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The Victorian Government says it's working on how the First Peoples' Assembly can become an ongoing representative body to advise on certain government decisions

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00:00This builds on a lot of work that's been happening across many years now, and we're
00:06looking to make the Assembly a more permanent fixture within the State of Victoria, and
00:10ensure that it's got the ability to do things that get better outcomes for First Peoples.
00:14OK, so how far would these powers go, correct me if I'm wrong, but is it my understanding
00:18the Assembly wouldn't have, for example, veto powers on policy and legislation, would it?
00:24That's correct.
00:25There's no power of veto being proposed.
00:27The idea is that when the Government is considering things that will directly affect First Peoples,
00:32that there's an opportunity for First Peoples voices to be heard on those conversations.
00:36The proposal is that the Assembly would be a statutory corporation within Victoria's existing
00:43parliamentary and democratic structures.
00:45I'm just wondering, are you confident that you will still have that crucial independence
00:49that the Assembly needs?
00:51Yeah, it's a key component to make sure that we do maintain that independence.
00:55All the members of this future Assembly are going to be elected by First Peoples here in
00:59this State.
01:00It gives you a direct line to ministers, Ruben.
01:04And I just want to ask you about that, because you'd have the authority under this legislation
01:08to, you know, to put questions to them, to question them.
01:11So, let's say this happens.
01:13What would be the first priority for the Assembly if this becomes law?
01:17I think we've just seen the finalisation of the Yurok processes, and there's many things
01:22that have been identified through that that I think require urgent attention, and that's
01:26the sorts of things we'll draw from in terms of making that representation to government.
01:30Could you give me an example of what one of those priorities might be?
01:33There's really key priorities around education, of making sure that there's greater education
01:38opportunities for all Victorians to better understand the issues of colonisation for First
01:43Peoples.
01:43We also want to see significant reforms in the justice area.
01:47The Assembly, as we've been discussing five years ago, was really established as the representative
01:51body for First Nations people in Victoria, and particularly in the treaty process.
01:57And I just want to ask you about that.
01:59Can you tell us about that treaty process and how it's progressing in Victoria?
02:03Yeah, the treaty process builds on significant work for over a decade now.
02:07We've had the First Peoples Assembly in place for the last five years, and over that
02:11time we've put in place various different frameworks to support the treaty making journey.
02:15And as of November last year, we've started formal negotiations.
02:19And it's always been very clear that one of the aspirations of this process was an enhanced
02:23representative body that could actually represent First Peoples with government.
02:27Is it correct, Ruben, that the changes being negotiated here, that actually give the Assembly powers,
02:33you know, well beyond those that were proposed for the voice to parliament?
02:38Well, they are different to the powers that were proposed for the voice and through that
02:42referendum.
02:43And I think what's always important to recognise is that that referendum was about a national
02:47issue to do with constitutional change and about installing an untested model.
02:52And that's essentially the opposite of what we're doing here in Victoria.
02:54And with respect, I have to ask, because as we know, the voice to parliament was rejected
02:59by the majority of Victorians and also Australians in the referendum.
03:03The Victorian Liberal Party seems to have expressed opposition to this legislation as well.
03:09With respect, are you confident the majority of Victorians will be on board with this move
03:15and support it?
03:16Is the sentiment there from the public?
03:19I believe so.
03:20And as I said, the referendum was about changing the Australian constitution to put in place
03:25an untested model.
03:26That's very, very different from what we're planning to do here in Victoria.
03:29What about the Indigenous community more broadly?
03:31Because reading about this this week, I saw a report quoting a First Nations elder, and I
03:36just want to read this out, saying they are negotiating themselves a deal and no one else.
03:41What's in it for me?
03:42That's, of course, one person.
03:44But once again, with respect, what would you say to an Indigenous person if they came up
03:48and said, look, what's with this assembly?
03:50What's in it for me?
03:51How is it going to change life for me?
03:54Yeah, I think it's really important for everybody, not just the First Peoples community, but the
03:58entire Victorian community, to be able to look through the Yuruk reports and look through
04:02the full impact of colonisation on First Peoples and to recognise that that was the result
04:06of 200 years of impact for First Peoples.
04:09And you don't just turn that around overnight.
04:11So we're looking at systemic change, not quick fix change, to actually make sure we've got
04:15the processes in place to deliver better outcomes for generations to come.
04:19Ruben, thank you very much for joining us.
04:21Appreciate your time.

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