Victoria has made history as the first Australian state to formally negotiate a Treaty with First Peoples, following the passage of the Statewide Treaty Bill through Parliament on Thursday.
The landmark legislation marks a significant step towards a new relationship between the Victorian Government and Aboriginal communities — as per Allan government: one based on respect, trust, and integrity.
The Bill will be signed by the Victorian Government and the First Peoples’ Assembly in the coming weeks once it receives Royal Assent from the Governor.
A public ceremony at Federation Square on 12 December 2025 will mark the official commencement of the Treaty Agreement.
Premier Jacinta Allan praised the moment as historic, saying Treaty was about empowerment and self-determination. “Treaty gives Aboriginal communities the power to shape the policies and services that affect their lives,” Allan said.
“This is how we build a fairer, stronger Victoria for everyone.”
Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins said the move was about truth-telling and reconciliation. “Treaty is about acknowledging the truth of our past and working on a future built on mutual understanding and respect for First Peoples,” she said.
“Today we’ve taken a major step forward in building a future that empowers and respects First Nations Victorians.”
The Treaty process has been underway in Victoria for almost a decade, involving two rounds of legislation and extensive consultations between government and Aboriginal representatives. However, the move has reignited political divisions.
Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price condemned the Bill, accusing the Victorian Government of ignoring the outcome of the 2023 Voice referendum, in which a majority of Australians — including 54 per cent of Victorians — voted No.
In a strongly worded statement, Senator Price said Premier Allan’s government was defying the “will of the people” and pushing ahead with a process that “divides Victorians by race.”
“Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and her Labor Government never accepted the referendum outcome,” Senator Price said.
“They stand condemned for their defiance of democracy and for their refusal to accept the will of the people.”
She warned that the Treaty could lead to demands for “reparations” and “a revisionist view of history,” while criticising the government’s record on debt, crime, and cost-of-living pressures.
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