The meetings were a preliminary stage in the process of developing a treaty between the Indigenous peoples of Victoria and the state government. 

CEO of the Dja Dja Wurrung Corporation Rodney Carter was pleased with the outcome of the meeting.

“We need to support process, and that this group being led by Traditional Owners and supported by Victorian Aboriginal people seems fair and reasonable,” he said.

Read more: Indigenous treaty commissioner Jill Gallagher to visit Bendigo

Mr Carter sees a treaty as important step in Australia’s history, looking both to the past and to the future.

“Treaty is needed as it allows for a form of agreement by those that have been affected by what has happened in history,” Mr Carter said. 

“Australia, and as Victoria as a leader in this discussions shouldn’t let future generations look back upon us and see the past as not being truthfully dealt with. 

“We need to make our children and grandchildren proud of honesty and truth working together.”

The move to develop a representative body for Aboriginal people in Victoria follows state government committing to discuss a treaty in 2016.

Since then, community consultations have been held throughout Victoria.

On June 21, ‘Advancing the Aboriginal Treaty Process’ passed through the Victorian parliament.

The legislation paves the way for developing and recognising a representative body, and enshrines guiding principles for a negotiation process.

Ms Gallagher is responsible for establishing an Aboriginal Representative Body, which will in the future negotiate the terms of a treaty.

For her, one of the commission’s primary roles at this stage is to communicate the aims of the treaty to the general public.

She emphasised that private property would be off limits in any treaty developed.

Rather, it would at collective matters that all Aboriginal people could benefit from, Ms Gallagher said.

This could form a basis for later treaties.

“We want to tell people, especially non-Aboriginal people, there’s nothing to be scared of,” she said.

“Treaties are not a bad thing, and it’s not about people’s backyards, because private land is definitely not on the table.”

Mr Cartner did not speculate as to the contents of the treaty, saying it was a conversation still to come.

He was sure, however, what areas it would need to address.

“As principals it would need to address the economic disadvantage of my people, so that we can properly apply self-determination,” he said.