A Treaty Gathering at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre (WPACC) last week gave local First Peoples an update on the Treaty negotiations process in Victoria. Despite a handful of individuals bearing anti-Treaty signs outside the venue, the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria said support for a statewide Treaty has skyrocketed over the years. An Assembly spokesperson said only last month, 14,000 Victorians joined the Walk for Truth, turning out to show their support for Truth-telling and Treaty, and thousands of people joined the annual NAIDOC March this month, with many more joining in celebrations throughout the state. “Treaty is about trying a new approach to get better outcomes, so we hope people have an open mind about this,” the spokesperson said. The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria has, for the past six years, been the democratic representative for First Peoples in Victoria, championing a statewide Treaty seeking to establish better outcomes for their communities. The Assembly is closer than ever to fulfilling their aspirations, with the Statewide Treaty Bill to be introduced to parliament later this year. “When it comes to issues affecting First Peoples, we know we can’t keep doing the same thing and expecting different results,” the Assembly spokesperson said. “Aboriginal people are the experts on our own lives, we know what works and what doesn’t work for our communities. “Treaty is about making sure we can use our knowledge to come up with practical solutions at the local level to get better outcomes for First Peoples.” To learn more about Treaty visit https://www.firstpeoplesvic.org/. For First Peoples from the North East region interested in participating in an event, visit https://www.firstpeoplesvic.org/north-east-events/.
