A TEAM laying the groundwork for Indigenous Treaty negotiations is scouting out people with disabilities as parliament prepares for a key vote on Reconciliation.
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The First People's Assembly is holding yarning circles in Bendigo this Wednesday and is inviting people of all abilities to hear updates and ask questions.
The Bendigo events come at a whirlwind moment for an Assembly drafting rules Indigenous people and the government would use in Australia-first Treaty negotiations.
Wednesday's yarning circles could help hone the Assembly's thinking, spokesperson and Yorta Yorta man Jordan Knight said.
"There will be people there with different disabilities so that we can hear their voices and find out what they think Treaty can do to help them," he said.
The Assembly is organising the event with NDIS coordinator Intereach, along with a separate yarning circle with disability support workers.
"It's not just people with disabilities, it's about hearing the voice of everyone, and everyone's having their say," Mr Knight said.
The Bendigo yarning circles are the first in a series taking place on Country across Victoria's North West, in association with Intereach.
Watershed moment looms for Indigenous Treaty negotiations
Treaty preparations are gathering pace in Victoria.
Victoria's parliament appears poised to enshrine independent Treaty umpire capable of settling any future disputes.
The upper house could vote on the reforms this week.
That might represent a watershed moment for an Assembly fearing Indigenous voices could be bulldozed at the negotiation table.
Safeguards could stop governments running out the clock or ignore Indigenous perspectives, Taungurung man and Assembly co-chair Marcus Stewart said in Bendigo last December.
"What we know is that outcomes are dramatically improved, and we improve Aboriginal people's lives, when Traditional Owners are in the driver's seat," he said.
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Time is running out before the Victorian government enters caretaker mode on November 1, ahead of a state election later in the month.
The Assembly wants to lock in a negotiation framework once a Treaty umpire is set in stone.
That framework could finalise a host of new ground-rules for the government and Indigenous groups.
The Assembly is also helping organising a Bendigo music festival slated for October.
Treaty Day Out Bendigo will be a rallying cry for Treaty and will feature an all-First Nations lineup.
For more information about the event and to book free tickets click here.
- With Australian Associated Press
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