Government action to enable self-determination acknowledges that First Peoples hold the knowledge and expertise about what is best for themselves, their families and their communities.
I am pleased to present the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s fifth report under the SDRF, demonstrating our commitment to embedding principles of self-determination into core business. Since the last SDRF Report, Victoria’s Statewide Treaty has been both negotiated and enacted.
The Statewide Treaty is a massive commitment to self-determination and will become the primary vehicle to negotiate the transfer of power and resources so that First Peoples can control matters which impact their lives. The SDRF complements this by holding government to account by committing departments to report on their self-determination reform actions.
The Statewide Treaty establishes Gellung Warl as an evolution of the First Peoples’ Assembly. The Assembly continues as a self-determined, democratically elected institution representing First Peoples and is complemented by two additional arms of Gellung Warl: Nginma Ngainga Wara as an independent accountability mechanism, and Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna to establish local truth-telling and continue the healing journey begun by the Yoorrook Justice Commission. Gellung Warl will represent First Peoples in Victoria, advise the Parliament on matters that affect First Peoples and hold government to account on its commitments and impacts of its actions.
To better embed self-determination across the organisation, the 2024-2025 SDRF Report builds on existing self-determination commitments with new DPC-wide commitments. These pertain to matters which should be part of business-as-usual in a Treaty state. While this ensures that self-determination is considered across the department, there is still further work for systemic change.
Of the 21 self-determination actions that were reported on for 2024-2025 period, 15 are ongoing, 3 are in progress, 2 are delayed and one is completed. Key actions are being progressed to respond to the Yoorrook Justice Commission, educate the VPS in what Treaty means for them and increase Aboriginal employment.
I would like to thank the Minister for First Peoples, The Hon. Ros Spence MP, for her work advancing self-determination in Victoria. Importantly, I would also like to acknowledge the ongoing strength and advocacy of First Peoples communities and leaders, through which our work to enable self-determination sits.
Through this work, we have an opportunity to reframe our relationship with First Peoples in Victoria by transforming our way of working to truly deliver on self-determination reform.
Jeremi Moule
Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet
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