We live, work and play on land that was forcibly taken from Aboriginal people. There has been no Treaty with the First Nations of this place and the effects of colonisation continue to this day.
We could wait for years for the government to sign a Treaty and commit to justice and restitution for Aboriginal people. But we don’t want to just sit and wait. We want to act now in solidarity with Aboriginal people.
This Pay the Rent initiative is based in and currently focussed on Victoria. First Nations people make all the major decisions including any allocations of Rent. The role of non-Indigenous people involved is purely to deal with administration including liaising with rent payers and the colonial state. These people are volunteers, and they are fully accountable to the First Nations group – the ‘Sovereign Body’.
Watch short film featuring Luke Currie-Richardson about whether ‘Australia’ is ready ...
Pay the Rent is from grassroots for grassroots. No strings attached to government agenda. It assists Sovereign grassroots fight the many campaigns and struggles we face everyday.
Lidia Thorpe Indigenous activist
We all exist on lands which have never been ceded. Righting the past wrongs is a social responsibility we all share. Proud advocate of Pay The Rent.
Hana Assafiri OAM founder, Morriccan Soup Bar
We need to stop paying lip service to decolonisation and start Paying The Rent to the First Nations people
Clementine Ford Author & commentator
Pay The Rent offers all Australians an opportunity to work outside of government to right the wrongs.
Ted Wilkes life-time fighter for Aboriginal rights & Nyungar elder of the Wilak clan