In a historic first for Australia, the state of Victoria is poised to begin formal negotiations with the First Peoples’ Assembly to establish a statewide treaty between the government and Indigenous communities. As the groundbreaking process gets underway, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is cautioning against the spread of disinformation and “American-style division” that could threaten to derail the momentous reconciliation efforts.
“Let’s not bring this misinformation, disinformation, fake news information into something that is just so important,” Allan urged, emphasizing that all Victorians “deserve the information and the facts around how treaty is being negotiated.”
The premier’s comments came in response to claims by opposition spokesman for Aboriginal affairs Peter Walsh that the government was commencing “secret treaty negotiations.” Allan pushed back strongly against the characterization, insisting that transparency was paramount.
Equity and Unity
Allan emphasized that the “whole focus of treaty” is to collaborate with First Nations people to improve equity and outcomes in areas like health and education. “That’s of a benefit to all of us. That creates a better, fairer, stronger society,” she said, calling for unity across the Victorian parliament in pursuit of these goals.
“You would really hope that any member of the Victorian parliament would want to be on a unity ticket about making a stronger, better, fairer society for all.”
– Premier Jacinta Allan
Under the treaty framework, a statewide accord will tackle issues impacting all First Nations Victorians, while traditional owner groups will also have the opportunity to enter into separate treaties with the state to address localized priorities and concerns for their communities.
Embedding Truth-Telling
Running parallel to the treaty negotiations is Victoria’s Indigenous truth-telling commission, the Yoorrook Justice Commission. In her April testimony before the commission, Allan hinted at reforms the government would be willing to pursue, such as embedding the commission’s findings into school curricula to ensure all Victorian children learn about the state’s past and the persistent inequalities faced by Indigenous communities.
However, the government has faced criticism from Indigenous advocates and human rights groups after seeking more time to consider major Yoorrook recommendations that would overhaul the state’s child protection and criminal justice systems. The commission’s final report, due by June 2025, is expected to outline a series of reforms for the government to implement.
A Pivotal Moment
As Victoria stands on the cusp of this transformative treaty process, Allan’s call for unity and rejection of disinformation strikes a chord. Overcoming centuries of injustice and inequality will require good faith, hard work, and a shared commitment to truth and reconciliation from all sides.
The eyes of the nation—and indeed, the world—will be watching closely as Victoria embarks on this uncharted path. The outcome of these negotiations could have profound implications not only for First Nations Victorians, but for Indigenous rights and reconciliation efforts across Australia.
In the words of Premier Allan, “Let’s not create division… Let’s work together to create a better, fairer, stronger society for all.” As the treaty talks begin in earnest, it is a sentiment that all Victorians, and all Australians, would do well to embrace.
