NextFin news, Victoria's parliament formally tabled historic treaty legislation on Monday, making it the first Australian state to introduce a treaty with its First Peoples into law. The legislation mandates that all Victorian schoolchildren from prep to Year 10 will learn about truth-telling regarding the state's Indigenous history and the ongoing impacts of colonization.
The treaty legislation, introduced in Melbourne, promises to "reckon with the past" and empower Victoria's First Peoples without taking anything away from the broader community. If passed, it will make permanent the First Peoples' Assembly under a new authority called Gellung Warl, which will have the power to make rules on matters directly affecting First Peoples in Victoria.
Premier Jacinta Allan described the treaty bill as "commonsense" and emphasized that despite significant government spending, efforts to close the gap in Indigenous disadvantage have not been successful. She noted that Australia is a global outlier in not having reached a treaty agreement with its Indigenous population.
The treaty legislation reflects in-principle agreements reached between the state government and the First Peoples' Assembly, giving Aboriginal people a say in how services and programs for Aboriginal Victorians are run. Co-chair of the First Peoples' Assembly, Ngarra Murray, called the legislation "a new era" and a chance to reshape the story of the country, while co-chair Rueben Berg said it would reset the relationship between First Peoples and the state government.
Gellung Warl will also include two additional bodies to hold the government accountable and continue the truth-telling work initiated by the Yoorrook Justice Commission. The new curriculum for Victorian primary and secondary students will be developed using the findings of the Yoorrook Commission, ensuring education about First Peoples' history and experiences is embedded statewide.
The treaty legislation includes provisions for a special appropriation act to fund Gellung Warl with tens of millions of dollars annually once fully operational. The authority will oversee consultation with all state-funded bodies, including police, when developing rules and policies relating to First Peoples.
The treaty acknowledges that injustices stemming from colonization—such as dispossession, racism, and discrimination—continue to affect First Peoples today. It emphasizes that the treaty is not about dwelling on the past or assigning blame but about acknowledging history's ongoing impact and choosing to do better moving forward.
Victoria's treaty legislation was tabled on Monday, September 8, 2025, in Melbourne, marking a historic step in Indigenous-state relations and education reform in Australia.
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