Thursday, 11 September 2025

Business of the house

Standing and sessional orders

Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Government Services, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Women) (16:01): I move, by leave:

That so much of standing and sessional orders be suspended to allow the following arrangements to apply on Tuesday 14 October 2025:

(1) at the break of business immediately after statements by members, the Chair will direct the Clerk to ring the bells for 1 minute to call members to the chamber;

(2) once the bells have finished ringing, the Chair will invite Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa and Dja Dja Wurrung woman Ngarra Murray, elected co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, and Gunditjmara man Rueben Berg, elected co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, to attend on the floor of the house;

(3) the visitors may carry into the house possum skin cloaks, wooden message sticks, wooden digging sticks and other objects or artefacts approved by the Speaker;

(4) the Chair will invite Co-Chair Murray and Co-Chair Berg to address the house in English and Aboriginal languages to explain what the treaty process means to them, their families and Victorian Aboriginal communities and how it may support reconciliation to benefit all Victorians;

(5) during the addresses, one of the visitors will read out the names of members of the First Peoples’ Assembly:

(a) the names of the members of the First Peoples’ Assembly must be provided to the Speaker at least one day in advance;

(b) after their name is read out, each member of the First Peoples’ Assembly may attend on the floor of the house, entering via the door closest to the bar of the house, walking directly through the chamber and exiting via the door behind the Chair;

(c) members of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria may carry with them possum skin cloaks, wooden message sticks and wooden digging sticks, and other objects or artefacts approved by the Speaker, and they may clap their objects or artefacts as they walk through the chamber;

(6) at the conclusion of the addresses, the visitors will leave the floor of the house; and

(7) the house will immediately proceed with government business.

This will be a significant day for us here in the chamber to be able to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and the role that has been played in caring for land and country and culture over 60,000 years as we debate the treaty legislation.

Motion agreed to.