Part 2: The politics and pushback
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What does Victoria's treaty mean for Indigenous communities?
This is part two of a two-part episode that we're bringing you, recorded back in September of 2025, just after Victoria introduced a bill that would give effect to Australia's first ever treaty with First Nations people.
Indigenous leaders across the country have welcomed Victoria's first treaty. The legislation will enshrine a democratically elected body for First Peoples called Gellingwall that will be consulted on laws and policies affecting Indigenous communities. And now there are calls for other states and territories to use the Victorian example as a model to establish their own treaties. But there's also, predictably, pushback, with critics calling it costly and divisive in claims that echo the voice debate. And state and territory leaders across the country are walking away from previous promises and commitments. Today, Ryder and 7am co-host Daniel James, who was also one of the authors of the Europe Commission reports, on whether Victoria's treaty marks a turning point or an anomaly.
Daniel, Australia's first treaty was introduced into Parliament this week in Victoria.
How has the Victorian treaty been received nationally?
How significant is this moment?
Well, it's the only time in the history of the entire country that a treaty has been introduced into a state or federal parliament. It's been on the back of decades of work, but in a formal sense, in terms of the actual process of getting this treaty to this point, it's been at least six years. It has survived two elections.
What criticisms have emerged regarding the treaty legislation?
It has gone through a pandemic. It has gone through a very divisive referendum. But despite all that, the First People's Assembly in its two iterations have gotten us to this point, and it was a remarkable day for everyone that has either paid close interest to this or been involved in it.
It didn't take long, though, for criticism to appear in some media outlets. This treaty legislation is a slap in the face to the majority of Victorians who less than two years ago voted no to Labor's voice to Parliament, isn't it? On Sky, we heard people start to say that the Victorian government is, quote, pandering to a minority. And as usual, Victoria is way out in front in another example of pandering to a minority in favour of the majority. Singling out in particular things like the changes to the curriculum that will be introduced and changes to place names.
Why is this treaty considered a significant historical moment?
Have a look at this. Barry Yip Primary. Now, you say it apparently Bar-ray-ip. Now, you've got Cuyim Primary in Pakenham. It's pronounced Cuyim. You've got Mini-yan in... Did you expect that kind of commentary?
Yeah, it's sadly predictable because it's pretty much all they've really got in their kit in terms of being able to attack processes like this. They are ostensibly a bunch of one-trick ponies. When it comes to the idea of the First Nations people here being a minority, yes, we are a minority. But we are a minority that were here for 60,000 years.
What are the implications of the treaty for other states and territories?
And when colonialism came here, were a minority that had our land stolen, our waterways desecrated. We were the result of policies of eradication, both formal and informal. We were the victims of massacres, we were the victims of disease and alcohol that was brought here. The tremendous wealth that was created in this place through things like the gold rush, Aboriginal people never saw, even though it was the plundering of their land that resulted in that. The billions of dollars that have been generated through our waterways and land and skies, we've never seen a cent of. We were deprived of our rights. And so, yes, we are a minority, but we also are the first peoples of this place. And this treaty and the truth-telling process you looked before it is a reckoning of that, and it shows a state that is mature enough and bold enough to be able to
deal with these particular issues in a mature and forensic, but also incredibly nuanced way. And so the response from sections of the media was entirely predictable, trying to conflate it with things like the referendum, which is a completely different thing.
How could political changes affect the treaty's future?
This is it. This is what's happening.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What does Victoria's treaty mean for Indigenous communities?
0:00–1:06
2
How has the Victorian treaty been received nationally?
1:06–1:32
3
What criticisms have emerged regarding the treaty legislation?
1:32–2:29
4
Why is this treaty considered a significant historical moment?
2:29–3:07
5
What are the implications of the treaty for other states and territories?
3:07–4:22
6
How could political changes affect the treaty's future?
4:22–5:23
7
What changes can we expect in the Victorian education system due to the treaty?
5:23–6:12
8
How does the treaty impact the relationship between First Nations and the broader community?
6:12–16:31
Speakers
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