Victoria is nearing the finalization of treaty negotiations with its Indigenous communities, a process that has already seen notable taxpayer investment, though specific figures remain undisclosed.
The Victorian government is actively engaged in separate treaty discussions with various local Indigenous groups. The financial implications and precise details of these agreements have not been publicly released.
This growth follows the recent release of findings from the Yoorrook Justice Commission, which investigated the state’s colonial history. The commission’s “Truth Be told” report documented past massacres and frontier violence, characterizing these events as “genocide” and examining the continuing detrimental impacts on Aboriginal people.
In response to criticism, a spokesperson for the Victorian government dismissed a critique from a think tank aligned with the Liberal Party as a “cherry-picked analysis.”
The spokesperson emphasized the value of direct input from those affected by policies, stating, “If you listen to the people directly affected by policies, you get better outcomes – that’s commonsense.”
The government views treaty as a mechanism for creating a more equitable state for all Victorians. Negotiations are ongoing, with the government expressing its intention to bring the treaty to Parliament.
