Treaty self-determination fund outlined as by-election voting closes

By Caitlyn Grant

Mar 28, 2022

Assembly: Voting in the north-east by-election has closed. First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria head of engagement and communications Amy Rust, pictured with Levi Power, says more than 330 votes were submitted. Photo by Megan Fisher

The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria is calling for feedback from First Nations community members on an outlined plan for a self-determination fund.

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The assembly met at the MCG on Friday, March 25, to discuss the preliminary proposal of the fund.

Assembly co-chair and Bangerang and Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Geraldine Atkinson said not being dependent on the colonial systems, which often holds First Nations people back, would be a game-changer.

“Our people have the solutions and plenty of ideas, we’ve just never had the same opportunities to back them on our own,” she said.

“The self-determination fund will be a shared resource for Aboriginal communities to build their capacity and generate wealth, with that will come a greater level of economic freedom and independence, which is what we want.”

Establishing the fund is a significant step for the assembly in ensuring Treaty negotiations with the Victorian Government are made on more equal grounds.

Preliminary proposal key priorities and ideas that will be put forward to the Victorian Government are outlined in the assembly’s self-determination fund discussion paper.

The assembly is seeking feedback and questions on the paper from First Nations people in order to shape the establishment of the fund.

“This fund will help make sure Traditional Owner groups are ‘Treaty ready’, in that they feel equipped to sit down with government and actually negotiate in a way that isn’t one-sided,” assembly co-chair and Nira illim bulluk man of the Taungurung Nation Marcus Stewart said.

Mr Stewart said Treaty would mean nothing if it didn’t attempt to bridge the economic divide caused by dispossession.

The assembly is aiming to reach an agreement on the self-determination fund with the Victorian Government by June.

It comes as voting in the north-east region’s by-election for a representative in the Treaty process closes.

Running from February 26, voting closed on Sunday, March 27, with the elected candidate to be announced before April 16.

First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria head of engagement and communications Amy Rust said the more than 330 votes had been submitted.

“We’ve had more than 800 new enrolments to the assembly’s electoral roll, which is just incredible, obviously a large part of that was Treaty Day Out,” she said.

“We’re pretty happy with that result, it’s an increase on the 2019 assembly general election vote for the north-east.”