At the end of the day, we’ve all worked through things to get a positive platform, but it’s our responsibility to get that moving and to communicate all these things to communities and get that feedback and start pushing that forward as well.
We need to make sure the Framework is all in place so that it can be signed off before the next election hopefully. The Government has already said they’re prepared to listen so we need to tell them. Let them know exactly where our position is and how we can best negotiate a positive outcome for everybody. Peace, unity, let’s come up with the ideas, participate.
Member Updates
March 2024 — Meeting of Assembly at Lakes Entrance
My name is Andrew Gardiner, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung representative in the Metropolitan region.
In the past few months I have been involved in a number of community engagement meetings (Wyndham and other places) discussing the three big pieces of work from the Assembly 1.0 and providing clarification and seeking feedback on that and looking forward for Treaty for the general Aboriginal community under a Statewide Treaty. The Statewide Treaty is going to be negotiated with the State Government in 2024/25 in the areas of Health, Housing, Employment, Education and the Criminal Justice System as these affect all ATSI people in Victoria. I have attended the Chamber meeting in November 2023 and the one-day Chamber meeting in January 2024. I have attended a number of Yurpa Business Committee meetings and one Treaty Committee meeting. I have had difficulty with my iPad with access to emails and the member portal. These system issues are being overcome. We are wanting to hear more advice from Elders attending these community engagement meetings so that we can test if we are on the right path. Most people want further engagements like these so that they can discuss and ask more questions and come to understand exactly what in Treaty is possible and as a collective we must continue to fight together. We will keep coming back to communities to talk with new community members to advise them and seek different opinions and ideas for Treaty. Further community engagement meetings are planned and we must attend and seek feedback.
