TRUE VOICE: Corrina Eccles talks treaty at Surf Coast event

THE long-awaited treaty in Victoria is an opportunity for the state’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to redefine how they see each other, according to Wadawurrung traditional owner Corrina Eccles.

Ms Eccles was the keynote speaker at a free community forum hosted by the Surf Coast Shire at the council chambers last week as part of NAIDOC Week.

The theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week is “Voice. Treaty. Truth”, and Ms Eccles’ informative presentation, titled “Talking Treaty”, outlined the reasons why a treaty was needed, how it would be created, and what it might contain.

Victoria is the first Australian state to enter formal treaty negotiations with Aboriginal people, who have never ceded sovereignty.

Ms Eccles spoke about the journey of Wadawurrung people in what is now known as the Geelong region both before and after white settlement.

“Wadawurrung language, knowledge and footprints have been embedded in this land for thousands of years,” she said.

“When I read over all our special records and I listen to stories, I describe (colonisation) as an earthquake – we didn’t see it coming, we didn’t know what to do.

“The earthquake didn’t stop; it wasn’t something that only lasted a couple of days. It was invasion.”

She said treaty was not about blame, but about stating the facts and attempting to right the wrongs.

“It is an opportunity to recast the relationship between Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal Victorians.

“It is not about saying that your land is our land, give it back – that is wrong. It’s about acknowledging we were here, we were living here on this land; it wasn’t terra nullius.”

The First Peoples Assembly of Victoria is being formed to work with the state government to develop a treaty negotiation framework (effectively, the ground rules), a treaty authority (an independent umpire) and a self-determination fund. Aboriginal Victorians are being encouraged to enrol to vote for candidates.

“For us as a Traditional Owner group, we have to do our own process for who will be the right person to represent Wadawurrung as a seat in that assembly,” Ms Eccles said.

Geelong MP Christine Couzens said “there will be a voice to Parliament” at the end of the treaty process.

“We have to acknowledge the past, the truth telling, and hear the voices.

“Treaty is history in the making; we are actually making history right now as we speak.”