This notice is published for any individual who has previously shared their personal information with the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria Ltd (the Assembly) through engagement with the Assembly, and whom the Assembly is not able to contact directly.
The Assembly is the independent and democratically elected body to represent Traditional Owners of Country and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Victoria.
You may have heard that we have negotiated Australia’s first Treaty between First Peoples in Victoria and the Victorian Government. The Statewide Treaty Act 2025 (Vic) (the Act) has now been passed by Parliament to support self-determination and strengthen the voice of First Peoples in Victoria. This Notice explains what we have negotiated. It also explains some changes to how your personal information will be handled.
The Treaty and the Act work together to establish Gellung Warl.
Gellung Warl will have three arms which will include the First Peoples’ Assembly as the democratic, representative and deliberative body for Traditional Owners and First Peoples in Victoria. Gellung Warl will be an evolved form of the current Assembly, with expanded functions, powers and accountabilities.
Transfer and handling of your personal information
To facilitate an effective and seamless transition of functions from the Assembly to Gellung Warl, we and our agents will disclose your personal information that we hold to Gellung Warl.
As Gellung Warl commenced operations on 1 May 2026, we provide this privacy notice on behalf of Gellung Warl to ensure Gellung Warl’s collection of your personal information is done transparently.
How Gellung Warl will handle your information
Gellung Warl and its agents will collect your personal information from us. Its collection, usage, storage and disclosure will be for similar purposes as the Assembly. Specifically, the personal information collected by Gellung Warl may be used for several purposes connected with its functions and activities, which include, but are not limited to:
- communicating with you about Gellung Warl’s work, including obtaining data insights as part of managing and promoting Gellung Warl;
- consulting and seeking feedback on Gellung Warl’s work, including calls for submissions on particular issues;
- supporting truth-telling, allowing for the sharing and recording of experiences, and supporting healing for First Peoples;
- conducting research, monitoring, and reporting on outcomes for First Peoples;
- engaging with you, facilitating participation, sending news and information about our activities and events and reporting on engagement activities;
- managing and responding to complaints, allegations of misconduct, or dispute resolution processes;
- fulfilling any other statutory functions or powers conferred on Gellung Warl and its subsidiary bodies under the Statewide Treaty Act. and
- Additional other purposes will be specified in Gellung Warl’s Privacy Policy, which will be made available on Gellung Warl’s website once Gellung Warl has been formally established. It will explain how Gellung Warl will handle your personal information more generally and broadly, but it will not be inconsistent with the specific personal information handling purposes and practices explained in this notice.
Gellung Warl may also use your personal information for purposes related to those described above which would reasonably be expected by you.
Gellung Warl will not use your information for purposes other than those described above unless we have your consent or as required by law.
Gellung Warl’s sharing of your personal information
In addition, Gellung Warl may disclose your personal information in certain circumstances, such as where it is required or authorised by law or where you have consented to Gellung Warl doing so.
Gellung Warl also may disclose your personal information to:
- others in accordance with a request made by you;
- its related entities;
- social media and other digital platform providers, communication or similar organisations that Gellung Warl engages with to facilitate its communications and promote its elections and activities; or
- its contracted service providers that it uses to perform services on its behalf and persons engaged in providing Gellung Warl with professional, business, technology and corporate services, when reasonably required (for example, agencies or companies providing management services to facilitate Gellung Warl’s communications).
Gellung Warl will ordinarily notify individuals to whom it will disclose your personal information at the time it collects the relevant information, subject to the exclusions set out in applicable privacy laws.
Your ongoing access to your information
You may request access to any personal information that Gellung Warl has collected about you, including correction of your personal information if you can establish that it is not accurate, complete or up to date. You can do this by using the contact details in Gellung Warl’s Privacy Policy. Gellung Warl’s Privacy Policy will explain how Gellung Warl will collect, use, store and disclose your personal information and how you can access and seek correction of it or make a complaint. On and from 1 May 2026, contact details of Gellung Warl will be made available in Gellung Warl’s Privacy Policy on its website.
What you need to do now
- You do not need to do anything.
- If you wish to opt out of the transfer of your information to Gellung Warl, you can contact us by email or post using the contact details below. If your personal information is not transferred to Gellung Warl, your details will be removed and Gellung Warl will not be able to communicate with you. To opt out, you will need to contact us by 12 May 2026.
- If you are an enrolee and your details have recently changed, you can update your details here.
- After the transfer to Gellung Warl, you will still be able to request that your personal information be removed or update your details. More details will be provided in Gellung Warl’s Privacy Policy.
How to contact us
To opt out of your personal information being transferred to Gellung Warl, you can contact us by email on [email protected] or by post to PO Box 4218 Fitzroy VIC 3065. We may need to seek further information from you to verify your identity before we process your request to opt out
