Treaty for Victoria is here!
Assembly Members, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, the Victorian Cabinet and the Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner, met this morning at Government House to sign Australia’s first Treaty with First Peoples and give Royal Assent to the Treaty legislation recently passed by Parliament.
This is a historic moment and means that the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria will now be a permanent representative and decision-making body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here in Victoria.
The Assembly will form part of a new entity, Gellung Warl, which will also include an accountability arm and a truth-telling body.
Assembly Co-chair Ngarra Murray said today marks a turning point in our nation’s history; a moment where old wounds can begin to heal and new relationships can be built on truth, justice and mutual respect.
“Our story, the story of First Peoples, is the very foundation of Australia’s story. And now we begin the next chapter: the Treaty era.
This is a powerful new chapter, where we walk side by side as equals, strengthening our democracy and shaping a future built on fairness, healing and hope.
This is a promise that our future will be written together. We have honoured our ancestors and paved the way for generations to come.
May this moment in history remind us that when we choose truth instead of silence and unity instead of division, we create change that lasts, and together we make history.”
Assembly Co-chair Rueben Berg thanked everybody in the room for their contribution to the Treaty process, everybody who has walked with the Assembly on this journey and those who have advocated for generations to make signing Australia’s first Treaty possible.
“This moment is about equality. When Ngarra and I sat there at the table, next to the Premier and the Minister to sign the Treaty, we sat there as equals, with equal status to Government.
It’s also about equality of outcomes. Through this Self-Determined process we are putting in place, we can deliver better outcomes and equality for our people.
The Treaty we have signed is full of hard fought words. Every single line of the Treaty is imbued with the spirit of our people who have pushed us to do this work.
We will make sure that we deliver on these promises. We will get from this not just better outcomes for First Peoples, but better outcomes for Victoria and for Australia. This makes us all a better state, a better country, a better people.”
This morning’s event follows an intimate ceremony of Assembly Members, their families and community, held on the banks of the Birrarung in Melbourne last night. Members gathered at Birrarung Wilam to sign the first Statewide Treaty, supported by Community and grounded in Culture.
This meeting on Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung land included a Welcome to Country from Uncle Andrew Gardiner and Uncle Bill Nicholson. Friends and families were then treated to a powerful performance by Uncle Kutcha Edwards. We also heard heartfelt speeches from the Co-chairs and Uncle Alan Brown from the Elders’ Voice.
The Treaty will officially commence on Friday, 12 December following the Victoria’s Treaty: It’s Here ceremony and celebration. All Victorians are invited to join this celebration of 60,000 years of culture, song, dance and community at Fed Square.
