My name is Ngarra Murray and I’m a proud Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa, and Dja Dja Wurrung woman with many familial connections across Victoria and NSW. I grew up in Shepparton on Yorta Yorta Country. I’m the Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria living and working on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country representing the diverse Aboriginal Communities of the Metropolitan region for a second term.

Recent work priorities

Over the past few months, I’ve participated in many many meetings, committee meetings, treaty negotiations, and proactively promoted the Assembly and its work. We held our January Assembly chamber in Naarm on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country at the Korin Gamadji Institute. We visited the National Gallery of Victoria, Koorie Heritage Trust and ACMI as part of our cultural tour, and heard from Creative Victoria and Melbourne Indigenous Art and Design fair Lead Janina Harding.

As Co-chairs, we maintained regular communication with Assembly Members and fostered relationships with the Yoorrook Justice Commissioners, Treaty Authority, Self-Determination Fund, and other bodies relevant to our work. There were numerous engagements and activities with First Peoples, Traditional Owners, ACCOs, community groups and constituents. Engagements happened with parliamentarians and key government and State representatives.

We held our second Statewide Treaty Gathering at the MCG where mob came from all over the state, our third ACCO forum and second Traditional Owner gathering. We hosted Dr Mary Graham, Professor Irene Watson and Dr Janine Gertz and talked all things Sovereignty, Aboriginal lore and Aboriginal political philosophy. The Assembly held our fifth Treaty Day Out on Gunai Kurnai Country. Close to 3,000 mob and allies joined us on Gunaikurnai Country to show support for Treaty.

We hosted the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Indigenous Peoples Dr Albert Barume, Uncle Les Malezer and Dr Hannah McGlade at the Yoorrook Justice Commission to talk Treaty.

We spoke at the Greens Treaty Forum with Gabrielle De Vietri and Dr Tim Reid. We said goodbye to Matt Burns and welcomed new Assembly member Kayley Nicholson as the new Taungurung Reserved Seat Holder. I attended the Day of Mourning at Uncle William Coopers statue in Shepparton on Yorta Yorta Country. Thank you to all the community members, leaders and volunteers who put the event together.

As Assembly members we are constantly participating and holding events and forums in every corner of the state to listen to the mob about their ideas, aspirations and expectations for Treaty. We will continue to engage with mob and build momentum and grow our movement towards treaties.

Engagement activities

Recently the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins and the First Peoples’ Assembly Negotiation Delegation held a regional meeting on Gunditjmara country to progress negotiations for Victoria’s first statewide Treaty.

Parties met at a significant site on the beach of Allestree at Portland Bay, known as the Convincing Ground – in reference to a massacre of the Kilcarer Gundidj clan which took place in 1834. The site is significant for these discussions, with parties discussing how truth and reconciliation will be embedded in outcomes from Treaty discussions.

This follows the nation-leading work of Victoria’s Yoorrook Justice Commission.

Topics discussed in negotiations included:

Capturing stories from across the Victorian community of the history and experiences of First Peoples

Retaining an archive of this information and public education opportunities

Continuing the truth-telling journey after the conclusion of the Yoorrook Justice Commission.

The Victorian Government is represented by senior Department of Premier and Cabinet executives at the negotiations table. The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria are represented by appointed Member Negotiators.

Negotiations are overseen by the independent Treaty Authority according to rules set out in the Treaty Negotiation Framework. Negotiations include weekly talks, and the parties are releasing regular Joint Statements to keep Victorians updated. See the latest Joint Statement here.

Insights

Self-Determination is central. Treaty is about recognising our rights to self-determination, empowering communities to have control over their own affairs and governance structures. We heard from the mob that truth-telling must continue and will lay the foundation for genuine relationships. There is no single approach to treaty; mob believe agreements must reflect the diversity of First Peoples, ensuring broad representation and community-led decision-making. Our Elders and community members have told us Treaties are about healing. Healing for our country, our people, our families, and nations.

Implementation

These insights will help shape our approach by informing negotiations, strengthening community engagement, and ensuring that the treaty process remains inclusive and representative. The community’s input provides valuable guidance on key priorities, challenges, and opportunities, allowing us to make more informed decisions and drive meaningful progress toward Treaty.

Looking ahead

We are making significant strides in advancing treaty through negotiations and strengthening collective support across the treaty landscape. I look forward to attending events and metropolitan gatherings over the next few months. I’m proud to contribute to the Assembly’s efforts as we work together towards achieving treaties.

Thank you

We’re incredibly grateful to have you on this journey with us. Your support and guidance mean everything, and we’ll continue to keep our communities involved every step of the way. Thank you to our mob and allies for standing with us—your support makes all the difference.

My name is Ngarra Murray and I’m a proud Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung and Dhudhuroa woman. I’m Co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and represent the Metropolitan region.

Treaty negotiations between the Assembly and the Victorian Government officially got underway last year. After years of yarning with Community all across the state, listening to our mobs, capturing their Treaty aspirations, and we are beyond proud to be bringing our community’s voices and aspirations to theTreaty table.

This is the next step in a shared journey that has been centuries in the making. What our Elders fought for and dreamed of, will be a reality for our children.

Over the past few months, I’ve participated in many meetings, committee meetings, treaty negotiations, and proactively promoted the Assembly and its work.

We held our November Assembly chamber on Yorta Yorta Country where we were welcomed to country by Yorta Yorta Nations Aboriginal Corporation. We stopped by Rumbalara Aboriginal Cooperative, Rumbalara Football and Netball Club, Bangerang Keeping Place, met with Elders and attended an arts workshop at Kaiela Arts.

As Co-chairs, we maintained regular communication with Assembly Members and fostered relationships with the Yoorrook Justice Commissioners, Treaty Authority, Self-Determination Fund, and other bodies relevant to our work. There were numerous engagements and activities with First Peoples, Traditional Owners, ACCOs, community groups and constituents. Engagements happened with parliamentarians and key government representatives.

We’re still gathering ideas and feedback for what else the Statewide Treaty should deliver. The future version of the Assembly will set the stage for generations of progress, but we also want to use this opportunity to secure tangible improvements right now.

We’ve heard heaps of deadly ideas, and we are now focused on the priorities in the negotiations.

What unites all the ideas we’ve heard is the simple principle that decisions about Aboriginal communities, should be made by Aboriginal people.

The elected Assembly Members and the engagement team are constantly holding events and forums in every corner of the state to listen to the mob about their ideas, aspirations and expectations for Treaty. We will continue to build momentum and grow our movement towards treaties.

We’ll continue to grow collective support and our independent electoral roll and represent our communities with a range of advocacy across the board. We want the power to hold Government to its promises and make sure they are up to scratch and delivering for mob. We want First Peoples to be able to keep telling our truths and share our stories with all Victorians, and so we will be pushing for ongoing truth telling, focused on healing and fostering a shared understanding of our histories.

This year we will see the signing of the first Statewide Treaty agreement! Traditional Owner Treaties will start taking shape, with Traditional Owner groups forming the priorities and aspirations in their areas.

Here’s our first joint formal update with the Government.

Treaty Day Out is set to rock Gunai Kurnai Country in Morewell on the 8 February featuring one of our biggest lineups yet. We have our third ACCO Forum coming up and second Traditional Owner Forum. Mob from across Victoria will also come together for our Statewide Treaty Gathering in Naarm on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country to share their hopes and ideas for Treaty. I look forward to yarning with all our mob over the coming months.

As an Assembly, we have made critical progress in the advancement of treaty in Australia and the restoration of power and autonomy to our mob. I am proud to contribute to the Assembly’s work and collectively progress towards the country’s very first treaty. We are so grateful to have you on this journey with us. As always, we’ll keep everyone in the loop and continue seeking feedback and guidance from our communities. Thank you to all our mob and allies for all your support.

My name is Ngarra Murray and I’m a proud Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung and Dhudhuroa woman. I’m Co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and represent the Metropolitan region.

Our sovereignty will never be ceded.

We want decisions about First Peoples to be made by First Peoples. That’s why self-determination is at the heart of all we do and our guiding principle. We will exercise our inherent rights as First Peoples and uphold our lore and culture in the Treaty process.

Negotiations between the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and the Victorian Government about the first Statewide Treaty are due to begin in keeping with the Treaty Negotiation Framework agreed to in 2022 and the related legislation passed by the Victorian Parliament. We will hold a ceremony to announce the commencement of treaty negotiations on the 21 November on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country.

These negotiations are about the first Statewide Treaty. The first Statewide Treaty will make sure our communities are properly represented and can use local knowledge to come up with practical solutions to improve the lives of our people across the state.

The Assembly have solidified the foundations to enable treatymaking and set the stage for generations of progress, and we will use this opportunity to secure tangible outcomes right now.

There are some things we already know that we are going to push for in the treaty negotiations – based on the many discussions to date and all the feedback we’ve received from mob. There are also many subject matters we are working on and have recently released our Statewide Treaty community explainer.

The elected Assembly members and engagement team are constantly holding events and forums in every corner of the state to listen to ideas and aspirations of Treaty.

We are committed to making sure we earn and maintain the continual backing of our communities. The Statewide treaty will be a living document. The signing of this treaty will be the first step in a bigger journey.

Over the past few months, I’ve been able to participate in many meetings, gatherings, events, forums, keynotes proactively promoting the Assembly and its work.

We held our September Assembly chamber on Wamba Wemba Country where we were welcomed to Country by Wamba Wemba Nerrick Nerrick’s who shared stories about their Country and People. We also had a cultural day visiting Muymer (Lake Boga), Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement, and Menera Station.

Engagement happened with parliamentarians and key government representatives. As Co-Chairs, we maintained regular communication with Assembly Members and fostered relationships with the Yoorrook Justice Commissioners, Treaty Authority, Self-Determination Fund, and other bodies relevant to our work. There were numerous engagements with First Peoples, Traditional Owners, ACCOs, community groups and constituents. We held our first Traditional Owner gathering and second ACCO Forum.

Treaty in the Park is coming up and it will be a deadly celebration of First Peoples culture and music in the Wyndham Park, Werribee on Sunday 24 November 2024.

Treaty is a community driven journey from the ground up. Treay is about making sure our people can use their strengths, knowledge and expertise to come up with solutions at a local level.

We’re mob! We’ve been here for 60,000 years and we’re not going anywhere. We are ready for Treaty! In unity we will find strength, the power to heal, to empower and inspire. Together, our mob will be unbreakable.

If you’ve got ideas or feedback, we want to hear from you! Get enrolled, get in touch, have your say.

My name is Ngarra Murray and I’m a proud Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung and Dhudhuroa woman. I’m Co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and represent the Metropolitan region.

Our journey towards equality and justice is deeply rooted in a long history of Aboriginal activism here in Victoria where our people over generations have collectively advocated, lobbied, marched and protested for our rights. We have a strong culture of leadership in our mobs, and when we say we stand on the shoulders of giants, we mean it. And we are very proud of that fact.

Despite the adversities, our people have remained resilient, our cultures vibrant, and our communities strong. It is time to acknowledge this resilience and strength through formal and binding agreements – treaties that honour our past, respects our present and secures our future.

In November, we will enter treaty negotiations. This will be a historic first for this Country, and we would not be here today without the decades of staunch Aboriginal activism that has led us to this point. Achieving a treaty is not an easy task, it will require commitment, collaboration and courage from all of us.

It has been one year since our Assembly election, and I want to acknowledge the collective effort from all our Assembly members. We have achieved a lot in that time:

• Our Youth Voice and our Elders’ Voice are up and running
• The Self Determination Fund is open, and funds are now available to help Traditional Owners get ready for Treaty and negotiation on equal footing with government
• The Treaty Authority was established
• The Wamba Wemba people joined the Assembly on a Reserved Seat – this was the first group to utilise our alternative pathway process
• We hosted a Statewide Treaty gathering and multiple Regional Treaty gatherings across the state
• We co-convened the 2024 AIATSIS Summit
• We appointed Gunditjmara man Damein Bell as our new CEO
• We have declared that we are ready to enter Treaty negotiations, and the Treaty Authority have accepted our notification

Over the past few months, I’ve been able to participate in the following public facing key events proactively promoting the Assembly and its work:

• Panel for Richard Bell’s Embassy as part of Rising Festival
• 2024 AIATSIS Summit delivering opening address and keynote address on ‘Standing on the shoulders of giants: The Treaty generation in Victoria’
• NAIDOC March speech
• Dungala Kaiela Oration response to DFAT First Nations Ambassador

Our Metro Treaty Gathering was held at the Aborigines Advancement League on Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Country, and we saw mob from all across Naarm learn and share about their aspirations on the journey to Treaty. The Gathering included yarns, presentations and breakout groups. We heard about the journey that got us to this point, what sovereignty might mean to us going forward. We had detailed conversations about the nuts and bolts of the Treaty process and Self-determination. Most importantly, Naarm mob got to share their ideas and have a say about the priorities the Assembly is thinking of taking into the upcoming negotiations with the Victorian Government about a Statewide Treaty.

Engagement happened with parliamentarians and key government representatives. As Co-Chairs, we maintained regular communication with Assembly Members and fostered relationships with the Yoorrook Justice Commissioners, Treaty Authority, Self-Determination Fund and other bodies relevant to treaties. There were numerous engagements with First Peoples, Traditional Owners, Statewide ACCOs and Peaks, community groups and constituents.

We appeared at the Yoorrook Justice Commission and provided evidence for their social justice hearings. The hearings focused on systemic injustice experienced by First Peoples in Victoria in relation to health, education, housing and economic life.

We held our Assembly chamber on Gunditjmara Country in Portland. We were honoured to be welcomed to Country by Gunditjmara Elders, who shared stories with our members and staff. We also spent an incredibly special day learning and hearing about First Peoples’ practice in action at Budj Bim.

This meeting saw the first appearance of Wamba Wemba Aboriginal Corporation Reserved Seat holder, Lowana Moore. This is a significant milestone, marking the first addition to the Assembly through the Additional Pathway for Reserved Seats.

The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria has taken one of the final steps required to enable Treaty negotiations in Victoria, declaring to the independent Treaty Authority that it is ready to enter Treaty negotiations.

The Assembly’s notification seeking to be the First Peoples’ Representative Body to negotiate Treaty was entered onto the Treaty Authority’s Negotiation Database and a copy of the Declaration was presented to the Treaty Authority at a ceremony at Melbourne Museum signifying that the Assembly is ready to enter Treaty negotiations with the State Government.

We’re still gathering ideas and feedback from our communities, but we now have key concepts we’ll likely take into the first round of treaty negotiations:

• We’ll be looking to agree on a process and timetable for providing the Assembly with decision-making powers about Aboriginal matters. That way, it will be mob making decisions about mob
• We’ll want to expand the Assembly’s role and responsibilities, so that in addition to the new decision-making powers we’d be seeking, it could also provide advice
  to government on a range of First Peoples matters, and ensure accountability for promises made and standards set • We will seek to find ways to ensure First Peoples culture and languages, the lifeblood of our identity, is recognised and respected
• And we’ll be looking at how key recommendation from the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s truth telling process should be implemented

If you’ve got ideas or feedback, we want to hear from you! Get enrolled, get in touch, have your say.

We have been preparing for treaties for a long time and will continue to gather feedback and input from our communities throughout the process. We are a diverse mob here in Victoria made up of many nations and clans and we want to make sure everyone is heard.

It’s an exciting time for First Peoples in Victoria, we’ll be sitting down to negotiate the very first Treaty in Australia.

My name is Ngarra Murray and I’m a proud Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung and Dhudhuroa woman with many connections across Victoria and NSW. I’m Co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and represent the Metropolitan region.

Treaty is an opportunity to secure better representation and political power for Aboriginal people. Both the statewide Treaty and Traditional Owner Treaties can include changes to current systems and structures of government to give First Peoples a greater say and control over matters that affect Aboriginal people. We’ve got some big decisions to make before sitting down with government later this year and the Assembly will continue to bring our communities together so we can keep yarning and decide what priorities the Assembly should focus on during the first round of negotiations.

Nothing is off the table, so we want everyone to think big and we need to keep hearing your ideas. Some of the priorities for the first talks with government are likely to include Representation – how we can make the Assembly a permanent representative body for First Peoples and what shape, powers, and scope should it have? Decision Making Powers – agreeing on a process and timetable for transferring power from government to community and Transforming Systems – crucial recommendations from the Yoorrook Justice Commission and implementation.

Reflecting on the achievements of the Assembly over the last few months, we have been busy engaging with our communities, building collective support, continuing to strengthen representative and governance structures, and preparing for treaties. Before negotiations can start, the Assembly and Government need to demonstrate they meet the minimum standards as per the Treaty negotiation Framework and notify the Treaty Authority.

As Co-chair alongside Rueben Berg, we are responsible for chairing Council meetings and quarterly Assembly Chamber meetings. I’ve attended the Assembly’s Yurpa Committee, Treaty Committee, SDF Committee as a Member. To help manage the Assembly’s forward-looking work, the Members have set up five workstreams to concentrate on; Future Assembly and Transformed Relationship, Government Accountability, Economic Empowerment, Strengthening culture, communities and families, and Inherent Rights.

Over the past few months, I’ve been able to attend and present at the Statewide Treaty Gathering (Waddawurrung), Common Threads Sumit (Gimuy), AIATSIS Summit 2024 (Naarm), Aboriginal Justice Forum, Essendon Football Club, City of Yarra, City of Melbourne Oration, Roads to Reconciliation: Activating Multicultural Communities, Victorian Aboriginal Remembrance Service, and Treaty community gathering at Dardi Munwurro.

I’ve participated in many community engagements including meetings with the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Yorta Yorta Elders Council, Yoorrook Commissioners, Treaty Authority Members, Kaiela Institute, VACL, Bangerang Aboriginal Corporation, VACSAL Basketball Carnival Shepparton, Taiwanese Delegation, Tla’amin Nation, Maori Delegation, and Allies for Uluru.

Along with Rueben, I was fortunate to represent the Assembly and appear at the Yoorrook Justice Commission giving evidence for the Land Injustice and Social Injustice hearings.

In the coming months, we will attend the June Assembly chamber on Gunditjmara Country and host a Naarm (Metropolitan) Treaty Gathering at the Aborigines Advancement League. I’m looking forward to seeing all the mob at the gathering.

Our next CEO Damein Bell has been appointed. Damein is a fantastic appointment for the Assembly, and I congratulate Damein on stepping into this role at such a critical point in our journey towards Treaty.

Together we’ll get Treaty done. If you’ve got ideas or feedback, we want to hear from you! Get enrolled, get in touch, and have your say.

My name is Ngarra Murray and I’m a proud Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa, and Dja Dja Wurrung woman with many familial connections across Victoria and NSW. I’m the Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria living and working on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country representing the diverse Aboriginal Communities of the Metropolitan region for a second term. It’s an incredible responsibility and honour to be elected to the Assembly alongside 31 other deadly Members who represent all the regions of Victoria as we work towards Treaties. 

The Assembly is more than just an organisation; it is a testament to the strength and resilience of our people, a diverse tapestry of leaders, trailblazers, activists, and advocates who have tirelessly fought for justice, equal rights, and the recognition of our connection to Country. We stand on the shoulders of those who raised their fists and marched for a better life, equal opportunities, and a brighter future for our children and communities.

Our purpose is clear – to reclaim our people’s power and freedom, ensuring decisions affecting our communities, culture, and Country are in our hands. In this collective journey towards Treaty, we are confident that it will strengthen the common bonds uniting us all.

Treaty is more than a destination; it’s a journey that will deepen connections to the land and each other. Envision a future where rights, dignity, and sovereignty are respected for all, creating a healed and healthy country where every individual plays a part and bears responsibility.

Reflecting on the achievements of the last term, we laid the foundation for Treaty-making, establishing ground rules, an independent Treaty umpire, and a Self-Determination Fund, a monumental feat thanks to the commitment of members and support of our communities. The diversity within this Assembly mirrors the richness of our communities, and through Treaty, we are poised to return decision-making power to Aboriginal hands, delivering better outcomes through respect, equality, and shared responsibilities.

As the elected Co-Chair, my role is to elevate the voices and priorities of Community members on the journey to Treaties. I’m committed to building collective support, meeting with Traditional Owner groups, local communities, and organisations and ‘talking Treaty’ to foster nation-building and consensus-building throughout my term.

As Co-Chair alongside Rueben Berg, we are responsible for chairing the bi-monthly Council meeting and quarterly Chamber meetings. In my role as Metro Member, I’ve been able to:

• Attend community forums and yarning circles at Bubup Wilam Aboriginal Child and Family Centre in Thomastown
• Attend the Koorie Academy Basketball Clinic at the State Basketball Centre
• Visit Gunditjmara country including Winda Mara, Tae Rak, Gundijt Mirring
• Recently visited Barendji Gadjin and Wotjobaluk
• Attend Wamba Wemba full group meeting
• Attend community gatherings and yarning circles at Dardi Munwurro
• Engage with Yorta Yorta community including attending Now and Forever Concert
• Attend a Treaty Community Event at the Aborigines Advancement League

I am also a member of the Yurpa Committee, Treaty Committee, SDF Committee, Yoorrook Committee, Statewide Gathering Working Group, and the Minimum Standards Working Group.

In the coming months, we will have attended our fifth Assembly chamber on Gunai Kurnai Country, activated the Elders’ Voice, hosted a Treaty Day Out and a Statewide Treaty Gathering. I’ll be working with the engagement team to organise a Treaty yarning circle at Dardi Munwurro and other opportunities to yarn with community over the next few months. We’ll be sitting down with Government to start having the conversations about our priorities and what we want Treaty to include – what changes we need it to deliver for our communities. For it to be as strong as possible we need to hear your voices so we welcome your ideas and will be guided by your needs. Let’s engage in open conversations, listening and talking together.