In July 2024 -
Victoria is ready for Treaty Negotiations
The Treaty Authority will act as an ‘independent umpire’ for Treaty negotiations across Victoria, with both The First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria and Traditional Owner groups.
The guiding principles that the Treaty Authority will follow, as per the Treaty Act, include:
- self-determination and empowerment
- fairness and equality
- partnership and good faith
- mutual benefit and sustainability and
- transparency and accountability
"Reconciliation Victoria strongly supports these principles and applauds the great courage, unrelenting work, and brave leadership of the Treaty Authority, the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, First Peoples leaders, Elders, and Aboriginal Authorities, and the state for reaching this momentous stage on the path to Treaty for Victoria."
At the launch, the Assembly officially declared they are ready to negotiate Treaty and satisfy the minimum standards. Read their declaration here.
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In July 2023, the First Peoples' Assembly commenced its second term, after elections were held earlier this year.
Meet the members and read about the next steps in the Treaty process -
https://www.firstpeoplesvic.org/the-assembly/
March 2021 saw the establishment of the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission in Victoria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twZvDrtA_8Y
March 2022 saw the launch of the Commission.
JUNE 2022: Yoo-rrook Justice Commission Interim Report published: https://yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Yoorrook-Justice-Commission-Interim-Report.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Yoorrook-Justice-Commission-Newsletter&utm_content=yoorrookjusticecommission.org.au%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F07%2FYoorrook-Justice-Commission-Interim-Report.pdf&utm_source=cust105697.au.v6send.net
Reconciliation Victoria Treaty Toolkits - http://www.reconciliationvic.org.au/treaty-toolkits
A series of guides for engaging with and supporting Treaty in Victoria, designed for Local Government, Community Organisations and Schools & Early Learning Centres.
Both the First People's Assembley of Victoria and the Victorian State Government produced Annual Reports for 2019-20, which provide excellent, concise information about the steps taken to date and plans for the next stages towards Treaty(ies).
On December 10th & 11th 2019 the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria met for the first time.
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/about/news/4404-historic-day-for-first-peoples-assembly
October & November 2019 saw the establishment of the new First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria.
http://victreatyadvancement.org.au/news/more-aboriginal-leaders-appointed-first-peoples-assembly
The First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria will not negotiate treaty, instead it will work with the state (starting in December 2019) to achieve 3 major goals:
* Treaty Authority (an Independent Umpire)
* Treaty Negotiation Framework (a road map to show how local groups can negotiate their own treaty/ies)
* Self-determination Fund (to help build capacity at a local level).
This is an historic move in Victoria towards a Treaty / Agreements
22nd June 2018 - Victoria Passes Historic Law to Create Indigenous Treaty Framework
SEE The Deadly Questions Website on Treaty
Commissioner: Treaty process more secure than ever before:
https://victreatyadvancement.org.au/news/commissioner-treaty-process-more-secure-ever
Victorian Treaty Advancement Commissioner Jill Ghallagher took on the role of Victorian Treaty Advancement Commissioner on 7th March 2018
In April she started meeting with Aboriginal and non Aboriginal people across the Victorian regions.
The Age included an article in late March, providing the historical context and plans for Vic Treaty(ies) development -
Eyes across nation on Victoria as quest begins for Aboriginal treaty
In April, One Fire members were honoured to be invited by Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative to meet with the Commissioner, after she had been Welcomed to Country and met with Aboriginal community members.
Victorian Treaty Update: October 2017
This month, the Aboriginal Community Assembly came together to shape the design and structure of the Aboriginal Representative Body. Members of the Aboriginal Community Assembly are expected to be announced shortly by the Aboriginal Treaty Working Group.
On the 27th October, Natalie Hutchins, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, announced that the Victorian Government will establish a new public office, the Victorian Treaty Advancement Commission and appoint a Commissioner in early 2018. The Commission will operationalise the outcomes of the Aboriginal Community Assembly and establish the Aboriginal Representative Body. The Commissioner will report directly to the Governor in Council - a body comprised of the Governor General and members of the Executive Council (ie Premier and sworn in Ministers).
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During 2016, The Victorian State Government commenced meetings with Aboriginal community members and an Aboriginal community Working Group was established. It held 10 community consultation meetings across Victoria. The next stage is a meeting on Country in April 2017, to agree a Representative Body that will be the Aboriginal community’s voice in negotiations for Treaty.