What is the focus of Statewide Treaty negotiations?
Treaty is a practical way for Aboriginal people to have a say about the policies that impact Aboriginal health, housing and education.
Priorities for Statewide Treaty negotiations include:
- Implementing accountability mechanisms under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap
- Work to support ongoing truth-telling, education, healing and reconciliation in Victoria
- Evolving the existing First Peoples’ Assembly into an ongoing representative body.
The Victorian Government is negotiating Treaty on behalf of all Victorians.
An ongoing First Peoples' Assembly
Negotiations have progressed on how an ongoing role for the First Peoples' Assembly will ensure First Peoples can make decisions on matters that impact their futures and play an ongoing role in truth-telling, including capturing stories from across Victoria and retaining an archive of this information.
The ongoing representative body will be able to advocate for First Nations communities, provide advice, work on building community leadership capability and work with the Victorian Government to meet commitments under the National Closing the Gap Agreement.
Established in 2018, the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria has proven effective in enabling Aboriginal Victorians to represent their communities and negotiate Treaty.
Truth, healing and reconciliation
Following the nation-leading work of Victoria's Yoorrook Justice Commission, Treaty negotiations have looked at how truth and reconciliation will be embedded in Treaty outcomes.
These discussions have included:
- how to capture stories from across the Victorian community of the history and experiences of First Peoples
- retaining an archive of this information and public education opportunities
- continuing the truth-telling journey after the conclusion of the Yoorrook Justice Commission.
What is Treaty?
Treaty is a practical way to achieve practical change.
How Treaty is being negotiated
The State of Victoria and the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria are the negotiating parties for Statewide Treaty.