This is Treaty
Treaty is our opportunity to make sure we always have the freedom and power to make the decisions that affect our communities, our cultures and our Country.
When it comes to Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal people are the experts.
That’s why we’ve created a Treaty negotiation framework that will directly empower Aboriginal Communities with the ability and tools to develop and deliver practical solutions at a local level.
Later this year we’ll be sitting down with the Victorian Government to negotiate a statewide Treaty.
We’re still gathering ideas and feedback from our communities, but we now have key concepts we’ll likely take into the first round of Treaty negotiations:
We’ll be looking to agree on a process and timetable for transferring decision-making powers about Aboriginal matters from the Government to the Assembly.
We’ll want to expand the Assembly’s roles and responsibilities, so that in addition to the new decision-making powers we’d be seeking, it could also provide advice to government on a range of issues that affect First Peoples, and ensure accountability for promises made and standards set.
We will seek to find ways to ensure First Peoples’ cultures and languages are recognised and respected, and can be shared and celebrated by everyone.
And we’ll be looking at how key recommendations from the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s truth-telling process should be implemented.
If you’ve got ideas or feedback, we want to hear from you! Get enrolled, get in touch, and have your say.
More than one treaty
The Assembly will negotiate a statewide Treaty covering statewide matters, and will also empower the diverse Traditional Owner groups in Victoria to negotiate Treaties that reflect specific aspirations and priorities in their areas.
Representation and decision-making powers
The Assembly is pushing for better representation and political power for First Peoples.
We think decisions about First Peoples communities, culture and land should be made by First Peoples, not Government. So we want to agree on a process and timetable for transferring power from Government to Community.
We’re also still gathering ideas from Communtity about what powers and scope Treaty should provide the Assembly with and how to make sure all First Peoples in Victoria are represented.
New institutions grounded in our culture
To achieve these things, an initial step the Assembly has negotiated is for the Government to give up some of its power by agreeing to establish an independent Treaty Authority that sits outside of the usual government bureaucracy.
The authority is grounded in our culture, lore and law, and essentially serves as the ‘independent umpire’ and helps resolve disputes.
Economic independence
As part of the journey to Treaty, we’ve developed a Self-Determination Fund to help build wealth for future generations and also make sure Traditional Owners are ready to enter Treaty negotiations with the Government on a more equal playing field.
Hey Mob! It's time to get involved
We’ve got a bold and positive agenda, but self-determination isn’t just the destination – it’s also how we get there! That’s why we need Mob to get involved, have a say and show support for Treaty by enrolling with us.