Victorian Labor to Negotiate Aboriginal Decision-Making Powers

Protesters participate in the Treaty Before Voice Invasion Day Protest in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 26, 2023. Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

The Victorian government is set to negotiate how much power an Indigenous representative body will have on Parliament.

On Jan. 13, Victorian Labor announced that it had reached an agreement with the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria (FPAV) for the first round of Treaty negotiations, two months after talks began in November 2024.

The FPAV is democratically elected by Indigenous community members across five regions in the state.

Meanwhile, the Voice, Treaty, and “Truth-telling” process is aimed at furthering reconciliation between Aboriginals and the Australian authorities.

It’s not a process embraced by all governments, as the Queensland LNP only recently put a stop to its Treaty process.

Negotiation Topics

According to a joint statement, the Victoria and the FPAV will discuss what type of power an Aboriginal representative body will have regarding “decision-making relating to Victorian government programs and services” for Indigenous communities.

Further, it will work to support “Truth-telling, education, healing, and reconciliation in Victoria,” while considering negotiations for “future iterations of a statewide treaty.”

There will also be efforts to set up better accountability around the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

While details are scarce, some Indigenous representatives have pushed for initiatives like tax exemptions for Aboriginals, seats on local councils, and funding for “true” Aboriginal history to be taught in all schools.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders already receive preferential treatment at universities, companies, and for government services.

While Victoria and South Australia have forged ahead with Indigenous-focused institutions in government, at the federal level, such a proposal was emphatically rejected by voters.

In October 2023, over 60 percent of Australians voted against embedding a near-permanent advisory body into Parliament that would have the power to “make representations” on all matters deemed relevant to Indigenous people.

FPAV’s Response

Meanwhile, FPAV Co-chair Rueben Berg told The Epoch Times that negotiations were the best opportunity to deliver practical solutions for Aboriginal communities.

“When it comes to Aboriginal communities, cultures, lands and languages, the experts are Aboriginal people,” he said.

“So we'll be looking for ways to ensure Aboriginal communities always have the ability to use local knowledge to come up with practical solutions at a community level.

“Whether its caring for country and overseeing ongoing truth-telling and healing efforts, or helping to improve the way services like health, housing and education are delivered in our communities, we see Treaty as a practical way to get better outcomes.”

The Epoch Times has reached out to Victorian Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins for comment.