Treaty, It’s Here
We have negotiated Australia’s first Treaty between First Peoples in Victoria and the Victorian Government.
View the Statewide Treaty text →
After nearly a decade walking the path to Treaty with our communities, and generations of resistance and activism from First Peoples, Australia’s first Treaty is here. This is a chance for all Victorians to acknowledge our past, heal and move forward together.
“Treaty recognises that Aboriginal people are the experts when it comes to our Country, culture and communities – and makes sure we can use our local knowledge to come up with and deliver practical solutions to improve health, education and housing outcomes for our communities.” Ngarra Murray
Here’s what we’ve negotiated…
Decisions about us made by us
Government bureaucrats, no matter how well-intentioned, don’t know what works and doesn’t work for our communities – we do. If we want to see improvements in health, education and housing for our people, the practical solutions need to come from us.
As the democratic and representative body, the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria will be made permanent to make sure our communities are properly represented. Under Treaty, Government must speak with us when making laws, rules or policies about us. Assembly Members will continue to advocate for our needs, hopes and aspirations.
Power TO Hold Governmentto its promises
Governments like to make promises, now we will have the power to hold them accountable to these promises and delivering real outcomes for First Peoples. We’ll establish a new Outcomes and Justice Commission called Nginma Ngainga Wara to provide independent oversight and accountability for Government, and we will be able to hold public hearings and question Ministers to make sure they are delivering for First Peoples.
Upgrading Community infrastructure
Aboriginal-led organisations are a pillar of strength of our Community. We’ll set up and run a First Peoples’ Infrastructure Fund to support them to maintain and upgrade their facilities and infrastructure so they can continue to provide quality services to improve outcomes for our communities.
Celebrating and sharing our culture
Ours is the oldest continuing culture in the world, something that everyone can embrace and take pride in. Through Treaty, we’ll lead the celebrating and sharing of 60,000+ years of culture in Victoria.
We will have a ceremonial role in State engagements (alongside the Governor, for example). We’ll run the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll to recognise and celebrate First Peoples who have made significant contributions to the community, the Victorian Aboriginal Remembrance Service to honour First Peoples who served in the defence forces and the Ricci Marks Awards to recognise our young people.
A Treaty for the Generations
This marks the beginning of a new Treaty era. Once we’ve signed the first Treaty, we’ll get to work on our expanded roles, responsibilities, and community answerability obligations.
In future, we’ll build on this first Treaty, negotiating future Statewide Treaties covering areas like health, education, housing, justice and more. This will mean better outcomes for our communities for generations to come.
Truth-telling and healing
Through Truth-telling, Yoorrook began a process of healing and created a public record of our true history. The Assembly will set up Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna to continue the Truth-telling and healing process so everyone across the state can understand our past and share a better future.
Teaching our true history
Under Treaty, all students in Victoria will learn the true history of these lands. For generations, many Victorians were not given the ability to access or reckon with our past, but now the Victorian school curriculum will help future generations understand our history and why we need Treaty. This is a chance for all Victorians to acknowledge our past, heal and move forward together.
More First Peoples’ place names
Every mountain, river and beach across this beautiful land has had a First Peoples’ place name for thousands of years. To help celebrate this rich history and to share our languages, we will play a greater role, alongside Traditional Owners, in restoring more place names to their First Peoples’ name, including State and National Parks and some water-ways and waterfalls.
Names are more than just words, they tell the story of the lands and our peoples and educate the public about its history.
Building knowledge, skills and leadership
Our people have a history of leaders and trailblazers. We will create the First Peoples’ Institute to help the next generation continue that legacy with even more support and facilitation to our future leaders. We will work closely with First Peoples-run organisations to build the leadership capabilities for the Treaty era and improve outcomes for our community.
Traditional Owner Treaties
Traditional Owners across the state can come forward to negotiate their own Traditional Owner Treaties that cover their Communities and Country and reflect their local priorities. Those negotiations will unfold over the coming years at different paces as it’s not a case of one-size-fits-all.
Treaty for Victoria is here! What’s Next?
On Thursday 12th November 2025 the Assembly Members, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner met 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.
Now is our time to come together for Treaty:
If you’re Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and living in Victoria, the single most important thing you can do to help make Treaty a reality is enrol with the Assembly.
To our allies; First Peoples are making history right here in Victoria, and you can be part of it— sign up to Team Treaty today to receive updates and information about how you can help.
Meet the elected Assembly members
Meet the Traditional Owners of Country who have been chosen by their communities to represent their hopes, needs and ideas on the journey to Treaty.
Treaty in Language
Language is a core part of who we are as First Peoples and it is important that our Languages are embedded into Treaty. These are the Language names that are being incorporated into Treaty.