Victoria's New Leaders for First Peoples' Assembly

By Kate Ashton

By Nate Woodall

Topic: Government and Politics

Meriki Onus and Djaran Murray-Jackson are the new co-chairs of Victoria's First Peoples' Assembly.

The two new leaders say they are ready to work on the state's first treaty despite opposition from the Liberal party.

Djaran Murray-Jackson is a returning assembly member and a Dja Dja Wurrung traditional owner.

He will work with Meriki Onus, a former advisor and activist, who is a new assembly member.

Mr Murray-Jackson's brother, Ngarra Murray, was a former co-chair, and Meriki Onus is related to former senator Lidia Thorpe.

The new assembly members will serve for four years, but their term might be cut short if the state coalition wins the election.

Opposition leader Jess Wilson wants to cancel the treaty, saying it will save taxpayers $1 billion over 10 years.

Djaran Murray-Jackson and Meriki Onus represent different areas, with Mr Murray-Jackson representing the Dja Dja Wurrung group.

The new leaders are not afraid to talk about the treaty's uncertain future.

Jess Wilson wants to cancel the treaty, but the new leaders are focused on their work.

The revamped assembly had its first meeting in Bendigo on Dja Dja Wurrung country.

The treaty process is expected to continue, despite some controversy.

What is the treaty about?

The treaty recognizes that Victoria was home to many Aboriginal nations before colonization.

The First Peoples' Assembly has members from different areas and traditional owner groups.

The treaty aims to give Aboriginal people more control over government decisions that affect them.

The treaty design includes several new bodies with different powers and functions.

Gellung Warl is the main body, which includes the First Peoples' Assembly and other groups.

Gellung Warl can do things like raise money and hold shares, but it is also accountable to integrity watchdogs.

Gellung Warl is not controlled by the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples.

There are three groups within Gellung Warl: one for representation, one for truth-telling, and one for oversight.

The First Peoples' Assembly was elected by Victorian Aboriginal communities to advocate for them.

The assembly has 34 members, with 22 elected in general elections and 12 from traditional owner groups.

The assembly's role is to advocate for Aboriginal interests and represent them in treaty negotiations.

The assembly will also build capacity in the state's First Peoples and award grants.

Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna is a group that will promote healing and reconciliation.

The group's name comes from the Wamba Wamba/Wemba Wemba language and means 'to sit, to listen, to hear, to remember'.

Nginma Ngainga Wara is a group that will monitor the state's progress in closing the gap.

The group's name means 'you will do' in the Wadi Wadi language.

Nginma Ngainga Wara will advise the First Peoples' Assembly on how to improve outcomes for Indigenous communities.

How much does the treaty cost?

Some critics are concerned about the cost of setting up treaty bodies like the assembly.

The opposition has used costings from the Parliamentary Budget Office to argue against the treaty.

The costings found that the treaty process would cost $950 million over 10 years.

The government says the costings are misleading because they include other policies that affect Aboriginal communities.

The opposition wants to establish a standalone department for Indigenous Victorians instead of the treaty.

The state coalition used to support the treaty but now wants to cancel it.

The new assembly co-chair, Djaran Murray-Jackson, says the opposition's alternative plan has 'more holes in it than Swiss cheese'.

Mr Murray-Jackson points to a figure from the Yoorrook Justice Commission, which found that Victoria received $86 billion in revenue from 2010 to 2023.

None of that revenue was directly distributed to traditional owners.

Does the treaty change how laws are made?

Gellung Warl does not have the power to veto Victorian policy or legislation.

When members of parliament introduce new bills, they must include a statement on how the bill fits with the principles of the treaty.

The treaty laws also require the state cabinet, departmental heads, and the police chief to have procedures in place for briefings with the assembly.

Meriki Onus is part of the assembly for the first time and promises a focus on 'practical outcomes'.

The assembly will determine its own priorities, with a focus on economic self-determination and monitoring progress.

Will the treaty close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage?

Backers of the treaty process argue that it will empower Aboriginal communities and help close the gaps in key life outcomes.

The Nginma Ngainga Wara team will focus on monitoring progress under the treaty laws.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson says funding the First Peoples' Assembly is wasted bureaucracy.

Ms Wilson says a Coalition state government would scrap the treaty and manage its own consultations with the Indigenous community.

Mr Murray-Jackson is skeptical of the opposition's plan, saying it sounds like they 'just came up with that themselves'.

See the full list of newly elected First Peoples' Assembly members

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