Quotes attributable to Lidia Thorpe, Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung independent Victorian Senator:

"I congratulate the First Peoples’ Assembly on this historic milestone. The whole country is watching and it’s important we’re getting this right. This includes getting free, prior and informed consent from all Clans and Nations. But we’re not there yet. 

"Back in 2018, when I was the member for Northcote, the Greens were in balance of power to have the Treaty process legislation passed. We tried to strengthen it to include all 40+ Nations around the table. At the moment, there are only 12 reserved seats. I look forward to the day when all Clans and Nations are properly represented and have the power to self-determine their own destinies.

"I welcome the establishment of an ongoing Truth-telling body focused on healing. Yoorrook has done important and crucial work, but in its short timeframe it was not able to reveal the full extent of First Peoples experience through colonisation. Without Truth, there can be no healing or peace.

"The proposed bodies to be established through the Treaty Bill sound good on paper, but we are yet to see how they will address our daily realities: our children being taken away, our people being jailed and dying in custody, so many of our people dying too young or taking their lives. Unless Treaty addresses the ongoing Genocide on our people, it will have failed.

"This Bill and the Treaty will be measured by what it will do for our people, and whether it can correct the wrongs committed, and address the ongoing harm being perpetrated against First Peoples.

"I am particularly interested in the proposed Accountability Mechanism so we can independently monitor the government’s performance in key areas, such as implementing Yoorook’s recommendations and the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and Bringing them Home.

"But monitoring is not enough. These new bodies need to have teeth so we can finally see action in those areas where intentional government inaction has cost our people’s lives. I look forward to learning more about the actual powers of Gellung Warl, and how they interact with the established colonial government system.

"A Treaty process that does not address the continuous theft of our land and destruction of our sacred sites undermines our very survival and the core of our being, leaving our future generations with nothing. Treaty, therefore, has to tackle the damage caused by the current Cultural Heritage Act and Traditional Owners Settlement Act head on, in an inclusive way.

"I welcome a watchdog-style committee to oversee spending for First Peoples initiatives if it can ensure that spending occurs in a self-determined manner, tackles Blak-cladding and supports Traditional Owners’ initiatives. 

"At the moment, government funding meant for us is not tracked, and increased transparency and accountability in this area is welcome to ensure funding can be self-determined and directly benefit grassroots Clans.

"I want to point out here that the Allan government still hasn’t acknowledged our ongoing and continuing Sovereignty over these lands, and that, while Allan is talking Treaty on the one hand, her government continues to undermine our Sovereignty on the other. Since the Treaty conversations began in Victoria, the Labor government, first under Dan Andrews, sold off as much Crown land as it could. This continues under the current Allan government and is another form of land theft. Crown land is Treaty land.

"Meanwhile, over-incarceration of our people and the removal of our children continue. These are fundamental issues for our people, and the Allan government is continuing this harm.

"Ultimately we need Treaty at a national level. While there’s a lot of work to do to get there, the Albanese government should start the process by establishing a federal truth telling body, which will lay the groundwork for Treaty at the national level as Yoorook did in Victoria. 

"Truth and Treaty are nothing to be afraid of, they are about peace, healing, and bringing this nation together."