Local First Nations groups across the region have welcomed the historic state-wide Treaty tabled in state parliament last Tuesday.
It makes Victoria the first state or territory in Australia to introduce a bill of this kind in parliament and, if passed, will set in stone a permanent First Peoples’ Assembly under the name Gellung Warl, meaning “tip of the spear”.
The Treaty proposes “First Peoples decide First Peoples’ issues” and lead ongoing truth-telling and healing across regional towns. This includes re-naming state landmarks to its traditional Aboriginal placename. The Allen Government has also pledged to include truth-telling into the school curriculum from prep to year 10 and issue a formal apology to First Peoples in Parliament.
The Dja Dja Wurrung People of Central Victoria (DJAARA) have welcomed the development after setting precedent in June this year as the first Traditional Owners to seek a local Treaty with the state government. In a statement to the Express, DJAARA advised their involvement.
“[The state-wide Treaty] comes on the back of almost a decade of DJAARA’s involvement, from designing Treaty’s frameworks and processes through to negotiations with the State,” the statement read.
“Treaty enables a taskforce to find practical ways to close the gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in health, jobs and education, which will be good for all Victorians.”
DJAARA also confirmed it would not deter their own Treaty negotiation with the state government.
The milestone comes amid the Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s own draft Reconciliation Plan 2025-2029 that was adopted at their meeting last month.
Mayor Dom Bonanno voted against adoption of the draft over concerns it didn’t align with the wider community’s strategic priorities.
“I believe in appropriate acknowledgement and certainly respect to all peoples whether you’re Indigenous or not, but I do have concerns about the divisive nature of the path that we as a local government and we as a state are taking,” Bonanno said.
The Macedon Ranges Truth and Reconciliation Group responded to the mayor’s “dissent” in a letter to the Express.
“MRTRG looks forward to supporting actions and ensuring accountability for outcomes that have been committed to,” it read.
“MRTRG was disappointed with some of the views expressed by dissenting councillors, including Cr Bonanno, whose comments on reconciliation initiatives as ‘divisive’ echo political approaches that seek to undermine efforts towards truth, treaty and justice”.
