Advocating for justice and equity for First Nations peoples

A proud Yorta Yorta and Yuin woman, our Aboriginal Community Engagement (ACE) Officer Lorena Burney is a vital part of our Morwell office, located on Gunaikurnai Country.

Descended from the Atkinson bloodline with family ties to Cummeragunja Aboriginal Mission, Lorena is also a proud Djiringanj woman of the Yuin Nation from the Thomas bloodline with strong family connections to Wallaga Lake Aboriginal Mission.

Born and raised in Gippsland, Lorena has worked in the area for more than 20 years in a number of roles with government and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs).

These include Corrections Victoria as an Aboriginal Advanced Case Manager where she managed Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal high-risk offenders and supported their reintegration back into the community. She also worked as a Children, Youth and Families Team Leader at the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency which offers support programs on homelessness, family violence, leaving care and youth services.

Passionate about the role

Having been in the role for nearly a year, Lorena is loving the work and enjoying working for an organisation that shares her commitment to First Nations peoples.

‘My past experience developed a passion for wanting to build trust and connection between mainstream and government services to the Aboriginal community.

‘I really care about ensuring my community has access and equity to legal representation, consultation, education and support, and I love that this is exactly what Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) is all about, and a core focus of our values.

‘I’m also enjoying working for an organisation that promotes social justice, diversity, inclusion and reconciliation.

‘Many organisations say they embrace these principles, but I feel like it is different at VLA as a lot of my colleagues are committed to these values, and I can really sense that people within the organisation are working towards our vision.’

The Aboriginal Community Engagement Officer role is ideally suited to Lorena’s passion for advocating for her people.

‘My position provides a unique opportunity to contribute to improving on how we deliver legal assistance services to First Nations communities in Victoria.

‘The role is a specialist, non-legal role, predominantly focusing on civil and family law needs with client support, community engagement and empowering people through knowledge.

‘It also includes supporting and educating staff around cultural safety and awareness (which I really enjoy), non-legal referrals for clients and strengthening relationships between us, the Aboriginal community and ACCOs,’ said Lorena.

Committed to reconciliation and making a difference

Our Reconciliation Action Plan commits us to playing an important role in improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within the legal system.

To improve these outcomes, Lorena believes we need to develop meaningful relationships with ACCOs, build a culturally safe and responsive service and enhance our staff’s cultural professional development.

‘I feel that my role is ideally suited to achieving this vision.

‘I can make significant progress towards building these relationships, strengthening our cultural competency through an Aboriginal lens and drawing on my experience as an Aboriginal woman and professional in the Aboriginal community services sector to strengthen the relationship between us and the First Nations community in Gippsland.’

Challenges facing First Nations peoples

While keen to move forward, Lorena says there can be no forgetting the impact of the past on her community, and Aboriginal people as a whole.

‘It goes without saying that the ongoing impacts of colonisation are a major challenge in First Nations communities today, and as a result there is still a lot of disadvantage, poor health outcomes and structural inequity and racism.

‘I believe that acknowledging the sovereignty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in regard to this land as their own nation, and forming a treaty to build self-determination from inside the Aboriginal community concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs, is a small step towards righting some of the wrongs of the past.

‘I truly feel that VLA holds these same beliefs and am proud to work with like-minded people,’ she said.

Whilst challenges remain, Lorena believes her ACE Officer role provides her with the ideal opportunity to make a difference in her community.

‘I’m relishing this role because it enables me to empower my community and build their self-determination and capacity regarding their legal choices and decisions.

‘I want my community to feel that they have all the information they need, know where they can get support and feel strong in making their legal decisions, and this role assists me to do so.’

The importance of NAIDOC Week

While always busy caring for her clients, Lorena is keen to be a part of NAIDOC Week celebrations and spend time with her community.

‘NAIDOC week is special to me as it’s a time for Aboriginal communities across Australia to gather at different events to celebrate our survival, culture, history and achievements.

‘It’s also a dedicated time when we can be together in an environment that’s put together by our people, for our people, supporting self-determination and autonomy.

‘For me, it’s a time that we can be together as we once were and celebrate all the amazing positives in our culture and our identities, rather than concentrating on the negative stereotypes of our culture that can often be incorrectly portrayed in mainstream media and society.

‘I usually like to attend the flag raising ceremony held in Morwell which is followed by a march to the local park where we have our family day, complete with a barbeque and children’s activities.

‘I’m always so proud to see all the little children in the community proudly displaying Aboriginal flags, wearing Aboriginal colours and having a great time connecting with their family, community and culture.’

More information

Learn more about our Aboriginal community engagement officers

Learn about our commitment to becoming a client-centred organisation for First Nations peoples via our Aboriginal Services Strategy

Read more about our Reconciliation Action Plan