South Australia
* In February, SA’s lower house voted to support a First Nations voice to parliament.
* The SA voice would consist of representatives from local First Nations voices, and would be able to address either house of parliament on any bill of concern to First Nations people.
* The bill followed months of work, including two rounds of consultation with Aboriginal communities, organisations and people conducted by First Nations Voice Commissioner Dale Agius.
* There will be a special sitting of the SA parliament on Sunday, March 26, in expectation of the legislation passing the upper house.
Victoria
* The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria is the independent, democratically elected body to represent traditional owners by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
* It will push for a treaty that will cover statewide matters, and will also empower traditional owner groups to negotiate treaties that reflect their aspirations and priorities.
* The Yoorrook Justice Commission is the first formal truth-telling process into historical and ongoing injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria.
* Yoorrook has the powers of a royal commission, has held a series of hearings since March 2022, and is due to deliver its final report in June 2024.
Tasmania
* The Tasmanian government has committed to “progressing truth-telling and treaty in true partnership with Tasmanian Aboriginal people.”
* In December 2022, the state government appointed a six-member Aboriginal advisory group to research, seek specialist advice, and consult with Aboriginal people regarding truth-telling and treaty.
New South Wales (NSW)
* NSW Labor has committed to starting treaty discussions with Indigenous communities if elected. It will commit $5 million towards a year-long consultation on the legally binding agreement between the government and Indigenous Australians, which allows for partnership around decision-making.
* NSW Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Franklin has said treaty with Aboriginal people is “not on the agenda”.
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
* The ACT is the only jurisdiction with an elected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice to parliament.
* Under ACT legislation, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body has a set of functions and responsibilities.
* Each member has their own ACT government portfolio responsibility, which means they have direct involvement in key agreements, policies and programs for the Indigenous community.
* The ACT government committed to starting treaty conversations in the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Agreement 2019‑2028.
* In 2022 Professor Kerry Arabena was appointed to facilitate preliminary talks about what a treaty would mean for the ACT’s traditional custodians. The report was made public on July 6, 2022.
Queensland
* On August 16, 2022, the Queensland government, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous Queenslanders signed Queensland’s Path to Treaty Commitment.
* The commitment is a collective pledge to be “courageous and curious”, open to hearing the truth of the state’s history, and to work together to make negotiating treaties possible.
* In February, the Queensland government introduced the Path to Treaty Bill 2023, co-designed with the Interim Truth and Treaty Body.
* The bill provides for the Treaty Advancement Committee report’s recommendations to establish:
A First Nations Treaty Institute to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to prepare for treaty negotiations.
A truth-telling and healing inquiry to record the historical and ongoing impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders.
The bill will be considered by the Community Support and Services Committee, with their report to be tabled on April 21.
Northern Territory (NT)
* In June 2018 the NT government and four Aboriginal land councils signed the Barunga Agreement, a memorandum of understanding to form a Northern Territory Treaty Commission.
* From 2019-21 the commission consulted with Aboriginal people across the NT and conducted research into developing a framework for future treaty negotiations.
* The final report was delivered in July 2022, and the NT government responded in December.
* The NT government has created a treaty unit to develop a whole-of-government approach to treaty; establish a truth-telling process across the NT; and engage with the Commonwealth around development of a voice at regional, local and national levels.
Western Australia (WA)
* WA has no plans to begin a statewide voice, treaty or truth process.
* Some lawyers and academics have called the South West Native Title Settlement between the Noongar people and the state government Australia’s first treaty.
The settlement will affect an estimated 30,000 Noongar people and encompasses about 200,000 square kilometres.
In exchange for giving up Noongar native title rights, the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council negotiated recognition through an act of parliament of the Noongar Boodja Trust and a range of other heritage, land, economic and community agreements.
