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Hello, my name is Ngarra Murray. I’m a Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa and Dja Dja Wurrung woman based in Melbourne on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country.
I’m one of the Co-chairs of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria alongside Gunditjmara man Rueben Berg. We sit on the Assembly together with 31 other Traditional Owners elected by their communities.
Our task is to create the first Treaty in Australia’s history.
Treaty has been talked about for generations. Whether it be our Elders, or the legendary Yothu Yindi in 1991.
But now after years of work in Victoria it is here. It’s actually happening.
While it's an honour and a privilege to be tasked with the negotiations, it’s also one of great responsibility. Responsibility to our families and our nations and clans, and to our Country, land and waterways.
We know we have an opportunity to profoundly improve things for our peoples.
This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.
Our lands right across the country hold the markings of our history. The very first fires, the ceremonies, the middens, the scar trees that made the canoe, and the coolamons that carried our ancestors. This is Country that has felt thousands of generations of footsteps and was crossed by our families.
But our ancient Aboriginal way of being was violently disrupted with the arrival of the colonisers and the subsequent invasion.
Our people were massacred. Our way of life was threatened as our languages were forbidden, our families torn apart and our people rounded up and herded onto missions. So many aspects of our lives were controlled – where we could live, who we could marry.
Fortunately, we are strong and resilient people.
Our people have a long and proud history of activism and fighting for our rights.
We fight for a better life, a healthier country, equal rights and greater opportunities for our children, our families, and our people.
Everyone knows that people thrive when they can set their own course in life and can make choices about what works best for them and their families based on their own needs, experiences, talents and aspirations.
When it comes to Aboriginal communities, cultures and lands, the experts are, of course, Aboriginal people. The more this fact is respected and embraced, the more our communities will thrive.
Treaty is about providing Aboriginal communities with the power to come up with and deliver practical solutions at a local level – from using local knowledge to care for land and keeping culture strong to improving the way services like health and education are delivered.
We’ve set up a framework that embeds the principles of self-determination in everything we do.
Traditional Owner Treaties across Victoria will make sure local knowledge can inform decision-making at a community level.
Meanwhile a Statewide Treaty will strengthen the First Peoples’ Assembly so it can drive positive structural change to improve the lives of Aboriginal people.
It’s going to put decision-making power back into Aboriginal hands. Mob making decision for mob.
With negotiations for the Statewide Treaty set to begin in November, the Assembly is continuing to yarn with mob all over the state to gather ideas and feedback about our plans.
We’re still finalising the priorities that we’ll take into negotiations, but we have some key concepts that we know will play a big part in the talks.
Firstly, we’ll be looking to agree on a process and timetable for providing the Assembly with real decision-making powers about Aboriginal matters.
We’ll want to expand the Assembly’s roles and responsibilities, so that in addition to the new decision-making powers, it could also provide advice to government on a range of issues that affect First Peoples, and ensure accountability for promises made and standards set.
We will seek to find ways to ensure First Peoples’ cultures and languages are recognised and respected, and celebrated by everyone.
And we’ll be looking at how key recommendations from the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s truth-telling process should be implemented.
There’s still time to have your say and the Assembly will continue to keep our communities updated throughout the journey and seek your guidance.
Treaty is ultimately for all our mob. Regardless of your living circumstances, where you are in life or where you’ve been.
That’s why we’ve been visiting every prison in Victoria to make sure everyone can walk with us on the journey to Treaty. I want to thank all of the mob who have yarned with us and shared their stories, ideas, needs and hopes about Treaty.
History shows that change begins with people. Whether we’re realising our human rights, fighting racism, or standing up for our lands and waters, it is everyday people who can drive change. People like you and me.
What was a dream for our Elders will be a reality for our children.
For all the brothers and sisters outside of Victoria I hope you stay deadly and continue the fight that our ancestors started. Hopefully the journey in Victoria offers some inspiration about what’s possible.
Thank you very much for reading this piece.
Hello, my name is Ngarra Murray. I’m a Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa and Dja Dja Wurrung woman based in Melbourne on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country.
I’m one of the Co-chairs of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria alongside Gunditjmara man Rueben Berg. We sit on the Assembly together with 31 other Traditional Owners elected by their communities.
Our task is to create the first Treaty in Australia’s history.
Treaty has been talked about for generations. Whether it be our Elders, or the legendary Yothu Yindi in 1991.
But now after years of work in Victoria it is here. It’s actually happening.
While it's an honour and a privilege to be tasked with the negotiations, it’s also one of great responsibility. Responsibility to our families and our nations and clans, and to our Country, land and waterways.
We know we have an opportunity to profoundly improve things for our peoples.
This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.
Our lands right across the country hold the markings of our history. The very first fires, the ceremonies, the middens, the scar trees that made the canoe, and the coolamons that carried our ancestors. This is Country that has felt thousands of generations of footsteps and was crossed by our families.
But our ancient Aboriginal way of being was violently disrupted with the arrival of the colonisers and the subsequent invasion.
Our people were massacred. Our way of life was threatened as our languages were forbidden, our families torn apart and our people rounded up and herded onto missions. So many aspects of our lives were controlled – where we could live, who we could marry.
Fortunately, we are strong and resilient people.
Our people have a long and proud history of activism and fighting for our rights.
We fight for a better life, a healthier country, equal rights and greater opportunities for our children, our families, and our people.
Everyone knows that people thrive when they can set their own course in life and can make choices about what works best for them and their families based on their own needs, experiences, talents and aspirations.
When it comes to Aboriginal communities, cultures and lands, the experts are, of course, Aboriginal people. The more this fact is respected and embraced, the more our communities will thrive.
Treaty is about providing Aboriginal communities with the power to come up with and deliver practical solutions at a local level – from using local knowledge to care for land and keeping culture strong to improving the way services like health and education are delivered.
We’ve set up a framework that embeds the principles of self-determination in everything we do.
Traditional Owner Treaties across Victoria will make sure local knowledge can inform decision-making at a community level.
Meanwhile a Statewide Treaty will strengthen the First Peoples’ Assembly so it can drive positive structural change to improve the lives of Aboriginal people.
It’s going to put decision-making power back into Aboriginal hands. Mob making decision for mob.
With negotiations for the Statewide Treaty set to begin in November, the Assembly is continuing to yarn with mob all over the state to gather ideas and feedback about our plans.
We’re still finalising the priorities that we’ll take into negotiations, but we have some key concepts that we know will play a big part in the talks.
Firstly, we’ll be looking to agree on a process and timetable for providing the Assembly with real decision-making powers about Aboriginal matters.
We’ll want to expand the Assembly’s roles and responsibilities, so that in addition to the new decision-making powers, it could also provide advice to government on a range of issues that affect First Peoples, and ensure accountability for promises made and standards set.
We will seek to find ways to ensure First Peoples’ cultures and languages are recognised and respected, and celebrated by everyone.
And we’ll be looking at how key recommendations from the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s truth-telling process should be implemented.
There’s still time to have your say and the Assembly will continue to keep our communities updated throughout the journey and seek your guidance.
Treaty is ultimately for all our mob. Regardless of your living circumstances, where you are in life or where you’ve been.
That’s why we’ve been visiting every prison in Victoria to make sure everyone can walk with us on the journey to Treaty. I want to thank all of the mob who have yarned with us and shared their stories, ideas, needs and hopes about Treaty.
History shows that change begins with people. Whether we’re realising our human rights, fighting racism, or standing up for our lands and waters, it is everyday people who can drive change. People like you and me.
What was a dream for our Elders will be a reality for our children.
For all the brothers and sisters outside of Victoria I hope you stay deadly and continue the fight that our ancestors started. Hopefully the journey in Victoria offers some inspiration about what’s possible.
Thank you very much for reading this piece.
Including a piece about kids dancing and going walkabout and Chippa's interpretation of Country.
This interview was part of Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service’s Invasion Day webinar in January this year. The Q&A spoke to an incredible panel of First Nations people, each with their own unique experiences of the criminal legal system.
This is my interpretation of Country. The greens and browns take me back to the quiet and secluded areas I've worked on and stayed on whilst camping and living off Country.
A wide-ranging report commissioned by the federal government has called for “urgent and proactive” system-level reforms to improve the standard of health care provided to First Nations people in prison.
Help us get About Time off the ground. All donations are tax deductible and will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.
Help us get About Time off the ground. All donations are tax deductible and will be vital in providing an essential resource for people in prison and their loved ones.
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