During the lead up to the first elections for the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria in 2019, the Victorian Treaty Advancement Commission, Aunty Jill Gallagher AO, travelled Victoria urging and encouraging State Traditional Owners to stand as candidates.

Three-and-a-half years later and it’s a totally different situation.

In the Metropolitan Region, which has ten seats up for election for “Assembly 2.0”, a total of 37 candidates have registered to be included in the ballot; and last night just over half of those candidates attended the first “Meet the candidates” event, which was held in Preston.

As each of the candidates came forward to present themselves to gathered community, it was clear that some were born to the political stage while others were clearly out of their comfort zone. Despite, that, each demonstrated a degree of passion and commitment to the Victorian treaty process, speaking on a broad range of topics from unity and youth representation to recognition of overlooked nations and treaty aspirations.

In commenting on what he regards as priority for the Statewide Treaty to be negotiated by the incoming First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, Kurnai and Yorta Yorta man William Pepper said: “We’re still over-represented in the prisons. Education, training and health – we’ve got to get back to some realities as to taking care of ourselves. One of the main things also is keeping our kids healthy.”

Gunditjmara man Barry Firebrace who has been working in the Government space for two decades, believes that negotiating a Statewide Treaty requires a solid understanding of those on the other side of the negotiation table. “…if you’re going to negotiate [Treaty] with somebody you need to know your opposition like in a football team.”

The power of the mob

Included in the candidates for the Metropolitan region is former Victorian ATSIC Commissioner, Troy Austin.

Austin, who was instrumental in establishing the network of Local Aboriginal Networks that operate across Victoria, said that one of the main challenges facing Assembly 2.0 in establishing a Statewide Treaty will be in “…getting it right.”

“We’re a very diverse community,” he said. “We don’t always speak as one voice until such time as it’s necessary; and that’s when you see the power of the mob. So the big challenge will be identifying what are those things we’re prepared to ‘die in the ditch for’ and what can be negotiated.”

Supporting the aspirations of youth

When the Treaty process identified 16 year olds and above could enrol to vote in 2019, it identified that our youth have an important voice and play a crucial role in our communities,” she told Victorian Aboriginal News.

“I believe that there hasn’t been an individual that has stood on behalf of our youth and I believe that this is my role and obligation to support their aspirations for treaty moving forward.

Among the seasoned veterans standing for election is Aunty Esme Bamblett, a current member of Assembly 1.0 and one of barely of handful of candidates that spoke to the importance of a united community.

In speaking to Victorian Aboriginal News, Aunty Esme said: “Unity is very important. We’re now uniting against Government, and our negotiations will be with Government.

“Government has what we want and have never given to us. We can only get this is we stand united.

“If we continue to fight each other, they [Government] will continue to divide us…and conquer!”

More information

For more information on the forthcoming elections, visit the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria here

To enrol online to vote in the forthcoming elections, visit here

For more information about candidates standing in each of the five regions, visit here