The Treaty Authority is charged with resolving disputes and ensuring the state’s Treaty process is fair for all parties involved.
The five people who will sit on the authority have now been named.
They are:
- Dr Petah Atkinson — a Yorta Yorta woman and health researcher with an extensive background in the Aboriginal health sector.
- Thelma Austin — a Gunditjmara woman with experience as a cultural adviser and manager in the corporate and legal sectors.
- Jidah Clark — a Djab Wurrung man and lawyer with strong policy expertise.
- Andrew Jackomos — a Yorta Yorta man and Victoria’s inaugural Aboriginal children’s commissioner.
- Duean White — a Biripi woman with corporate, government and not-for-profit experience.
Dr Atkinson said the Treaty process was more than symbolic.
“Treaty is an opportunity for our state to progress from the rhetoric of reconciliation and be drivers of systemic change,” she said.
“As a Traditional Owner with family connections across the state, I am well-positioned to consider the lived experiences of our people in inclusive ways.”
Mr Jackomos said the authority members would conduct their work with respect, transparency and honesty.
“Treaties are sacred, and our work in facilitating treaties will be sacred business,” he said.
“They are not just pieces of paper, but they are the essence for building forever relationships and partnerships between First Peoples and all other Victorians.”
The members were recommended by an independent panel that was agreed to by the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and the Victorian Government.
“The Treaty Authority is the first of its kind and a cultural institution that will be grounded in our culture, lore and law and will facilitate Treaty-making,” First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria co-chair Ngarra Murray said.
“Members of the Treaty Authority are respected figures of our communities who will have the responsibility and cultural authority to bring us together as we begin Treaty negotiations.”
Ms Murray’s co-chair, Rueben Berg, said he hoped Treaty negotiations would bring a new way of thinking for the government.
“A business-as-usual approach isn’t going to get better results for Aboriginal people, so we want government to really step outside the confines of Western thinking,” he said.
“They might just find there are many Indigenous solutions to modern problems.”
Victorian Treaty and First Peoples Minister Natalie Hutchins said it was a historic announcement.
“I’m proud to join the First Peoples’ Assembly in welcoming the appointment of the five Treaty Authority members, who will play a crucial role in ensuring Treaty negotiations are a fair process for all Victorians,” she said.
The mandate for the Yoorrook Justice Commission, which is investigating Victorian injustices committed against First Nations people in the state, includes making recommendations for Treaty negotiations.
Its chair, Professor Eleanor Bourke, said the appointment of the Treaty Authority members was a historic final step on the path towards the beginning of Treaty negotiations.
“Yoorrook welcomes the appointment of the members, who will play a critical role as the ‘independent umpire’ of Treaty negotiations,” Prof Bourke said.
“Victoria has led the nation to date on progress regarding the three pillars of the Uluru Statement from the Heart — Voice, Treaty and Truth. Today’s appointments are important in continuing this progress.”
The Treaty process has had bipartisan support, but in an interview with The News in September, state Nationals leader and shadow minister for Aboriginal affairs Peter Walsh said he had “major reservations” with negotiations going forward.
“There has been bipartisan support for the Treaty process. Not for Treaty, because we don’t know what that means,” Mr Walsh said.
“I’ve had frank discussions with the First Peoples’ Assembly about the fact that the whole cultural heritage process, which is set separate to the Treaty legislation, is driving people absolutely spare.”
Mr Walsh said the Opposition had major reservations about “progressing any further on Treaty” while problems with cultural heritage studies continue.
“I cannot find anyone that’s had a good experience trying to get a cultural heritage study done to do a subdivision, to do some major works on their farm that requires digging, and until those issues can be resolved, we have major reservations about progressing any further on Treaty,” he said.
“First of all, our support for Treaty was premised on the fact that it had to show clear outcomes on closing the gap — and no-one has demonstrated that to us yet.
“And the other is that the issues with cultural heritage and how that legislation is being managed, is an issue of major concern across the community and those sorts of issues need to be resolved before you go further.”
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