Tuesday, 9 December 2025

 Sonja TERPSTRA (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:28): I rise today to reflect on this morning’s historic apology to First Peoples. Before I begin, I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet today, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin nation, and I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded. It always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

This year this Parliament has passed landmark legislation, from helping those suffering to die with dignity to reducing gambling harm and restricting non-disclosure agreements for sexual harassment. But undoubtedly the bill I am most proud of is the Statewide Treaty Act 2025. Treaty is an essential journey this government is embarking on to make amends for past injustices, yet treaty is only one part of the promise. The Uluru Statement from the Heart called for truth, treaty, Voice – three powerful words guiding our reconciliation. As part of the journey, we implemented the Yoorrook Justice Commission to investigate the injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria since colonisation. The commission’s final report, handed down in July, made one key powerful recommendation: a formal apology addressing the colonisation that led to devastating displacement, dispossession and violence against First Peoples. Today the Victorian government acknowledged and took responsibility for the laws, policies and practices created by its predecessors – injustices that continue to have a devastating impact to this very day. This morning’s apology is not an end but a crucial step. It is an opportunity for us to move forward, to work together and to make sure we close the gap and build a stronger future for all Victorians.