BREAKING NEWS Indigenous Voice to Paliament on the way for Australian state as treaty deal nears
Victoria is set to follow South Australia in establishing a state-based, democratically elected body to provide advice on laws and policies related to Aboriginal people.
The creation of the ongoing body has been on the table since January as part of treaty talks between the state government and First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria.
Premier Jacinta Allan indicated it was likely to be agreed to and, unlike the failed federal voice, would not require constitutional change.
'The key difference to the referendum that was put nationwide a couple of years ago is that was changing the constitution,' she told reporters on Monday.
'This is not changing the Victorian constitution.'
Victoria recorded the highest 'yes' vote of any state at 45.85 per cent in the 2023 referendum.
The ACT (61.3 per cent) was the only state or territory to back the proposal.
SA is the only jurisdiction to legislate a state-based, democratically elected body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The SA Voice is made up of 46 Aboriginal members elected across six regional districts.
A statewide Victorian treaty is expected to be struck later in 2025, with enabling legislation to then go before parliament.
The Victorian opposition withdrew its support for treaty in January 2024 following the failed referendum, citing concerns about cultural heritage laws.
It means the Labor government will need the support of as many as six upper-house crossbench MPs for the treaty agreement.
Treaty negotiations have centred on making sure Aboriginal Victorians could make decisions on matters that impacted their mob, assembly co-chair Rueben Berg said.
Mr Berg said the talks also covered the assembly playing an ongoing role in truth-telling, keeping government accountable and developing leadership capability for its people.
'Treaty recognises that Aboriginal people are the experts on our own lives,' the Gunditjmara man said.
Ms Allan pointed out the assembly, which essentially already performs the same function as a state-based voice, has been operating since 2018.
After 'decade after decade' of stagnating and worsening outcomes for Indigenous people, the premier is pleading for a change of approach.
'It's not acceptable ... that the rate of Indigenous kids finishing education is something like 57 per cent, far far below the statewide average,' Ms Allan said.
'That the number of Indigenous people accessing homelessness services has gone up, that the number of Aboriginal women accessing breast screening has gone down.'
Opposition Leader Brad Battin said the coalition would not support a state voice to parliament, declaring it 'flies in the face of democracy' following the referendum result.
'I'll continue to stand with those Victorians and say the voice is not needed,' he said.
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