Victoria likely to have Treaty framework before election
12 October 2022 at 8:57 pm
In an exclusive opinion column for Pro Bono News, Aunty Geraldine Atkinson confirms she expects Victoria’s treaty framework to be released in the next fortnight, before Victoria enters caretaker mode ahead of the state election.
Victoria’s Treaty is within reach, according to the co-chair of the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria.
In an exclusive piece written for Pro Bono News, Aunty Geraldine Atkinson reveals the Assembly is “on the cusp of a historic agreement” with the Victorian government to establish the framework that will guide Victoria’s Treaty negotiations.
The Treaty Negotiation Framework is expected to be in place before the Victorian government enters pre-election caretaker mode on 1 November. Treaty negotiations could then start as early as next year.
The framework is drawn from on nearly 400 community events and yarns with more than 23,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Victoria.
“The collective voice, wisdom and strength across generations has gotten us to where we are today and these conversations culminated in some major milestones as our Community told us exactly what’s needed on the pathway to Treaty,” Atkinson writes.
“Everyone wants to get on with building a better future together as equals. But to do that we need to address past injustices and tackle the racism and discrimination that continues to hold our people back today.
“That’s what our shared journey to Treaty is all about.”
Read the exclusive column from Aunty Geraldine Atkinson here.
