The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and the State Government will today sign an agreement that will allow treaties to be negotiated with Traditional Owners from next year.
The agreement provides the framework and ground-rules for Treaty-making in Victoria and will be signed on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country by the Yarra River in Fairfield just after midday today.
The assembly said the framework will set out the principles that will guide Treaty-making in Victoria and provide Traditional Owner groups with the ability to choose their own pathways and timelines for negotiating treaties which reflect their particular priorities and aspirations.
The framework is also said to explain the criteria and standards that groups need to meet if they want to enter Treaty negotiations and how they can be supported with resourcing from the self-determination fund and guidance from the Treaty Authority to enter negotiations on a more equal footing with the government.
More to come.