Victoria Signs Australia’s First Treaty wiht โAboriginal People, Marking Historic Step Towards Reconciliation
Melbourne, โAustralia – Victoria has become the first Australianโฃ state too โsign โขa treaty with its First Peoples, โa landmark agreement decades in โฃtheโ making and hailed as a pivotal moment in the nation’sโ history.The treaty, signed onโข November 29, 2023, formalizesโฃ a commitment toโฃ truth, justice, and self-determination for โVictoria’s Customary โฃOwner groups.
The agreement โฃfollows years of consultation and negotiation under Victoria’s โTreaty-Making framework, established in 2018. It aimsโข to address historical injustices and create a more equitable future through shared governance โand recognition of Aboriginal sovereignty. UN High โขCommissioner for Human Rights Volker Turkโข described the โคtreaty’s passing asโ a “historic” moment.
Under the framework, further โtreaties can be negotiated with โspecific Traditional Owner โgroups. While commitments to treaty-making exist โin New South โWalesโข and โSouthโ Australia, progress has stalled or been reversedโ in Queensland, the Northern Territory, and โTasmania.
The โVictorian โคtreaty has received support from the โคstate’s Labor government. Though,the state Liberal opposition hasโข pledged โฃto scrap the deal should it โขwin the next state election.โ
The signing โoccured a dayโ after the โgovernmentโค announced a โnew policy allowing children โคas young as 14 โto face adult jail time for certain violent crimes, a move thatโค has drawnโ criticism. Victorian Aboriginal Legalโฃ Service CEO nerita waight labelled the proposal “cruel” and inconsistent with the treaty’s spirit. “The treatyโ will ensure that what happenedโ yesterday doesn’t โhappen again where our experts โฃare left โunconsulted,โข where we are not acting on best evidence,” she said.
Theโฃ treatyโค will mandate additional consultation with Aboriginal people regarding legislative reforms. Victorian senator lidia Thorpe questionedโ the future of the treaty given the โyouthโ crime policy,stating,”What future do โthey have with treaty if Jacinta locks โขthem โขup? Like what hope do we have here?”
A publicโ event celebrating theโ signing ofโค Victoria’s first treaty is scheduled for December.