At our Statewide Treaty Gathering, Aunty Dr Jill Gallagher, AO, proud Gunditjmara woman, former Treaty Advancement Commissioner, and Chief Executive of the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation provided a powerful opening keynote speech.
Hello everyone. I wish to pay my respects to the Traditional Owners of the Lands of which I am speaking to you today.
Wherever we are, we are on Aboriginal land. Land on which sovereignty has never been ceded. I pay my respect to Elders past and present. And all people joining us today.
My name is Jill Gallagher. I am a proud Gunditjmara woman.
I am the CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation or VACCHO – and the former Treaty Advancement Commissioner.
Before I begin, I’d like to acknowledge the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria for their unwavering leadership and dedication. I’d like to pay tribute to co-chairs Ngarra Murray and Rueben Berg for your amazing work.
To the Elders here, I’d like to say thank you. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your resilience.
I’m up here to chat about Treaty and the incredible opportunities Treaty could bring our Communities.
I wanted to touch on some of that history to paint a bit of a picture of the fierce strength and resilience of our Elders and ancestors that has paved the way for us to be here where we are today.
I also wanted to share my thinking for the many vital changes Treaty can achieve.
The changes could enhance Community rights, services, healthcare, education and amplify the advocacy the voices of us all.
Historical perspective where we were – pre-Colonisation.
Prior to Colonisation, our ancestors walked this country when there was a land bridge between Tasmania and the mainland (30,000 years ago).
Our ancestors witnessed volcanos erupting, (Tower Hill 32,000 years ago ) and our people hunted Mega Fauna with stone tools and spears (mega fauna died out 45,000), yet we survived.
Our communities had and still have very complex social structures and also our own lore’s that governed our way of life.
Our people knew how to use the environment for our survival, they knew medicines, our fire-farming and fish farming methods, we knew how to look after the land so that it looks after us.
We know this through stories being passed on
We know this because of ancient sites like Budj Bim.
And through relics like the Aboriginal stone tools dating back to the last Ice Age found at Cloggs Cave near Buchan on GunaiKurnai lands.
Our ancestors left us their stories in the landscape.
These examples underscore the fact that Aboriginal Communities were world leaders in research and innovation – we flourished – and lived rich lives with a strong spiritual connection to the land.
However, the rapid and brutal colonisation significantly impacted all facets of Aboriginal culture, including ways of knowing, being, and doing.
When our lands were stolen and invaded our people were completely and utterly disempowered.
Our people almost didn’t survive colonisation, if not for the fierce resistance and the activism that happened from the very beginning.
Our communities have been fighting for the past 250 years for justice and I want to just mention some of this staunch political activism and Leadership that has taken place for the advancement of our people.
This is just a very small snapshot of some of the staunch advocacy that has taken place.
In 1938 ‘January 26’ was declared A Day of Mourning,
In 1957 the first Aboriginal organisation in Victoria was established- the Aboriginal Advancement League (AAL),
The 1967 referendum where 90.7% of Australians vote YES to count Indigenous Australians in the census.
In 1972 we had our own Tent Embassy established outside Parliament House.
Shortly after in 1973 the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service was established so that our people could get access to basic health services.
In 1993 we then had Native Title Act, and then in
In 2010 Victoria got the Traditional Owner Settlement Act.
And then of course in October 2019 the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria was stood up as a continuation of all that important activism and Leadership.
Already we’re seeing the strong Leadership and hard work of the work of the First Peoples Assembly with the establishment of the :
- We’ve had the signing of the dispute resolution process,
- The establishment and vital truth telling delivered by Yoorrook.
- The establishment of the Negotiation framework and self-determination fund, and
- The establishment and appointment of the Treaty authority.
Treaty has been a long time coming, and the work of many, many generations has gone into getting us to where we are today.
We are on the cusp of taking the next vital step and beginning negotiating Treaties.
I’d now like to touch on some of my personal aspirations for Treaty – what I think Treaty can achieve.
The one thing we must remember is that Treaty is an agreement between sovereign entities.
Make no mistake, the possibilities and potential Treaty brings – are monumental for our Communities.
Here are the ten things I believe that must be part of a Statewide Treaty.
MY THINKING FOR COMMUNITY – Jill’s Treaty Ten!
First and foremost, I want to see TO’s fully resourced to bring back and maintain our languages and our cultures at a local level.
This will require us to establish Local Cultural learning places to ensure our mobs are culturally strong and to help educate the wider non-Aboriginal Community about who we are.
Aboriginal People must be exempt from Land Tax (TO) (including stamp duty), and council rates.
Interest free loans must be provided to empower Aboriginal People to purchase homes.
In the education space, Aboriginal People must be exempt from HECS / HELP fees. Tertiary education must be provided to Aboriginal students without charge.
Aboriginal history – the true history of this country must be taught in all Victorian and Australian schools.
Another thing I want to see as part of Treaty in Victoria is a Perpetual infrastructure Fund.
I want to see the establishment of an Aboriginal specific Productivity Commission in Victoria to hold Government and services accountable for better outcomes.
Aboriginal people must be provided designated seats on local councils.
Finally, the visibility of Aboriginal culture – this is a big one.
If there’s one thing that frustrates me more than anything else – it’s the lack of visibility of Aboriginal cultures in this state, and in this country and in the world.
What do we see when we get off the plane at Tullamarine airport?
Nothing!
When I come back to Australia, I see my culture booed on the footy field and ridiculed in the media.
Other countries take pride in their ancient cultures – think of Egypt, Greece and the Incas of Peru.
We all learn about them in schools.
But we don’t learn about the ancient and contemporary cultures that live in this country.
Treaty has the power to flip the scrip and change this.
Treaty will make sure our 65,000 years of rich culture is once again visible on the landscape of this country.
As a youngster we used to do seasonal picking and all the Mobs used to camp together of a nighttime.
At times it was tough – and it could be lonely.
But I remember when we’d camp under the stars and I looked out over the horizon I’d see lots of little orange dots glowing in the distance .
These dots were campfires, each representing another family of our Mob.
As a young girl I remember being in awe looking out at those dots – from a distance they looked to me like a beautiful dot painting.
When looking at these fires I felt tremendous strength because I knew I was surrounded by my culture and my people.
Today as I stand before you, I am filled with a renewed sense of strength and joy.
I see strong leaders, representing Deadly Mobs from across the state, united in pride.
You should all be proud of everything you have achieved and the immense progress you have made in establishing the foundations for delivering Treaty negotiations for Aboriginal Communities.
Thank you for your strength, thank you for your dedication, and thank you for your hard work for Communities.
We were a very strong and proud cultural people prior to colonisation, and we almost lost everything as a result of colonisation.
Treaty is about making sure this never, ever happens again and ensuring our culture is sustained for many, many generations to come.
Because our culture is our strength – it’s at the very heart of everything we do and everything we are as people.
All families need to feel that connection to culture and Mob.
Late last year I was part of a special gathering at Camp Jungai. Mobs from all over Victoria came together to paint up, dance our different cultural dances and listen to music, yarn up and share stories.
It was absolutely Deadly.
That’s the power of Aboriginal culture – and Treaty is all about elevating all of our cultures.
If we (no not if WHEN) achieve treaties and deliver on our aspirations, we will ensure our future generations will never have to grow up within an environment where their culture is suppressed.
They will grow up in an environment where they are surrounded by their 65,000 years of ancient, rich culture.
Treaty will secure the future of our next generation.
Treaty is about our Communities’ resilience, determination, and fearlessness to continue to power forward – not just to survive – but to thrive.
Let’s continue to be strong. Let’s continue to be brave. And let’s seize this opportunity to power forward and forge thriving, culturally rich Communities where our Boorai will flourish.
[Check against delivery.]
