The Hon Natalie Hutchins, Minister for Government Services, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Women (Vic); Ngarra Murray, Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria; Rueben Berg, Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, Joint Media Release, 18 June 2025

The Victorian Government and the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria have been holding regional meetings to continue negotiations for Victoria’s first statewide Treaty. 

Premier Jacinta Allan and Assembly Co-Chairs Rueben Berg and Ngarra Murray attended the opening ceremony prior to negotiations on Dja Dja Wurrung country last Wednesday. 

Treaty is about making a better and fairer state for all Victorians, by ensuring First Peoples have a say over the policies that impact them and their families. 

Negotiations have progressed on how an ongoing role for the First Peoples’ Assembly will ensure First Peoples can make decisions on matters that impact their futures and play an ongoing role in truth-telling, including capturing stories from across Victoria and retaining an archive of this information. 

The ongoing representative body will be able to advocate for First Nations communities, provide advice, work on building community leadership capability and work with the Victorian Government to close the gap between First Peoples and other Victorians. 

Negotiations also emphasised the nation-leading work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission and the importance of ongoing truth-telling across local communities.

Parties discussed the significance of the official public record being created by the Yoorrook Justice Commission, and that this could be a valuable resource for teachers to use when educating students about Victoria’s history.

Treaty is a pathway to acknowledging the past and making real, practical change to achieve better outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians.

Since Treaty negotiations began, more than 700 local government, community and multicultural leaders have been engaged in Treaty Forums across Victoria. 

The Victorian Government is represented by senior Department of Premier and Cabinet executives, and appointed Member Negotiators represent the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria.

Established in 2018, the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria has proven effective in enabling Aboriginal Victorians to represent their communities and negotiate Treaty.