DECLARATION:
The Treaty Authority declares, under clause 4.5(c) of the Treaty Negotiation Framework, that the Negotiations Database is established.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
The Treaty Authority gives notice, under clause 17(b) of the Treaty Negotiation Framework, that the process for identifying the entity that is to be entered onto the Negotiations Database as the First Peoples’ Representative Body to negotiate a Statewide Treaty on behalf of First Peoples will commence on 3 July 2024.
DATE: 1 July 2024
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS DATABASE
The Treaty Authority is responsible for facilitating and overseeing Treaty negotiations between First Peoples and the State of Victoria and for administering the Treaty Negotiation Framework (section 28(1), Advancing the Treaty Process with Aboriginal Victorians Act 2018 (Vic) (Treaty Act)).
The Treaty Authority must establish, maintain and administer the Negotiations Database as the central source of information about Treaty. The Negotiations Database will support First Peoples and the State of Victoria to act in accordance with the guiding principles of transparency and accountability as they work together towards Treaty, by making information accessible to negotiating parties and the public.
By this notice the Treaty Authority declares that the Negotiations Database is established on 1 July 2024. As a result, the Treaty Negotiation Framework has now commenced operation in its entirety. This means that the processes for Statewide Treaty and Traditional Owner Treaties have begun.
IDENTIFYING THE ABORIGINAL REPRESENTATIVE BODY AS THE FIRST PEOPLES’ REPRESENTATIVE BODY FOR STATEWIDE TREATY
Statewide Treaty will be negotiated between the State of Victoria and a First Peoples’ Representative Body (Body). The Body will be the sole representative of First Peoples in Statewide Treaty negotiations.
The Treaty Negotiation Framework anticipates that the entity declared to be the ‘Aboriginal Representative Body’ under the Treaty Act will seek to be entered onto the Negotiations Database as the Body. The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria (Assembly) has been declared to be the Aboriginal Representative Body.
The following process applies to identify the Body:
This notice provides that the above process commences on 3 July 2024.
If the Assembly is removed from the Negotiations Database, the Treaty Authority will commence a contingency process in accordance with the Treaty Negotiation Framework to identify another entity as the Body that will negotiate Statewide Treaty on behalf of First Peoples.
INVITATION FOR FIRST PEOPLES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TREATY PROCESS
For local Traditional Owner Treaties, Traditional Owners may now commence the process for negotiating Treaties about their aspirations and priorities for their communities and their traditional Country.
All First Peoples can participate in the Treaty process, through the Statewide and/or Traditional Owner Treaty processes.
For Statewide Treaty, First Peoples are represented by the Assembly. First Peoples and First Peoples’ organisations can contribute to the Comment and Dispute Period once it begins.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about the Negotiations Database, Treaty Negotiation Framework and Statewide Treaty and Traditional Owner Treaties, please visit our website: treatyauthority.au.
CONTACT US
The Treaty Authority strongly encourages all First Peoples in Victoria to contact it about the Treaty process. You can contact the Treaty Authority at 1300 133 033 or email us at [email protected].