Victoria has become the first state in Australia to formally table treaty legislation in parliament, marking a historic step towards recognising and empowering the state’s First Peoples.
The Statewide Treaty Bill was introduced in parliament on Tuesday afternoon. If passed, it will enshrine the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria as a permanent body under a new authority called Gellung Warl.
The Assembly, established in 2019 to allow Aboriginal communities to elect representatives to negotiate a treaty on their behalf, will gain the power to make rules on matters that directly affect First Peoples in Victoria.
Premier Jacinta Allan described the move as the culmination of generations of advocacy and said the treaty would provide a practical framework for change.
“All families are better off when they have responsibility over their lives, their future and the things that affect them. Aboriginal families are no different,” Allan said in a statement.
“Treaty makes sense because it gives Aboriginal people a say in how their services are run. It’s that simple. Our first Treaty sets clear rules to achieve real, practical change over time.
It doesn’t take anything away from anyone – it’s about improving people’s lives and the services they use.
Generations of advocacy by First Peoples has led to this important moment. We recognise it.
They have an unbroken relationship with the land where we live. We acknowledge it.
They nurtured the oldest living cultures on earth. We’re proud of it.”
Allan also acknowledged the work of the First Peoples’ Assembly, the Treaty Authority, and the Yoorrook Justice Commission, thanking Victorians for supporting the process.
“Finally, I thank the Victorian people for coming with us on this journey, which continues still. The first Treaty in Australia’s history will be in your name, too – and it will benefit us all.”
But while the Bill has been hailed as historic, some Indigenous leaders say more must be done to ensure the treaty delivers meaningful change.
Independent Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe, a Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung woman, welcomed the milestone but stressed that the process was still incomplete.
“I congratulate the First Peoples’ Assembly on this historic milestone. The whole country is watching and it’s important we’re getting this right. This includes getting free, prior and informed consent from all Clans and Nations. But we’re not there yet,” Thorpe said.
She highlighted concerns about representation within the Assembly.
“Back in 2018, when I was the member for Northcote, the Greens were in balance of power to have the Treaty process legislation passed. We tried to strengthen it to include all 40+ Nations around the table. At the moment, there are only 12 reserved seats. I look forward to the day when all Clans and Nations are properly represented and have the power to self-determine their own destinies.”
Thorpe also warned that the treaty’s success would be measured by whether it addressed systemic injustices facing Aboriginal people.
“Unless Treaty addresses the ongoing Genocide on our people, it will have failed,” she said.
She pointed to issues such as over-incarceration, child removals, and the destruction of sacred sites as fundamental challenges that must be tackled.
Despite these concerns, Thorpe said she welcomed mechanisms for accountability and truth-telling but called for stronger powers to ensure meaningful outcomes.
“I am particularly interested in the proposed Accountability Mechanism so we can independently monitor the government’s performance in key areas, such as implementing Yoorook’s recommendations and the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and Bringing them Home. But monitoring is not enough. These new bodies need to have teeth so we can finally see action in those areas where intentional government inaction has cost our people’s lives.”
If successful, Victoria’s treaty would be the first of its kind in Australia — a process Premier Allan described as a “journey” that continues, and one that Senator Thorpe insists must go beyond symbolism to address the daily realities of First Peoples.
