vital or important than in Australia's north? 

Victoria's highlands were actually home to some of the largest indigenous populations pre settlement - which really makes the aftermath of colonisation and frontier wars even more horrifying because the population was decimated and assimilated. 

Northern Australia is more 'visibly' indigenous because its simply less colonised and industrialised compared to the South East. 

It's cool we have our opinions and we're each entitled to them. You all at least understand my stand point, even you don't agree. We each look at the world differently.