Rueben Berg – Proud Gunditjmara Man

Candidate Statement

Candidate Statement:

In 2019 I was fortunate to be elected to the inaugural First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria in the Metropolitan Region. In 2023 I was proud to be the Reserved Seat Holder for the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation. I also had the great honour for the last 3 years to serve alongside Ngarra Murray as one of the Co-chairs of the Assembly.

During my time on the Assembly I have been a key part of negotiating the first Statewide Treaty, leading engagement with the government, and representing the Assembly in the media and at key events. I am incredibly proud of what has been achieved thru the first Statewide Treaty and I hope to be elected into Gellung Warl to ensure we can deliver on what has been put in place, and to make sure that Treaty brings benefits to all of our community.

About

Rueben Berg is a proud Gunditjmara man, a Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly
of Victoria (the Assembly), and a candidate for the Metropolitan Region in the 2026 Assembly Elections.

As an elected Co-Chair of the Assembly, Rueben has played a pivotal role in representing
the diverse voices and aspirations of First Nations communities in Victoria. With a deep
commitment to advancing the rights and interests of First Nations people, Rueben is
passionate about ensuring Treaty delivers Aboriginal communities the power and tools
to develop and deliver practical solutions at a local level.

Rueben’s leadership and dedication have earned him widespread recognition
and respect within First Nations communities and beyond. He is known for his
ability to build bridges between different stakeholders, fostering collaboration and
understanding of complex topics. As a Member of the Assembly in its inaugural term,
from 2019-2023, Rueben spent a considerable amount of time contributing to the
design and negotiation of the Treaty Negotiation Framework, and taking a leading role
in the negotiation meetings with the State.

Rueben was previously an appointed member of the Heritage Council of Victoria;
an independent body which advises the government and others on how to protect
historically important places and objects for the enjoyment of future generations.
A trained architect, Rueben was a Founder and Director of Indigenous Architecture
and Design Victoria, Managing Director of RJHB Consulting and was the Chairperson
of Westernport Water. Rueben is the first Aboriginal person to be appointed as Chair
of a water corporation in Victoria. He was also a Commissioner for the Victorian
Environmental Water Holder, before being elected to drive the Assembly’s work
as Co-Chair.

Outside of his professional commitments, Rueben is a father of two and actively
engages in cultural activities to ensure the preservation and the celebration of First
Nations culture. He is the Chair of the Ultimate Rules Subcommittee of the World
Flying Disc Federation and an ultimate frisbee guru on the international scene,
including drafting the rules of the game and founding the Indigenous Ultimate
Association Association. He is also a 2-time Australian National Disc Golf Champion

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