Treaty Authority oversees Treaty-making in Victoria
The Treaty Authority is the independent body that oversees Treaty-making in Victoria.
The Treaty Authority is led by First Peoples and grounded in Aboriginal Lore, Law and Cultural Authority. We are the first body of this kind in Australia. We were created by the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and the State of Victoria but operate independently from them.
Our doors are open for Treaty-making. Get in touch to find out more.
The Treaty Authority’s role is to facilitate negotiations and help find common ground between parties
The Treaty Authority was created to oversee Treaty negotiations between First Peoples and the State of Victoria.
There are two types of Treaties with the State that the Treaty Authority may facilitate:
Statewide
Treaty
Statewide Treaty will be negotiated with the State of Victoria over all Country that is currently known as Victoria. Treaty will benefit all Victorians, including Victorian Traditional Owners and other First Peoples living in Victoria.
Local Traditional
Owner Treaties
Traditional Owner Treaties can be negotiated by Traditional Owners about their aspirations and priorities over their Country including their traditional lands and waters.
The Treaty Authority’s role is to:
- Make sure parties follow the rules for Treaty-making
- Assist parties to make agreements
- Help resolve any disputes related to Treaty-making and
- Carry out research to support and inform Treaty negotiations.
The Treaty Authority is not a party to any Treaty negotiation. Instead, we oversee Treaty negotiations to support negotiating parties to reach agreement.
The Treaty Authority also manages the Negotiations Database, which includes public information about Treaty negotiations, such as who is negotiating a Treaty, the Country it will cover and the status of negotiations.
The Treaty Authority’s role is different from other key organisations in the Treaty process
The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria is the independent democratically elected body that represents Traditional Owners of Country and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in Victoria. The Assembly intends to negotiate Statewide Treaty with the State of Victoria, if it meets Minimum Standards, and once it is identified as the First Peoples’ Representative Body in accordance with the Treaty Negotiation Framework.
The Self-Determination Fund is the First Peoples’ controlled and managed fund that resources Traditional Owner groups to get ready for and negotiate Treaties. In the long term, it will also empower First Peoples to build capacity, wealth and prosperity.
First Peoples – State Relations (Department of Premier and Cabinet, Victorian Government) is responsible for leading Treaty negotiations on behalf of the State of Victoria and driving whole-of-government engagement with the Treaty process.
The Yoorrook Justice Commission is the first formal truth-telling process into injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria. The outcomes of the Commission’s truth-telling process are expected to inform Treaty negotiations in Victoria.
The Treaty Authority’s work is grounded in Aboriginal Lore, Law and Cultural Authority.
The central principle for Treaty, Aboriginal self-determination and empowerment, is at the heart of Treaty-making. The Treaty Authority is committed to upholding First Peoples’ empowerment and creating an equal playing field for Traditional Owners in the Treaty process. The Treaty Authority also observes and upholds Aboriginal Lore, Law and Cultural Authority. We work hard to understand how it applies for different Traditional Owner groups and to respect the diversity of Aboriginal cultures across Victoria.
The Treaty Authority is led by respected First Peoples
The Treaty Authority is led by five respected Aboriginal people who are known as Treaty Authority Members. The Members were selected by an independent panel guided by Elders and appointed by the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and the State of Victoria.