Ngata
Ngatook Gunditjmara
Ngatook Kirrae Wurrung
Ngatook Djaparung
Ngatook Worimi
Ngatook Parabeena
Leenyar meering than yang poonart
Wanyoon Wurundjeri Meering
T’do Wurundjeri Leenyar
T’do Wurundjeri Kakoon
Good evening, my name is Rueben Berg and I’m a Co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria alongside Ngarra.
I acknowledge everyone joining us here tonight, but in particular my family Members without whom I wouldn’t be standing here tonight – to Dad and Moodge, to my partner and to my kids – thank you.
You may have seen me talk about Treaty in the past, and the powerful work of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, and our community.
You might, in fact, have heard me on the radio.
You might have seen me on the television.
Back in 1988.
I was 8 years old.
Like many, I heard the song on the radio, but the actual notion of realising a Treaty was a far off idea.
And now for my 8-year-old daughter, and for my 12-year-old son, they will never know anything but Treaty.
They will live through the progress and powerful achievements realised through this First Statewide Treaty, and the outcomes of future Statewide Treaties, and future Local Traditional Owner Treaties.
Their rights will be realised in a way that has never been done before.
So, what have we achieved in this first Statewide Treaty? What will it deliver?
Well, from countless conversations with our community members, and experts in the field, we heard many aspirations for this first Statewide Treaty
We heard about:
Greater decision-making for First Peoples — Treaty will do that.
Ongoing Truth-telling across Victoria, hearing and learning, from the true history of Victoria — Treaty will do that.
Ensuring our communities expertise were heard by government ministers — Treaty will do that.
A First Peoples led, independent, accountability for Government, so promises are kept — Treaty will do that.
Increased cultural capability of the public service, better processes for access to data for First Peoples, language names, Truth in school curriculum — Yes. Treaty will do all of that too.
This Treaty is not made up of words written in the sand.
The promises of this Treaty will not disappear.
They cannot disappear.
And with the support of our community, our allies, the government, all those who walked with us on this journey, all those with us on this journey tonight
We have achieved this State’s, and the Nation’s, first Treaty.
And it will be a Treaty for which the outcomes will echo throughout time:
Treaty!
Treaty!
Treaty Now!
Wurruk, thank you.
Watch the full speech here:
