The Victorian Government refused to rule out handing over compulsorily acquired private property to Indigenous groups and creating designated Indigenous seats in state parliament as part of its path to Treaty.
Under direct questioning at the Public Accounts and Estimate Committee hearing on the Treaty process, Treaty and First Peoples Minister Natalie Hutchins declined to exclude both possibilities.
“I am not going to be ruling anything in or out,” Ms Hutchins said.
Ms Hutchins also avoided questions on the budget allocation of $41 million to enable increased Traditional Owner access to water and a larger input into decision-making on water.
When asked how much of this money would be used to buy water for Traditional Owners, Ms Hutchins chose not to provide a direct answer.
The relevant department spokesman also did not provide an answer, before the question was passed to Water Minister Harriet Shing.
“Aboriginal Affairs was put into the Premier’s department so it could work across government, instead it has been bogged down by bureaucracy,” Mr Walsh said.
“We should have received answers today; instead, a minister who is meant to represent the interests of Victorian Aboriginal people hid behind the ‘that’s not in my portfolio’ excuse.”
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