After a series of Self-determination Forums with Victorian Traditional Owners throughout 2016, the Victorian Government committed to exploring Treaty. An Aboriginal Treaty Working Group was established in 2016, and Aunty Jill Gallagher AO, Gunditjmara woman, was appointed as the independent Victorian Treaty Advancement Commissioner in 2017.
The Victorian Parliament passed the Advancing the Treaty Process with Aboriginal Victorians Act in June 2018. This contained the legal power to establish an elected First Peoples representative body - The First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria.
In November 2024, Treaty negotiations between the First Peoples' Assembly and the Victorian Government began with ceremony - Ceremonial Opening of Treaty Negotiations – under the Victorian Treaty Negotiation Framework.
In July 2025 the historic Yoorrook Justice Commission delivered its final report containing 100 recommendations to State Government. The Yoorrook website contains the recommendations and information about their connection to the Treaty process in Victoria.
On Tuesday 16 August 2022, the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria announced the passing of this crucial bill drawing applause from MPs and members of the public gallery.
Assembly co-chair Marcus Stewart said the authority is the first of its kind in Australia and brings together aspects of other treaty commissions from New Zealand and the Canadian region of British Columbia.
The Treaty Authority will now work towards a self-determination fund for First Nations communities in Victoria to support representatives to enter negotiations with the government on an "equal" footing, while also empowering them to build wealth and greater capacity for future generations.
Reconciliation Victoria believes Treaty will be the most significant step towards self-determination ever taken in Victoria and that Treaty possibilities will strengthen reconciliation pathways and progress.
Read the Treaty Authority Bill
Reconciliation Victoria has been involved in actively supporting Treaty from the start. In 2018 we partnered with the Victorian Treaty Advancement Commission in delivering Treaty community roadshows. These engaged and informed non-Aboriginal communities about the Treaty process, building the capacity and understanding of local government, local reconciliation supporters and the general public of the various roles they can play to support Treaty.
The non-Aboriginal community roadshows visited regional areas including Grampians-Mallee, Loddon-Hume and Gippsland.
Reconciliation Victoria continued to support local and statewide conversations with non-Aboriginal communities as momentum built for Treaty. The second phase of our work involved developing resources to encourage and support deeper local conversations with the non-Aboriginal community about Treaty.
We also supported local facilitators to host Local Treaty Conversations across metropolitan Victoria. Reconciliation Victoria’s Treaty Engagement Project had a strong response, with the first of our Local Treaty Conversations run by Banyule and Darebin Councils attracting over 200 people and being broadcast live by 3KND.
In 2025 we partnered with the Municipal Association of Victoria and Victorian Aboriginal News to deliver the Turning towards Treaty forum in Boroondara which featured Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Andrew Gardiner, Uncle Andrew Jackomos from the Treaty Authority and Nerita Waight from the First Peoples Assembly.
In August 2025 Reconciliation Victoria hosted the Talking Treaty Forum. This special event brought together key leaders involved in Treaty-making in Victoria together with Local Reconciliation Group (LRG) members, creating a valuable space for truth-telling, learning and dialogue.
The Welcome to Country was provided by Daniel Ross and chaired by Rec Vic Co-chair Professor Andrew Gunstone.
Participants heard from the Hon Natalie Hutchins MP, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples; Terry Garwood, Deputy Secretary, First Peoples-State Relations, Department of Premier and Cabinet; Indi Clarke, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and Duean White from the Treaty Authority.
Presenters shared some great wisdom including:
“I am located, therefore I am” – a teaching from Aunty Mary shared by Indi Clarke, urging reflection on how we conduct ourselves and interact with others.
“What’s good for mob, is good for all” –Duean White’s reminder to approach Treaty with openness and a growth mindset.
“Get on the RAPs” – Terry Garwood’s call to build strong relationships and step boldly into the truth space using available resources.
Resilience and humour
Rec Vic’s recently appointed First Nations Co-Chair, Aunty Gina Bundle OAM reminded us that while the journey can be challenging, we are not alone.
Resources
Indi Clarke encouraged participants to read Truth Be Told, Yoorrook’s official public record, and use it to foster understanding of First Peoples’ experiences as we work to build support for Treaty.
Utilising these guiding stories and information, the LRG ally members then developed their ideas to bring conversations about Treaty to their local communities.
“I came away with so much information about Treaty and the Treaty-making process and met some wonderful people from various LRGs. It was energising and very much appreciated.”
GS, Latrobe Reconciliation Group.
Ciara O'Callaghan: Partnerships and Ally Organiser from the First Peoples' Assembly provided all participants with resources to amplify the messaging about Treaty. With a cornerstone message: “decisions about Aboriginal communities should be made by Aboriginal people”.
We encourage all supporters of Treaty to join Reconciliation Victoria in using these resources to contribute to broad community awareness about Treaty in Victoria.
Reconciliation Victoria acknowledges the valuable support we receive from our funding partners.
