Latest news with #Australian-first
West Australian
3 hours ago
- Business
- West Australian
Liontown Resources hungry for lithium M&A despite low prices squeezing liquidity
Acquisitions are on the cards, Liontown Resources has revealed, turning the table on suggestions its lithium mine could soon be ceded to Gina Rinehart or mothballed. Kathleen Valley is transitioning from an open-pit to underground mining operation and three months ago an Australian-first milestone was achieved when maiden lithium ore was extracted below ground at the Goldfields site. The ramp-up of underground activity is going to plan, according to Liontown chief executive Tony Ottaviano, with the miner confident enough in its progress to invite media, politicians and customers to a formal opening of the underground site. Speaking at the formal opening on Thursday, Mr Ottaviano was bullish about the miner's prospects — despite a prolonged lithium price plunge. The value of the lithium-filled spodumene concentrate Liontown exports from Geraldton Port has declined more than 20 per cent over the past four months and nearly 90 per cent since the decision to build Kathleen Valley was made three years ago. WA lithium mines run by Liontown, Mineral Resources, PLS, Wesfarmers and SQM are all believed to be losing money at the current spodumene benchmark price of $US670 per tonne. Speculation has swirled for months that at least one of the local lithium miners would put their operations on care and maintenance to preserve cash until a supply glut eases and prices subsequently rebound. Liontown had $173 million of cash and about $700m of debt at the end of the March quarter – its most recent financial update. But Mr Ottaviano said Liontown was keen to 'keep proving the underground sceptics wrong' and would not be pulling the pin at Kathleen Valley anytime soon. 'We don't care for care and maintenance,' he told The West Australian. 'We are confident that with the passage of time, we will demonstrate that it (underground) will be a competitive advantage from the perspective that you get better recoveries. 'The open-pit people only too well know that at least 30 per cent of what they mine they cannot process because the blasting has created contamination.' Liontown's share price last closed at 75 cents, up 32 per cent year to date, but a far-cry from the $3 per share offer Albemarle lobbed for the company in October 2023. That offer was ultimately scuppered by Mrs Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting becoming Liontown's biggest shareholder. Mrs Rinehart's deep pockets, Hancock's top spot on the share register, and Liontown's relatively depressed stock price has stoked lingering speculation Australia's richest person could lob her own takeover bid. Mr Ottaviano and Liontown's chief commercial officer Grant Donald were tight-lipped about any potential takeover discussions with the Hancock camp or any other major mining players. Instead, Mr Donaldson said Liontown is gearing up to be the hunter, not the hunted. 'We shouldn't just think about Liontown as a target for mergers and acquisitions, ultimately we've delivered Kathleen Valley . . . we don't want to be a single asset company,' he said. 'There's still opportunity out there, and so we're very much thinking about what opportunities may be present in this low-price environment.' Mr Donald implied Liontown was open to examining opportunities in Australia or the Americas, but not the world's other lithium hotspot – Africa. 'Broadly speaking, there's nowhere off the table other than to say, you know, we're very cognisant that competing in Africa is challenging if you're not Chinese,' Mr Donald said. Mr Donald and Mr Ottaviano will likely have to compete with another Lion-themed business based in Perth ready to sink its claws into a new lithium mine. Leo Lithium has finished licking its wounds from an ill-fated adventure in Mali and has about $270m ready to spend on M&A — with a self-imposed clock ticking. 'If no M&A opportunities are significantly progressed by Q3 2025 (the current quarter) . . . funds will be returned to shareholders in the second half of calendar year 2025,' Leo stated last week. Leo has ruled out delving back into Africa. Mineral Resources' Wodgina and Mt Marion lithium mines in WA are rumoured to be on the market, but the Chris Ellison-led company has played down suggestions the mines are being shopped around.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Health
- Perth Now
‘Breaking point': Nurses escalate action
Thousands of nurses and midwives across Queensland have escalated their campaign for fair wages and conditions, with stage 2 of protected industrial action officially under way. The Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union (QNMU) has confirmed members across all Queensland Health facilities will participate in targeted action, stepping back from a range of non-clinical duties while continuing to prioritise direct patient care. QNMU secretary Sarah Beaman said members were sending a clear message to Health Minister Tim Nicholls that it was now time for a new, nation-leading offer. 'Today marks a historic step in our push for a deal that recruits, respects and retains this state's frontline nursing and midwifery workforce,' Ms Beaman said. 'Nurses and midwives are holding our health system together through sheer heart, skill and determination. 'We're at breaking point and we're done being disrespected.' QNMU secretary Sarah Beaman said members were sending a clear message to Health Minister Tim Nicholls. Richard Walker Credit: News Corp Australia The latest action follows the union's rejection of the government's proposed 11 per cent pay rise over three years, with the QNMU instead pushing for a 13 per cent increase over the same period. The government's offer includes staged increases of 3 per cent in April 2025, 2.5 per cent in both April 2026 and April 2027, and a final 3 per cent in December 2027. Mr Nicholls has described the proposal as a 'nation-leading' package that includes an 'Australian-first double-time-for-overtime care package'. However, Ms Beaman said the deal would strip Queensland's nurses and midwives of their long-held position as the highest paid in the country, a status they've maintained for 15 years. She said the workforce was now escalating action to 'keep Queenslanders safe.' 'We are over the state government's stalling tactics and gaslighting,' she said. Nurses are pushing for a 13 per cent increase over three years. NewsWire / Dan Peled Credit: News Corp Australia Actions under stage 2 include not performing administrative and support duties such as filing, answering phones, cleaning equipment, moving beds or entering non-clinical data into hospital systems. The QNMU has also issued specific notices for additional actions in various wards and units across the state. The union confirmed it had provided Queensland Health with the required three full working days' notice to allow for contingency planning. The industrial action has been approved by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC). Members will continue to document all clinical observations to ensure safe, continuous care. The QNMU said the latest action was in response to what it described as a failure by the government to uphold its written commitment to maintain nation-leading wages and conditions. It said that under the current offer, more than 36,000 of Queensland Health's 55,000 nurses and midwives would miss out on those wage standards. 'We have not taken this decision lightly, but the government has left us no choice,' Ms Beaman said. She said the protected industrial action is about making sure there were enough nurses and midwives to care for Queenslanders. 'Fair pay, safe conditions, respect. That's all we're asking,' Ms Beaman said. Nurses are not on strike. NewsWire / John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia The first stage of industrial action began on June 5 with low-level visibility activities such as staff wearing pink or promotional shirts and email signature updates. Ms Beaman said the stage 2 action would be 'legal, safe, and targeted,' in response to what she described as ongoing disrespect and gaslighting from the LNP state government. She emphasised that while the action may cause some inconvenience for Queensland Health officials, patient safety would not be compromised. 'We dedicate our working lives to the provision of safe, quality health care. As such, patient safety remains our priority at all times,' she said. Ms Beaman said the stage 2 action would be 'legal, safe, and targeted'. Richard Walker Credit: News Corp Australia Ms Beaman clarified the action was not a strike and assured the public that nurses and midwives would remain on the job, continuing to deliver frontline care. 'Nurses and midwives will be focusing on direct patient care, rather than some of the many other additional duties which have been added to their workload over the years,' she said. 'Nurses and midwives will not suddenly abandon their professional obligations or their longstanding and demonstrated commitment to patients and their care. 'But we are standing strong and calling on this government to bring an end to the disrespect and dishonouring of its election commitment. 'The Premier promised frontline nurses and midwives he would respect them. It's time to make good that promise.' Mr Nicholls' office has been contacted for comment.
West Australian
2 days ago
- Health
- West Australian
‘We're done being disrespected': Nurses ramp up action over fair pay
Thousands of nurses and midwives across Queensland have escalated their campaign for fair wages and conditions, with stage 2 of protected industrial action officially under way. The Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union (QNMU) has confirmed members across all Queensland Health facilities will participate in targeted action, stepping back from a range of non-clinical duties while continuing to prioritise direct patient care. QNMU secretary Sarah Beaman said members were sending a clear message to Health Minister Tim Nicholls that it was now time for a new, nation-leading offer. 'Today marks a historic step in our push for a deal that recruits, respects and retains this state's frontline nursing and midwifery workforce,' Ms Beaman said. 'Nurses and midwives are holding our health system together through sheer heart, skill and determination. 'We're at breaking point and we're done being disrespected.' The latest action follows the union's rejection of the government's proposed 11 per cent pay rise over three years, with the QNMU instead pushing for a 13 per cent increase over the same period. The government's offer includes staged increases of 3 per cent in April 2025, 2.5 per cent in both April 2026 and April 2027, and a final 3 per cent in December 2027. Mr Nicholls has described the proposal as a 'nation-leading' package that includes an 'Australian-first double-time-for-overtime care package'. However, Ms Beaman said the deal would strip Queensland's nurses and midwives of their long-held position as the highest paid in the country, a status they've maintained for 15 years. She said the workforce was now escalating action to 'keep Queenslanders safe.' 'We are over the state government's stalling tactics and gaslighting,' she said. Actions under stage 2 include not performing administrative and support duties such as filing, answering phones, cleaning equipment, moving beds or entering non-clinical data into hospital systems. The QNMU has also issued specific notices for additional actions in various wards and units across the state. The union confirmed it had provided Queensland Health with the required three full working days' notice to allow for contingency planning. The industrial action has been approved by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC). Members will continue to document all clinical observations to ensure safe, continuous care. The QNMU said the latest action was in response to what it described as a failure by the government to uphold its written commitment to maintain nation-leading wages and conditions. It said that under the current offer, more than 36,000 of Queensland Health's 55,000 nurses and midwives would miss out on those wage standards. 'We have not taken this decision lightly, but the government has left us no choice,' Ms Beaman said. She said the protected industrial action is about making sure there were enough nurses and midwives to care for Queenslanders. 'Fair pay, safe conditions, respect. That's all we're asking,' Ms Beaman said. The first stage of industrial action began on June 5 with low-level visibility activities such as staff wearing pink or promotional shirts and email signature updates. Ms Beaman said the stage 2 action would be 'legal, safe, and targeted,' in response to what she described as ongoing disrespect and gaslighting from the LNP state government. She emphasised that while the action may cause some inconvenience for Queensland Health officials, patient safety would not be compromised. 'We dedicate our working lives to the provision of safe, quality health care. As such, patient safety remains our priority at all times,' she said. Ms Beaman clarified the action was not a strike and assured the public that nurses and midwives would remain on the job, continuing to deliver frontline care. 'Nurses and midwives will be focusing on direct patient care, rather than some of the many other additional duties which have been added to their workload over the years,' she said. 'Nurses and midwives will not suddenly abandon their professional obligations or their longstanding and demonstrated commitment to patients and their care. 'But we are standing strong and calling on this government to bring an end to the disrespect and dishonouring of its election commitment. 'The Premier promised frontline nurses and midwives he would respect them. It's time to make good that promise.' Mr Nicholls' office has been contacted for comment.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Nurses in bins, beds duties strike
Queensland hospitals are bracing for disruption as nurses escalate their campaign for a pay rise, with a new phase of industrial action actions to begin on Tuesday. The Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union (QNMU) has confirmed Stage 2 of its protected industrial action will commence from 7am on Tuesday, July 8, intensifying its campaign for better pay and working conditions. While union officials have stressed patient safety will remain a priority, the latest action is expected to have a broader operational impact across Queensland Health facilities, with thousands of workers refusing to perform various non-clinical tasks, including making beds, delivering meals and emptying bins. Queensland hospitals are bracing for disruption as nurses escalate their industrial campaign, with a new phase of industrial action actions to begin tomorrow. NCA NewsWire / John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia It follows the union's rejection of the government's latest wage offer of an 11 per cent pay rise over three years, in favour of a 13 per cent increase over the same period. The government's proposal includes staged increases of 3 per cent in April 2025, 2.5 per cent in both April 2026 and April 2027, with a final 3 per cent in December 2027. Health Minister Tim Nicholls has described it as a 'nation-leading' package that includes an 'Australian-first double-time-for-overtime care package'. However, QNMU Secretary Sarah Beaman said the deal would strip Queensland's nurses and midwives of their status as the highest paid in the country, a position they've held for 15 years. 'We will not be gaslit, or taken for fools,' Ms Beaman said. QNMU Secretary Sarah Beaman said the Queensland Government's deal would strip Queensland's nurses and midwives of their status as the highest paid in the country, a position they've held for 15 years. Richard Walker Credit: News Corp Australia Stage 2 of the protected action, legally permitted under the Fair Work Act 2009, will see union members refuse overtime without at least four hours' notice, take their full meal and rest breaks, and step back from administrative duties including filing, data entry, stock replenishment, and internal meetings unrelated to patient care. Other disruptions include a refusal to clean beds, move furniture, handle non-clinical waste, or participate in Medicare admissions documentation. In mental health services, formal national reporting tools will be paused, although clinical observations will continue to be recorded. The first stage of industrial action began on June 5 with low-level visibility activities such as staff wearing pink or promotional shirts and email signature updates. While this initially led to two weeks of renewed bargaining, the union says negotiations broke down when the government 'pulled the rug out' on perceived progress. Health Minister Tim Nicholls described the governments offer as a 'nation-leading' package that includes an 'Australian-first double-time-for-overtime care package.' NewsWire/Tertius Pickard Credit: News Corp Australia Although wages are the headline issue, the industrial action highlights a string of longstanding grievances within Queensland's healthcare system. Nurses cite burnout, poor nurse-to-patient ratios, staff shortages, especially in regional areas, and broken promises from Covid-era commitments. Surveys have found that over 58 per cent of Australian nurses report burnout, and 71 per cent say they are asked to do more than they can manage. Almost half of QNMU members surveyed said they were considering leaving the profession. The union is also calling for improved minimum nurse-to-patient ratios, claiming current workloads are unsafe and compromise patient outcomes. Nurses cite burnout, poor nurse-to-patient ratios, staff shortages, especially in regional areas, and broken promises from Covid-era commitments. NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled Credit: News Corp Australia A 2024 report from the Nurses Professional Association of Queensland (NPAQ) also raised concerns about centralised bureaucracy, with one administrator for every two nurses in Queensland, compared to a 1:5 to 1:7 ratio in Germany and Scandinavia, as well as a culture of fear, bullying and punished whistleblowing. The suicides of two midwives, one a new graduate and the other senior, at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in 2015 and 2023 were cited as tragic examples of this toxic environment. Midwife Jackie Pulleine alleged she faced retribution after raising concerns about patient safety at Redcliffe Hospital. QNMU says increasing waitlists, chronic overcrowding in emergency departments, and the death of Baby Benson amid neonatal bed shortages are all symptoms of a broken system. The state government has now referred the dispute to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission for conciliation. Health Minister Tim Nicholls said the government remains committed to delivering a 'nation-leading wages deal' as part of a record $33 billion investment in the state's health system. That includes hiring 4,500 additional health workers over the next year, he said. However, the QNMU argues this investment must also be reflected in frontline wages. 'The funding necessary to recruit and retain skilled humans to care for Queensland has not been appropriately allocated,' Ms Beaman said. 'Multibillion-dollar health facilities without skilled staff are like a car without an engine.' With protected action escalating Tuesday and no resolution in sight, the QNMU warns the dispute 'could escalate if demands are not met'.
The Advertiser
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Yoorrook inquiry's call for redress not off the table
A landmark truth-telling inquiry's call for redress for the post-colonisation pain and suffering of Aboriginal people has not been ruled out. The Yoorrook Justice Commission's final reports feature 100 recommendations across five volumes and an official public record of Victoria's history since colonisation in 1834. The Australian-first Indigenous truth-telling body calls on the Victorian government to provide redress for injustices. It suggested redress could take the form of restitution of traditional land, monetary compensation, tax relief or other financial benefits. Other recommendations include shifting prison healthcare from the justice department to the health department, more cash to First Peoples-led health services and establishing independent funding streams for the state's self-determination fund. Premier Jacinta Allan indicated none of the ideas were off the table, refusing to rule in or out any of the recommendations. "We're going to take our time to consider and respond to the report," she told reporters on Wednesday. "I am not going to respond to the individual recommendations or the report as a whole through individual questions at a press conference. "That would not do justice to the years and years of work and evidence." Yoorrook held 67 days of public hearings, gathering the testimony of Stolen Generations survivors, elders, historians, experts and non-Indigenous advocates. It found there were at least 50 massacres across Victoria by the end of the 1860s, with eight colonists killed compared to 978 First Nations people. The mass killings combined with disease, sexual violence, exclusion, eradication of language, cultural erasure, environmental degradation, child removal, absorption and assimilation brought about the "near-complete physical destruction" of Aboriginal people in Victoria. The "decimation" of the population by 1901 was the result of "a coordinated plan of different actions aimed at the destruction of the essential foundations of the life of national groups". "This was genocide," one of the documents read. Ms Allan said the findings made for "tough reading" because they "tell the truth" about how the state was colonised. The recommendations will inform treaty talks between the state government and the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, with enabling legislation expected to be introduced later in 2025. Ms Allan said reparations were not up for discussion as part of treaty talks amid backlash over Yoorrook's findings and recommendations. "I'm not focused on people who want to divide people," she said. First Peoples' Assembly member Nerita Waight warned Ms Allan not to let Yoorrook's work go ignored, as politicians have done with previous major Aboriginal-related inquiries. "The truth has been told and now the government has an obligation to act," the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive said. Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe called on the federal government to press on with national truth and treaty processes. "Genocide has not just occurred in Victoria, but has been perpetrated against all First Peoples of this continent," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to set up a "Makarrata Commission to oversee a national process for treaty and truth-telling" in 2021. His government allocated $5.8 million to commence work on establishing the independent commission, but it has not materialised after the failed voice to parliament referendum in 2023. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 A landmark truth-telling inquiry's call for redress for the post-colonisation pain and suffering of Aboriginal people has not been ruled out. The Yoorrook Justice Commission's final reports feature 100 recommendations across five volumes and an official public record of Victoria's history since colonisation in 1834. The Australian-first Indigenous truth-telling body calls on the Victorian government to provide redress for injustices. It suggested redress could take the form of restitution of traditional land, monetary compensation, tax relief or other financial benefits. Other recommendations include shifting prison healthcare from the justice department to the health department, more cash to First Peoples-led health services and establishing independent funding streams for the state's self-determination fund. Premier Jacinta Allan indicated none of the ideas were off the table, refusing to rule in or out any of the recommendations. "We're going to take our time to consider and respond to the report," she told reporters on Wednesday. "I am not going to respond to the individual recommendations or the report as a whole through individual questions at a press conference. "That would not do justice to the years and years of work and evidence." Yoorrook held 67 days of public hearings, gathering the testimony of Stolen Generations survivors, elders, historians, experts and non-Indigenous advocates. It found there were at least 50 massacres across Victoria by the end of the 1860s, with eight colonists killed compared to 978 First Nations people. The mass killings combined with disease, sexual violence, exclusion, eradication of language, cultural erasure, environmental degradation, child removal, absorption and assimilation brought about the "near-complete physical destruction" of Aboriginal people in Victoria. The "decimation" of the population by 1901 was the result of "a coordinated plan of different actions aimed at the destruction of the essential foundations of the life of national groups". "This was genocide," one of the documents read. Ms Allan said the findings made for "tough reading" because they "tell the truth" about how the state was colonised. The recommendations will inform treaty talks between the state government and the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, with enabling legislation expected to be introduced later in 2025. Ms Allan said reparations were not up for discussion as part of treaty talks amid backlash over Yoorrook's findings and recommendations. "I'm not focused on people who want to divide people," she said. First Peoples' Assembly member Nerita Waight warned Ms Allan not to let Yoorrook's work go ignored, as politicians have done with previous major Aboriginal-related inquiries. "The truth has been told and now the government has an obligation to act," the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive said. Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe called on the federal government to press on with national truth and treaty processes. "Genocide has not just occurred in Victoria, but has been perpetrated against all First Peoples of this continent," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to set up a "Makarrata Commission to oversee a national process for treaty and truth-telling" in 2021. His government allocated $5.8 million to commence work on establishing the independent commission, but it has not materialised after the failed voice to parliament referendum in 2023. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 A landmark truth-telling inquiry's call for redress for the post-colonisation pain and suffering of Aboriginal people has not been ruled out. The Yoorrook Justice Commission's final reports feature 100 recommendations across five volumes and an official public record of Victoria's history since colonisation in 1834. The Australian-first Indigenous truth-telling body calls on the Victorian government to provide redress for injustices. It suggested redress could take the form of restitution of traditional land, monetary compensation, tax relief or other financial benefits. Other recommendations include shifting prison healthcare from the justice department to the health department, more cash to First Peoples-led health services and establishing independent funding streams for the state's self-determination fund. Premier Jacinta Allan indicated none of the ideas were off the table, refusing to rule in or out any of the recommendations. "We're going to take our time to consider and respond to the report," she told reporters on Wednesday. "I am not going to respond to the individual recommendations or the report as a whole through individual questions at a press conference. "That would not do justice to the years and years of work and evidence." Yoorrook held 67 days of public hearings, gathering the testimony of Stolen Generations survivors, elders, historians, experts and non-Indigenous advocates. It found there were at least 50 massacres across Victoria by the end of the 1860s, with eight colonists killed compared to 978 First Nations people. The mass killings combined with disease, sexual violence, exclusion, eradication of language, cultural erasure, environmental degradation, child removal, absorption and assimilation brought about the "near-complete physical destruction" of Aboriginal people in Victoria. The "decimation" of the population by 1901 was the result of "a coordinated plan of different actions aimed at the destruction of the essential foundations of the life of national groups". "This was genocide," one of the documents read. Ms Allan said the findings made for "tough reading" because they "tell the truth" about how the state was colonised. The recommendations will inform treaty talks between the state government and the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, with enabling legislation expected to be introduced later in 2025. Ms Allan said reparations were not up for discussion as part of treaty talks amid backlash over Yoorrook's findings and recommendations. "I'm not focused on people who want to divide people," she said. First Peoples' Assembly member Nerita Waight warned Ms Allan not to let Yoorrook's work go ignored, as politicians have done with previous major Aboriginal-related inquiries. "The truth has been told and now the government has an obligation to act," the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive said. Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe called on the federal government to press on with national truth and treaty processes. "Genocide has not just occurred in Victoria, but has been perpetrated against all First Peoples of this continent," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to set up a "Makarrata Commission to oversee a national process for treaty and truth-telling" in 2021. His government allocated $5.8 million to commence work on establishing the independent commission, but it has not materialised after the failed voice to parliament referendum in 2023. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 A landmark truth-telling inquiry's call for redress for the post-colonisation pain and suffering of Aboriginal people has not been ruled out. The Yoorrook Justice Commission's final reports feature 100 recommendations across five volumes and an official public record of Victoria's history since colonisation in 1834. The Australian-first Indigenous truth-telling body calls on the Victorian government to provide redress for injustices. It suggested redress could take the form of restitution of traditional land, monetary compensation, tax relief or other financial benefits. Other recommendations include shifting prison healthcare from the justice department to the health department, more cash to First Peoples-led health services and establishing independent funding streams for the state's self-determination fund. Premier Jacinta Allan indicated none of the ideas were off the table, refusing to rule in or out any of the recommendations. "We're going to take our time to consider and respond to the report," she told reporters on Wednesday. "I am not going to respond to the individual recommendations or the report as a whole through individual questions at a press conference. "That would not do justice to the years and years of work and evidence." Yoorrook held 67 days of public hearings, gathering the testimony of Stolen Generations survivors, elders, historians, experts and non-Indigenous advocates. It found there were at least 50 massacres across Victoria by the end of the 1860s, with eight colonists killed compared to 978 First Nations people. The mass killings combined with disease, sexual violence, exclusion, eradication of language, cultural erasure, environmental degradation, child removal, absorption and assimilation brought about the "near-complete physical destruction" of Aboriginal people in Victoria. The "decimation" of the population by 1901 was the result of "a coordinated plan of different actions aimed at the destruction of the essential foundations of the life of national groups". "This was genocide," one of the documents read. Ms Allan said the findings made for "tough reading" because they "tell the truth" about how the state was colonised. The recommendations will inform treaty talks between the state government and the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, with enabling legislation expected to be introduced later in 2025. Ms Allan said reparations were not up for discussion as part of treaty talks amid backlash over Yoorrook's findings and recommendations. "I'm not focused on people who want to divide people," she said. First Peoples' Assembly member Nerita Waight warned Ms Allan not to let Yoorrook's work go ignored, as politicians have done with previous major Aboriginal-related inquiries. "The truth has been told and now the government has an obligation to act," the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive said. Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe called on the federal government to press on with national truth and treaty processes. "Genocide has not just occurred in Victoria, but has been perpetrated against all First Peoples of this continent," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to set up a "Makarrata Commission to oversee a national process for treaty and truth-telling" in 2021. His government allocated $5.8 million to commence work on establishing the independent commission, but it has not materialised after the failed voice to parliament referendum in 2023. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
