Environment Victoria is proud to stand alongside First Peoples on the journey to Treaty in Victoria.
First Nations have been campaigning for Treaty for generations. Now, in Victoria, official negotiations have kicked off! Over the year ahead, the First People’s Assembly and the Victorian Government will negotiate what will be the first of multiple treaties covering the lands we now know as Victoria.
Treaty is about First Nations communities having the right to determine their own future and to make decisions about their people, lands and waters. It’s a way to acknowledge the harm that’s been caused, to heal injustices, and commit to a better, fairer future.
The journey to Treaty needs to be led by First Peoples, but it’s one we all need to support with allyship and action. Read more about Environment Victoria’s commitment below:
Environment Victoria Treaty Pledge
We, Environment Victoria, acknowledge that we live and work on stolen Aboriginal land. We pay respect to Traditional Owners who have cared for Country for thousands of generations and acknowledge that their sovereignty has never been ceded.
As an organisation committed to a healthy environment and a fair, sustainable society, we must play our part in righting the wrongs of the past and creating a better future together. That means accepting the truth about how First Peoples have been treated and supporting
their right to determine their own future.
When it comes to what works for First Peoples’ communities, cultures and lands, the experts are, of course, First Peoples. With profound respect for the sovereignty, culture, and rights of First Peoples, we’re proud to walk with the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria on the journey to Treaty.
The past can’t be changed, but we can choose to take steps today that will heal injustices and commit to a fairer society for tomorrow. One that tells the truth about Victoria’s history; affords dignity, respect and economic equality to the First Peoples of this land; and affirms their right to control over their lives, land and waters.
Environment Victoria pledges our unwavering support to the First Peoples’ Treaty process in Victoria. To help build support for the shared journey to Treaty, we will:
- Maintain long-term and accountable relationships with First Nations
- Educate ourselves and our community
- Back calls for Treaty, justice and land and water rights through our campaigns
- Take action towards Treaty, demonstrating public support and holding decision makers to account
- Honour the principles of Treaty once agreed
By making this pledge, we affirm our commitment to the self-determination of First Peoples in Victoria as they assert their rights, tell their truths and chart a healing path towards Treatymaking. Together, we will create a future where First Peoples’ voices are heard, rights are
respected, and justice is realised for generations to come.
QUOTE FROM FIRST PEOPLES’ ASSEMBLY OF VICTORIA
“We’re grateful to Environment Victoria for taking the Friends of Treaty pledge. Their commitment shows the strength of allies coming together to respect and celebrate Aboriginal culture and knowledge”
— Ngarra Murray, proud Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa and Dja Dja Wurrung, and Co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria.
Header image credit: Tommy Clarke, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria