Statewide Treaty Bill passed by Parliament
31 October 2025
Victoria has become the first jurisdiction in Australia to enact treaty legislation with First Peoples after the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025 passed both houses of Parliament.
Legislative Council members voted 21 to 16 in favour of the bill on 30 October 2025 after the legislation passed the Legislative Assembly on 16 October 2025 when its members voted 54 to 27 in favour of the bill.
The treaty process began in 2016 with the formation of the Aboriginal Treaty Working Group. Since then, Victoria has passed the Advancing the Treaty Process with Aboriginal Victorians Act 2018, held two elections for the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, and established the Treaty Authority and Yoorrook Justice Commission.
Negotiations for the statewide treaty officially commenced in November 2024, culminating in the bill’s introduction on 9 September 2025.
Developed in partnership with the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, the bill marks a significant milestone in the state’s decade-long journey toward truth, justice and self-determination.
The legislation formalises a binding agreement between the Victorian Government and First Peoples, establishing a new representative body “Gellung Warl” and enshrining mechanisms for truth-telling, accountability and future treaty-making.