The Victorian lower house today passed the historic Statewide Treaty Bill, which will enable Australia’s first Treaty between government and First Peoples.
The Bill passed with support from Labor and Greens MPs, with Opposition MPs voting against.
First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria Co-Chair and Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung and Dhudhuroa woman Ngarra Murray welcomed the passing of the legislation and thanked the Members of Parliament who supported the Bill.
“This is a big moment for our people – legislation for Australia’s first Treaty with First Peoples has now passed a house of Parliament. Thank you to the Members of Parliament who used their votes to pass these historic laws through the lower house,” Ngarra said.
“The principle at the heart of Treaty is that Aboriginal people understand our communities best, and when we can use our local knowledge to come up with and deliver practical solutions, we get better outcomes. This is something we think everyone should be able to get behind.”
The Bill will now head to the upper house and is expected to be debated in the next Parliamentary Sitting Week beginning Tuesday 28 October.
While Opposition MPs voted against the Bill in the lower house, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria Co-Chair and Gunditjmara man Rueben Berg invited the Opposition to change tack and support the Bill in the upper house.
“We have been walking this journey to Treaty for a decade now, and for most of those years, we had the Opposition by our side,” Rueben said.
“Aboriginal voices from across the state have been clear that Treaty is the change we need to create a better future for our people. As the Bill moves to the upper house, my message to Liberal and National representatives is it’s not too late to again walk with us.”
Today the Premier announced that Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Natalie Hutchins, will not be seeking re-election and will be stepping down from Cabinet in December.
On behalf of the Assembly, Co-Chair Ngarra Murray thanked Minister Hutchins for her incredible contribution to Treaty over the last decade.
“Minister Hutchins began this Treaty journey with us ten years ago and in the coming months will have seen the successful agreement of Australia’s first Treaty. Thank you Minister Hutchins for your longstanding commitment to First Peoples.”
