Brendan Kennedy

Tati Tati, Latji Latji, Wadi Wadi, Mutti Mutti, Yitha Yitha, and Nari Nari

Brendan Kennedy is a Tati Tati and Wadi Wadi Traditional Owner who has deep knowledge and extensive work experience in the areas of Indigenous culture, language, art, science and advocacy.

A dedicated advocate for Indigenous rights and cultural revitalisation, Brendan leads multi-disciplinary research exploring the vital connection between water and community wellbeing to drive legal, regulatory and policy reforms.

Brendan is the current Co-Chair of the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Language; a Tati Tati delegate and Vice Chair of Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations (MLDRIN) where he has been instrumental in elevating the profile of  First Nations Water Rights in the Murray Darling Basin; a member of the First Peoples Yulendj Group, who collaborated with Museum Victoria to produce the award-winning First Peoples exhibition; and has served on the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee.

Brendan also works with a range of government and regulatory agencies to enable opportunities and outcomes for Indigenous communities. This includes the Murray Darling Basin Authority, Departments of Environment and Planning in NSW and VIC and the Commonwealth and Victorian Water Holders.

In his role as Melbourne Enterprise Principal Fellow in Cultural Economies and Sustainability with the Life Course Centre Brendan will liaise with the community, and work with the researchers at the Places Program and key stakeholders to facilitate research and engagement on the themes of cultural economies, wellbeing and the environment, as well as lead research and engagement on Indigenous use and occupancy mapping over the life course.