Liberal plan to scrap Treaty risks 'sending us back', Aboriginal leader warns
Victorian Indigenous leaders accuse Opposition Leader Jess Wilson of using Treaty as a "political football", warning decades of progress could be lost if the historic agreement is scrapped.
Victorian Indigenous leaders have cautioned that scrapping the Treaty could lead to a reversal of decades of progress. The Coalition plans to replace the self-determining model of Treaty with a government department, a move Indigenous leaders accuse Opposition Leader Jess Wilson of using as a political tactic. If elected, Wilson has promised to scrap the state's Treaty and its elected First Peoples body, Gellung Warl.
Last year, Victoria became the first Australian state to sign a modern treaty with its First Peoples, which was hailed nationally and internationally as a significant milestone. Wilson claims the government department, First Nations Victoria, would be responsible for meeting and reporting on Closing the Gap targets. However, Indigenous leaders argue that the absence of a voice to hold governments accountable would result in a step backward.
They warn that reverting to the previous advisory committees would be akin to returning to the past, as these committees have failed Indigenous people for decades.
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