First Peoples’ Assembly presents first report to Parliament

THE First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria has marked a successful first year, with its first annual report tabled in state Parliament last month.
Since starting late last year, the assembly and its members have made significant progress towards the foundational architecture for Treaties and are close to achieving an interim dispute resolution process with the state.
The assembly has successfully called on the state to commit to delivering two immediate priorities – a Stolen Generations Redress Scheme and a Truth-telling Process.
Established in December 2019, the assembly is the first body of its kind in Australia. It comprises 21 representatives determined by a state-wide Aboriginal community vote held between September and October 2019, and 10 representatives appointed to reserved seats by formally recognised Traditional Owner groups.
In the south-west region, which includes Geelong and the Surf Coast, the members are Sissy Austin, Michael Bell, Jordan Edwards, Sean Fagan, Jamie Lowe and Donna Wright.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the assembly has adjusted to online forms of engagement. Interactive livestreamed member-led discussions with the community have had an online reach of more than 43,000 people to date.
When the assembly has gathered for online chamber meetings, livestreamed parts have attracted an audience of almost 90,000 viewers.
Over the next year, the assembly will focus on reaching an agreement with the state for an interim dispute resolution process; the form, function and powers of the Treaty Authority; and initial elements of the treaty negotiation framework.
“This is more than just a report,” assembly co-chair Geraldine Atkinson said.
“This represents the new relationship between Aboriginal people and the Parliament of Victoria, engaging on equal terms as two democratically-elected bodies.
“Earlier this year we saw thousands of Victorians marching in the street as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. They were marching about the ongoing injustices that Treaty can and will address with the state.”
A report to the Aboriginal community will be released in early 2021.
For more information on the Victorian First Peoples’ Assembly, head to firstpeoplesvic.org.