Victoria has become the first state to appoint a commissioner for Aboriginal children and young people.
Andrew Jackomos, director of the Koori Justice Unit, has been given the role of protecting and supporting vulnerable Aboriginal children and their families.
He will oversee a five-year plan for Aboriginal children in out-of-home care while working alongside Principle Commissioner for Children and Young People Bernie Geary.
The announcement on Monday follows a state government inquiry that found Aboriginal children are about 10 times more likely to be the subject of proven abuse or neglect than non-Aboriginal children.
Mr Jackomos has been a leader in indigenous issues in justice in Victoria and a member of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples.
The appointment was welcomed by Victoria's peak body for the child and family sector, which said Mr Jackomos had shown his connection to indigenous children's needs by creating the state's Koori court system.
The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare chief executive Deb Tsorbaris said it looked forward to seeing real improvements to the lives of this vulnerable group, following the posting.
The Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) also hailed Mr Jackomos's appointment as a significant step in improving outcomes for young Aboriginals, given his strong advocacy for them over many years.
Premier Denis Napthine said Mr Jackomos had great successes in his dealings with young Aboriginal people.
"Andrew Jackomos has got also an enormous success rate in dealing with people in the Aboriginal communities and I welcome his appointment," Mr Napthine told reporters.
"It'll be a significant step forward for protecting young people in our Aboriginal communities."
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