Victoria’s Commitment to Closing the Gap
Since 2020, Victoria has witnessed once-in-a-generation shifts in the relationship between government and Aboriginal people. This has included:
- the first ever formal Truth-telling process inquiring into Aboriginal people’s ongoing lived experiences of colonialism and systemic injustice, the Yoorrook Justice Commission.
- the historic signing of the first ever Statewide Treaty, which recognises the unique and ongoing spiritual, social, cultural and economic relationship that Aboriginal people in Victoria have with their traditional lands and waters and creates a lasting framework for self-determination and genuine government accountability.
These landmark reforms have delivered, and will continue to deliver, ongoing and tangible benefits for Aboriginal Victorians, ensuring that their voices are heard and respected in the way that government makes decisions that affect their lives. Alongside the specific actions included in Barring yana-ngali gadhaba, Treaty and Truth will make a significant contribution to the National Agreement’s core aim of overcoming the entrenched inequality faced by Aboriginal people. The commencement of Victoria’s Treaty era will not delay Victoria’s commitments to Closing the Gap and delivering improved outcomes for Aboriginal people in the present. The Victorian Government remains committed to the vision of partnership, self-determination and transformative change set out in the National Agreement, and to Closing the Gap on socio-economic outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people that continues to impact the lived experience of Aboriginal people in Victoria and around Australia.
To deliver this vision, the Victorian Government is working in close partnership with Ngaweeyan Maar-oo – the Koorie Caucus of Victoria’s Partnership Forum on Closing the Gap – to improve accountability, build enduring and productive partnerships with Aboriginal organisations, and advance shared decision-making between government and Aboriginal Victorians. The Partnership Forum brings together the heads of every department and select agencies in the Victorian Public Service with Community leaders representing each Aboriginal Governance Forum and the ACCO sectors that provide services essential to advancing the wellbeing of Aboriginal people in Victoria. The Partnership Forum recognises that a strong Aboriginal Community-Controlled sector and strong Traditional Owner Corporations are essential to enabling Aboriginal people in Victoria to lead supported, self-determined and flourishing lives.
Partnering with Aboriginal people for shared decision-making on Closing the Gap implementation through Ngaweeyan Maar-oo Victoria’s Partnership Forum on Closing the Gap was established in May 2022 as the formal body for shared decision-making between the Victorian Government and Aboriginal Victorians on the implementation of the National Agreement. It is comprised of Ngaweeyan Maar-oo – the Koorie Caucus of the Partnership Forum – and senior executives from the Victorian Government, being the Secretary of every department in the Victorian Public Service, the Chief Commissioner of Police, the Chief Executive Officer of Homes Victoria and the Victorian Public Sector Commissioner. The Partnership Forum was responsible for overseeing the development of this Implementation Plan through a collaborative process of co-design between Community and government. It is the shared decision-making body that will be accountable for overseeing its delivery. Ngaweeyan Maar-oo, meaning “voice of and from the people” in Gunditjmara language, is comprised of delegates from eight Aboriginal Governance Forum Aboriginal Caucuses, and community-selected ACCO representatives across 14 sectors. Members of Ngaweeyan Maar-oo were selected through a community-led consultation process, ensuring representation is grounded in local knowledge, lived experience and Community authority. This selection process sought nominations from Aboriginal communities and ACCO sectors – reinforcing legitimacy, accountability and strong links to Community. Ngaweeyan Maar-oo members bring expertise, cultural knowledge and decades of experience and commitment to serving Community in Victoria. Ngaweeyan Maar-oo is also a member of the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (Coalition of Peaks), the national body responsible for working with governments to Close the Gap as a party to the National Agreement. Together, through the Partnership Forum, Ngaweeyan Maar-oo and the Victorian Government are committed to delivering the National Agreement’s partnership actions, including policy and place-based partnerships and delivering a wide range of projects to strengthen the ACCO sector. Ensuring Aboriginal voices are heard and respected, and that government is working in genuine partnership with Community to deliver tangible progress on Closing the Gap, sits at the heart of the Partnership Forum’s approach. The Partnership Forum supports the Victorian Government to uphold the National Agreement’s strong partnership elements (clause 32) by ensuring that:
Since Ngaweeyan Maar-oo’s inception in 2022, the Victorian Government has provided over $9.3 million to Ngaweeyan Maar-oo members and the Ngaweeyan Maar-oo Secretariat to support participation in the Partnership Forum and enable a strong collaborative approach to Closing the Gap. |
NGAWEEYAN MAAR-OO (KOORIE CAUCUS) Co-Chairs James Atkinson and Kaley Nicholson | GOVERNMENT MEMBERS Co-Chair Chris Barrett | |
| ACCO sectors and their elected representatives | Aboriginal Governance Forum delegates | Heads of departments and selected agencies |
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1As at September 2026
Closing the Gap, Truth and Treaty in Victoria
The development and delivery of Barring yana-ngali gadhaba is occurring at a pivotal moment of transformation in the relationship between government and Aboriginal people in Victoria, with landmark reforms being delivered through Truth and Treaty. Barring yana-ngali gadhaba builds on Victoria’s work to date to deliver on its commitments under the National Agreement and complements the significant shifts currently underway in Victoria to strengthen the voices of Aboriginal people in government decision making. To reflect the need for flexibility and ongoing alignment between these dynamic reforms, this Implementation Plan may also be subject to further updates over the course of its lifetime in consultation with Gellung Warl, the permanent representative and deliberative body for Aboriginal people in Victoria.
Barring yana-ngali gadhaba recognises that Truth, Treaty and Closing the Gap are inextricably connected and work together to deliver the best possible outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians. By aligning the objectives of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap with Victoria’s Truth and Treaty processes, and by committing to a more strategic, future focussed set of actions co-designed with Ngaweeyan Maar-oo, this plan seeks to accelerate change, reinforce partnerships, strengthen accountability and contribute to the long-term transformation required to close the gap for Aboriginal people in Victoria.
Progress to date
Over the last five years the Victorian Government has continued to deliver on its commitment to working in partnership with Aboriginal people to close the gap. This work has resulted in some improvements in key socio-economic outcomes, including improved participation in early childhood education, improved early childhood immunisation rates and reductions in perinatal mortality, and strengthened Aboriginal-led governance and partnership arrangements across government. As work on Closing the Gap progresses, Aboriginal voices are increasingly shaping policy design, service delivery and accountability across a wide range of service sectors.
Accountability for outcomes remains central to the Victorian government’s approach to Closing the Gap. Regular and transparent reporting through the annual Victorian Government Aboriginal Affairs Report (VGAAR) has highlighted that progress towards the National Agreement’s objectives remains uneven, with persistent overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in the justice and child protection systems and worsening outcomes in some areas of social and emotional wellbeing, including regarding levels of psychological distress and self-harm.
The Victorian Government recognises that more needs to be done to close the gap. That is why, in developing this Implementation Plan, the Victorian Government has prioritised shared decision-making and partnership, embedding Aboriginal voices in all stages of the project design to ensure the actions reflect the priorities of Aboriginal organisations and Aboriginal communities.
Key Initiatives
Priority Reform One: Formal partnerships and shared decision-making Place-based Partnership (PBP) and Community Data Project (CDP) The purpose of a PBP is to implement the National Agreement through a long-term community development approach that responds to local priorities in partnership with ACCOs. The Joint Council on Closing the Gap (Joint Council) and the Partnership Forum both endorsed Gippsland as the location for a PBP to be combined with a Community Data Project (CDP). This aligns with Ngaweeyan Maar-oo identifying the region as experiencing high demand for early childhood, child protection and justice services. The Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) led the scoping exercises with ACCO representatives to identify local priorities and develop a project proposal. Aboriginal Governance Forums Victoria has shared decision-making structures across the system through Aboriginal Governance Forums ensuring Aboriginal leaders partner with government in policy design, delivery and accountability across key portfolios. All Aboriginal Governance Forums operate under formal partnership agreements aligned with the National Agreement. Local Council Audit Throughout 2024 and 2025, Ngaweeyan Maar-oo undertook a Local Government Area Closing the Gap Partnership Stocktake. This work audited local government action and benchmarked progress against the Closing the Gap Priority Reforms, recognising the important leadership, governance and advocacy role local councils play in critical areas of local community life – including place-based planning, community engagement and representation, public service provision, and local decision-making regarding legislation and budgeting. Specifically, this work considered how well Closing the Gap priorities are currently reflected across local government planning, reporting and engagement with Aboriginal communities and organisations, and identified opportunities to strengthen alignment with the National Agreement. The audit has helped build a clearer understanding of where stronger coordination, consistency and accountability may be needed across state and local systems to enhance Closing the Gap effort and outcomes. The audit findings highlight the need for a more connected approach to implementation, ensuring Closing the Gap is advanced not only through state-level reform, but also through action that reflects local priorities and needs. |
Partnership Stocktake
Clause 36: Government Parties to review and strengthen partnership arrangements
The Victorian Government’s 2022 Partnership Stocktake assessed departmental partnership arrangements against the National Agreement’s partnership elements, finding that all Victorian Aboriginal Governance Forums met these elements to a relatively high degree. Victoria’s 2023 Partnership Stocktake was also submitted to Joint Council and considered nationally in 2024.
More broadly, the annual VGAAR also shows continued improvement in the maturity and consistency of partnership arrangements – including clearer decision-making authority for Aboriginal partners, strengthened accountability mechanisms and improved resourcing to support Aboriginal participation.
Priority Reform Two: Building the Community-controlled sector Recent VGAARs highlight continued investment in ACCOs including expanded service delivery roles in justice, health, family violence response and housing. ACCOs are also increasingly being commissioned as preferred providers reflecting a shift from consultation to Aboriginal-led delivery. Sector strengthening projects Upon signing the National Agreement in July 2020, the Victorian Government committed $3.3 million over four years to ACCO sector strengthening. Throughout 2023 and 2024, the Partnership Forum approved the allocation of funding to projects developed and led by Ngaweeyan Maar-oo members across priority sectors including disability, early childhood development, health, housing, languages and culture. These projects were decided by Ngaweeyan Maar-oo through a self-determined process to focus on building capacity in priority ACCO sectors, recognising that ACCOs are critical for Aboriginal communities and culture. A strong ACCO sector will support improved service delivery and outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians. |
Victoria’s Closing the Gap Expenditure Review
Clause 113: Review and reprioritise expenditure to Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations
In partnership with Ngaweeyan Maar-oo, the Victorian Government reviewed and identified its spending on Aboriginal programs and services with a focus on the 2022-23 financial year, delivering Victoria’s Expenditure Review in late 2023. Delivering on Victoria’s commitment under clause 113 of the National Agreement, the review looked at government spending exclusively or predominantly targeted for Aboriginal people (‘targeted expenditure’) – such as a discrete grants program eligible to only Aboriginal organisations. The aim of the Expenditure Review was to identify reprioritisation and capacity strengthening opportunities for ACCOs.
This was the first time this kind of exercise had been undertaken in Victoria, representing a foundational step towards greater transparency and accountability of government expenditure for and with Aboriginal people. The Expenditure Review provided financial and non-financial data which could be used to inform decision-making by governments and ACCOs.
Priority Reform Three – Transforming government organisations Independent Mechanism Victoria is the first jurisdiction to legislate an independent accountability mechanism under the National Agreement through the Statewide Treaty Act 2025 (Vic). The establishment of Nginma Ngainga Wara within Gellung Warl fulfils the commitment to establish an Aboriginal-led mechanism to monitor, evaluate and report on government performance and impacts on Aboriginal people. Public sector transformation is further supported through legislated obligations under the Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic) for public service body and special body heads to support the development of a culturally capable workforce and provide ongoing education and training to develop and maintain an understanding of Treaty and ongoing truth-telling. |
Cross-cutting progress on socio-economic targets
Recent VGAARs show progress in selected areas, including declining rates of perinatal mortality, historically high childhood immunisation rates, improved participation in early childhood education and strengthened Aboriginal governance and leadership across systems.
At the same time, reporting acknowledges areas requiring ongoing focus, including over-representation in the justice and child protection systems and worsening outcomes in some measure of social and emotional wellbeing, reinforcing the need for sustained, structural reform.
More details regarding Victoria’s progress against the SETs are available in the annual Victorian Government Aboriginal Affairs Report.
Priority Reform Four – Shared access to data and information Victoria reports annually on Closing the Gap through the VGAAR, providing accessible, public reporting on outcomes, reform progress and system performance. Under Statewide Treaty, written guidelines detailing how departments will consult with the First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl in relation to Indigenous Data Sovereignty will be developed by each departmental Secretary and the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police. The Victorian Government also funded a scoping exercise to identify community priorities for a Community Data Project in Gippsland (see ‘Priority Reform One’ section above), which could support ACCOs and communities to control how data is collected, used and applied to local decision making. |
Reviews of the National Agreement
The Productivity Commission’s first review of the National Agreement (Productivity Commission Review) was released in February 2024. It highlighted a severe lack of progress in delivering the Priority Reforms and found that more needed to be done to deliver the genuine change envisaged by the National Agreement. It recommended governments write strategic implementation plans, in collaboration with Aboriginal people that outline agreed strategies and actions for progressing the National Agreement’s objectives. Importantly, these implementation plan actions are to be underpinned by a clear theory of change.
The Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led Review of the National Agreement (Indigenous-led Review), conducted by the Jumbunna Institute and released in June 2025, also highlighted the need to re-examine the relationship between governments and Aboriginal people, along with a commitment to self-determination in action and the transformation of structures for all. The Indigenous-led Review provided recommendations as a lever for internal reflection to drive genuine transformation within governments through systemic and structural change and enable them to rise to the ambition of the National Agreement.
Developing the Implementation Plan
Reflecting these findings, the Victorian Government developed this Implementation Plan in close partnership with Ngaweeyan Maar-oo, through an extensive engagement process grounded in the principles of accountability and shared decision-making. Governance for the project included the establishment of a Joint Project Team and an Executive Leadership Group, where staff and executives from within the Victorian Government and Ngaweeyan Maar-oo came together to design, deliver and oversee the development of the Implementation Plan. This approach ensured that Aboriginal voices were embedded in all stages of the project and are reflected in the final plan.
Consultation and co-design of the Implementation Plan Multiple rounds of consultation, which involved close collaboration between departments and Ngaweeyan Maar-oo members across multiple sectors, were undertaken to support the development and refinement of the actions included in the plan (see table below). What we heard from Community during these consultations about their key concerns and priorities is highlighted throughout the plan in the “What we heard” sections included for each Priority Reform and socio-economic target. These actions have been agreed by Community and government as the highest priority strategic actions to be progressed over the next five years to realise the transformative change needed to close the gap. |
| Phase | Dates | Approach and outcomes |
| Information gathering | Nov 2024 – Jan 2025 |
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| Reviewing draft actions | Feb 2025 – Apr 2025 |
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| Finalising socio-economic target actions | Jul 2025 – Apr 2026 |
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| Finalising Priority Reform actions | Mar 2026 – May 2026 |
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| Finalising draft plan | Apr 2026 – Jun 2026 |
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Theory of change
Barring yana-ngali gadhaba embeds a forward-looking approach to Closing the Gap implementation, reflecting a coordinated whole-of-government strategy for achieving the Priority Reforms and meeting the SETs in the National Agreement. They focus on the structural changes needed to Close the Gap in a strategic way, rather than focusing only on the delivery of discrete programs and services. This approach reflects the need to understand the National Agreement as an interconnected and systemic reform agenda, rather than a set of discrete targets. Barring yana-ngali gadhaba recognises that the Closing the Gap Priority Reforms and Treaty are interconnected drivers for systemic change to improve life outcomes for Aboriginal people in Victoria.
The actions included in this Barring yana-ngali gadhaba are specific and outcome-focused to support clarity, understanding and accountability for the Victorian Government’s implementation of the National Agreement in the coming years. As outlined in the Accountability, Monitoring and Evaluation chapter, progress towards implementing the actions will be publicly reported annually in a discrete Closing the Gap Annual Report. Each action will also include an evaluation approach to assess its effectiveness, which will be co-designed with relevant Aboriginal organisations and integrated into the delivery of the actions.
Each Priority Reform action includes a theory of change that clearly articulates how the proposed action will lead to the desired change and improve outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians over time. This helps ensure everyone is working from the same understanding of how change is expected to occur and how the objectives of each action will be achieved. Including a theory of change for each of the Priority Reform action provides a clear foundation for monitoring progress to support a better understanding of what is or is not working during the implementation phase.
Barring yana-ngali gadhaba also responds to the findings of the Productivity Commission Review and Indigenous-led Review by:
- developing and outlining a coordinated and strategic approach to Closing the Gap implementation in close partnership with Aboriginal people
- focusing on the fundamental transformation that needs to happen within government to enable the National Agreement to be embedded in government ways of working
- moving away from the ‘laundry list’ approach adopted in previous implementation plans, which listed all initiatives currently underway in government, to focus instead on strategic actions required to progress the Priority Reforms and socio-economic targets.
Embedding Closing the Gap within Victoria’s broader reform agenda
Barring yana-ngali gadhaba captures Victorian Government actions to progress the National Agreement Priority Reforms and socio-economic targets, aligning with complementary reforms seeking to embed self-determination in government ways of working and improve outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians.
The Victorian Government is undertaking a broad range of work in partnership with Aboriginal people and organisations to advance the National Agreement’s objectives and targets in Victoria. Beyond the actions captured in this Implementation Plan, this work includes the Truth and Treaty processes and implementing the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework (VAAF), as well as the work of Aboriginal Governance Forums. This broader range of reform activity will continue alongside Closing the Gap, to deliver a progressive reform agenda and improve outcomes for Aboriginal people in Victoria. Barring yana-ngali gadhaba focuses specifically on taking a more strategic approach to implementing the National Agreement by identifying the highest priority future-focused actions required to drive progress on Closing the Gap.
As recognised in Victoria’s first Statewide Treaty and in the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s findings, the entrenched inequalities between Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people is the result of deliberate and systemic exclusion of Aboriginal people from the systems and structures of power being built around them, upon which others have prospered. This new era of Treaty-making presents opportunities – to embed self-determination, provide far-reaching benefits for Aboriginal people and create positive impacts for all Victorians, all of which will contribute to the delivery of Victoria’s commitments under the National Agreement.
These landmark processes will drive forward the ongoing transformation of how the Victorian Government works with and for Aboriginal people to deliver genuine and effective change for all Aboriginal people.
Treaty
Following decades of advocacy from Aboriginal people, Victoria’s first Statewide Treaty formally commenced on 12 December 2025. The Statewide Treaty Act 2025 gives effect to this Treaty and establishes a new entity, Gellung Warl, which has evolved from the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria.
Gellung Warl was established on 1 May 2026 and will operate as an ongoing democratic, representative and deliberative body for Aboriginal people in Victoria. It will lead the renewed relationship with the State created by Treaty. Gellung Warl consists of three parts:
- The First Peoples’ Assembly – consisting of democratically elected members to inform Parliament and the Victorian Government on matters that affect Aboriginal people and make decisions about issues that impact Aboriginal people.
- Nginma Ngainga Wara – to implement the commitment under the National Agreement to establish an independent accountability mechanism and improve outcomes.
- Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna – to establish truth-telling in local communities about Victoria’s history and supporting ongoing education, healing and reconciliation.
Legislated engagement opportunities with the Victorian Government for the First Peoples’ Assembly will support self-determination by ensuring Aboriginal Victorians are engaged early on matters specifically directed towards them (Part 8, Statewide Treaty Act 2025). This includes a requirement for all department Secretaries and the Chief Commissioner of Police to develop, in consultation with the First Peoples’ Assembly, written guidelines providing for the manner of consultation with the First Peoples’ Assembly during the development of any legislative proposal, statutory rule (not including a court rule) or policy that is specifically directed to Aboriginal people and other matters specified in the Statewide Treaty (section 88, Statewide Treaty Act 2025). The Victorian Government has also committed to establishing processes that support the development of a culturally capable workforce (section 8A, Public Administration Act 2004).
Yoorrook Justice Commission
The first formal truth-telling process into historical and ongoing injustices experienced by Aboriginal people in Victoria, the Yoorrook Justice Commission (Commission), was set up in May 2021 – reshaping the way Victoria understood itself.
The Commission was established to share and record evidence about the historic and ongoing impact of colonisation on Aboriginal people, with a broad mandate to investigate injustices committed against Aboriginal people in Victoria across all areas of social, political, cultural and economic life.
Thousands of Aboriginal people shared their lived experiences with the Commission, forming the foundation of the Commission’s work. During the Commission’s inquiries, it also heard from Elders, community leaders, legal experts, historians, Victorian Government ministers and senior public servants (including the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police). Notably, for the first time in Australian history, a state or territory government leader appeared before an Aboriginal-led truth-telling inquiry. This occurred when the Victorian Premier gave evidence to the Commission on 29 April 2024.
One of the key recommendations from the Commission, and a commitment of the first Statewide Treaty, was also addressed when the Victorian Premier formally apologised to Aboriginal people on 9 December 2025 for the impacts since colonisation. This apology represented another important step towards building a shared understanding of Victoria’s history and moving forward together to achieve better outcomes for Aboriginal people and close the gap.
The Commission promoted truth and understanding by creating an official public record that helps Victorians understand the State’s history from the perspective of Aboriginal people, how this history impacts the present, and how Treaty is the pathway to practical changes and solutions. The Commission also supported transformation by proposing changes to laws, institutions and systems that can be taken up through Treaty negotiations and other avenues, to remedy injustices against Aboriginal people and build new relationships between all Victorians.
Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna will lead ongoing work on the Truth process in Victoria (see further information below).
Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework (VAAF)
The VAAF is Victoria’s overarching strategic framework for working with Aboriginal Victorians to drive improved outcomes, committing the Victorian Government to advancing Aboriginal self-determination.
It builds on and goes beyond previous government approaches by recognising that to improve outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians, government must enable self-determination through systemic and structural transformation.
The VAAF is complemented by the Self-Determination Reform Framework, which guides public service action to enable self-determination. The VAAF requires the Victorian Government to report on its efforts to enable self-determination in the annual VGAAR.
Aboriginal Governance Forums and sector-specific strategies and plans
Aboriginal Governance Forums
Victoria has a robust set of well-established strategic and coordinating bodies that ensure Aboriginal voices are heard in policymaking and service delivery across every sector. Victoria’s Aboriginal Governance Forums (listed below) comprise senior Aboriginal community leaders and Victorian Government representatives to enable shared decision-making with Aboriginal communities and organisations. They are responsible for overseeing the development, implementation and direction of Aboriginal-led policy and service delivery agendas.
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Sector-specific strategies and plans
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3Wungurilwil Gapgapduir: Aboriginal Children and Families Agreement, DFFH (2022).
<https://www.dffh.vic.gov.au/publications/wungurilwil-gapgapduir-aborigi…;
4Burra Lotjpa Dunguludja: Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement Phase 4, DJCS (2018) <https://www.aboriginaljustice.vic.gov.au/the-agreement/the-aboriginal-j…;
5 Wirkara Kulpa – Aboriginal Youth Justice Strategy 2022-2032, DJCS (2022).
<https://www.aboriginaljustice.vic.gov.au/wirkara-kulpa-aboriginal-youth…;
6 Aboriginal Governance and Accountability Framework, Department of Health (2017).
<https://www.health.vic.gov.au/publications/aboriginal-governance-and-ac…;
7Korin Korin Balit-Djak: Aboriginal Health, Wellbeing and Safety Strategic Plan 2017–2027, DFFH (2017)
<https://www.dffh.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/202302/korin-…
8Dhelk Dja: Safe Our Way - Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families
<https://www.vic.gov.au/family-violence-reform-rolling-action-plan-2020-…;
9Marrung: Aboriginal Education Plan 2016–2026, Department of Education (2016)
<https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/programs/aboriginal/Ma…;
10Pupangarli Marmarnepu: ‘Owning Our Future’ Aboriginal Self-Determination Strategy 2020–2025, DEECA (2020)
<https://www.deeca.vic.gov.au/aboriginalselfdetermination/self-determina…;
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Statewide Treaty and Closing the Gap
Closing the Gap, Truth and Treaty are working together in Victoria to deliver strong outcomes for Aboriginal people. The below table identifies the connection between functions legislated through Treaty and related Priority Reforms under the National Agreement, demonstrating how the ongoing implementation of Treaty will make a significant contribution to progressing the commitments and objectives of the National Agreement.
| Treaty Element15 | Closing the Gap Priority Reform16 |
Establishment of Gellung Warl The Statewide Treaty Act 2025 establishes Gellung Warl as an ongoing democratic, representative and deliberative body for Aboriginal people in Victoria. Gellung Warl operates independently from the State (section 13). The First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl is a self-determined, democratically elected, enduring institution for the political representation of Aboriginal people (sections 16-17). Its mandate is to represent Aboriginal people in Victoria, inclusive of Aboriginal-led organisations. Gellung Warl has self-determination and autonomy to set its own funding priorities and allocate its resources (sections 143-144). Gellung Warl’s internal rules and Community answerability obligations require that Gellung Warl is democratically and publicly answerable to the Aboriginal community (sections 159-164). Guidelines to be developed between departments and the First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl will set out processes that seek to clarify the relationship between Aboriginal Governance Forums and structures, departments and the First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl (section 88 and Schedule C of the Statewide Treaty).
| Priority Reform One: Formal partnerships and shared decision-making Parties commit to building and strengthening structures that empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to share decision-making authority with governments to accelerate policy and place-based progress against Closing the Gap (clause 28). The Parties agree that strong partnerships:
Parties recognise that adequate funding is needed to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parties to be partners with governments in formal partnerships (clause 33). |
Informing Parliament of the effect of proposed legislation on Aboriginal people The Statewide Treaty Act 2025 requires the First Peoples’ Assembly Gellung Warl to be notified of the introduction of a Bill to Parliament. A statement of Treaty compatibility must be tabled alongside every Bill which sets out whether the First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl was given an opportunity to advise on the Bill and whether the Bill is compatible with advancing the inherent rights of self-determination, addressing the unacceptable disadvantage inflicted on Aboriginal people by the historic wrongs and ongoing injustices of colonisation and ensuring the equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by Aboriginal people (sections 65-66).
| Priority Reform Three: Transforming government organisations Government Parties commit to improve engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (clause 59f). This includes that when governments are undertaking significant changes to policy and programs that primarily impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, they engage fully and transparently (clause 59f). |
Annual address to Parliament The First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl will provide an annual address to Parliament about any matters that affect Aboriginal people (section 64). Representation Meetings The First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl will meet with Cabinet twice per year for the purpose of enabling the First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl to make representations to Cabinet about matters affecting Aboriginal people (sections 77-78). Engagement Hearings The First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl will hold an annual engagement hearing with Ministers, Secretaries and the Chief Commissioner of Police to ask questions about the priorities, operations, expenditure and budgets of the department for which that Minister or Secretary is responsible (sections 80-81). Briefing meetings with Secretaries and the Chief Commissioner of Police The First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl is to meet up to two times a year with Secretaries and the Chief Commissioner of Police. At least one meeting must be held to enable the First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung’s briefing to inform annual state government budget priorities (sections 86-87). | Priority Reform Three: Transforming government organisations Government Parties commit to improve engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (clause 59f). This includes engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people fully and transparently when undertaking significant changes to policy and programs that primarily impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (clause 59f). Productivity Commission Review Government Ministers meet with relevant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies, without departmental officials present at least twice a year (Essential Action 1.3).
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Duty to develop guidelines Each Secretary must develop, in consultation with the First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl, written guidelines providing for any matters relating to the manner of consultation with the First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl during the development of any legislative proposal, statutory rule or policy that is specifically directed to Aboriginal people (section 88 and Schedule C of the Statewide Treaty).
| Priority Reform Three: Transforming government organisations Government Parties commit to improve engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (clause 59f). This includes engaging with Aboriginal people fully and transparently when undertaking significant changes to policy and programs that primarily impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (clause 59f). |
Establishment of Nginma Ngainga Wara The Statewide Treaty Act 2025 establishes Nginma Ngainga Wara as an accountability mechanism within Gellung Warl (section 93). Led by members appointed by the First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl, Nginma Ngainga Wara will conduct inquiries to evaluate and monitor how effective the state government is in achieving better outcomes for Aboriginal people (sections 93, 103). Nginma Ngainga Wara will recommend to the First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl practical and feasible measures to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people (section 92).
| Priority Reform Three: Transforming government organisations Government Parties agree to each identify, develop or strengthen an independent mechanism that will support, monitor and report on the transformation of mainstream agencies and institutions (clause 67). The mechanisms will:
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The First Peoples’ Assembly of Gellung Warl may publish Nginma Ngainga Wara’s reports (section 116).
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Establishment of Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna The Statewide Treaty Act 2025 establishes Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna to lead ongoing truth-telling, healing and reconciliation across Victorian towns and regions, promoting understanding of local history and place (sections 118-119). | Priority Reform Three: Transforming government organisations Government Parties commit to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture (clause 59e). This includes that government organisations identify their history with Aboriginal and Torres Islander people and facilitate truth-telling to enable reconciliation and active, ongoing healing (clause 59e). |
Public Service Accountability The Statewide Treaty Act 2025 amends the Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic) to require public service body heads to establish processes that:
provide ongoing education and training to develop and maintain an understanding of Treaty and ongoing truth-telling (section 285).
| Priority Reform Three: Transforming government organisations Government Parties commit to embed and practice meaningful cultural safety (clause 59b). Productivity Commission Review Embed responsibility for improving cultural capability and relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into public sector employment requirements (Essential Action 3.5).
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11 Yuma Yirramboi: Invest in Tomorrow - Aboriginal Employment and Economic Strategy, DJSIR (2021)
<https://djsir.vic.gov.au/priorities-and-initiatives/yuma-yirramboi-stra…;
12 Victorian Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnership Agreement and Action Plan, VACCHO and Department of Health (2023)
<https://www.vaccho.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Aboriginal-Health-…;
13Mana-na Woorn-Tyeen Maar-Takoort: Every Aboriginal Person has a Home - Victorian Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Framework, Aboriginal Housing Victoria (2020)
<victorian-aboriginal-housing-and-homelessness-framework_complete_26_02_20-2.pdf>
14 The Transport and Planning Portfolio First Peoples Self Determination and Reform Plan 2025-2029, DTP (2025) <https://www.vic.gov.au/dtp-plans-and-strategies#victorian-road-safety-s…;
15 Legislative sections referenced are from the Statewide Treaty Act 2025 (Vic), unless otherwise specified.
16 Clauses referenced are from the National Agreement, unless otherwise specified.
Updated