Australia reaches Its first treaty with indigenous peoples

by Seita Morimoto | 16 November 2025 | Coexistence/migration, GNV News, Law/human rights, Oceania, Politics

GNV News, November 16, 2025

On November 13, 2025, Australia’s first formal treaty between First Peoples (Note 1) and a state government was concluded. Until now, Australia had no treaties between First Peoples and the government, and there had been no legal basis for First Peoples’ rights. This treaty is the result of nearly a decade of negotiations in Victoria and was agreed between the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and the state government.

This treaty first addresses historical recognition, affirming the status of First Peoples, the history of massacres brought about by colonization, and stating that the Indigenous population declined by 90% in the first 20 years of colonization. Institutionally, participation by First Peoples in the state government’s decision-making processes is included. Specifically, a permanent advisory body representing First Peoples, “Gelleng Wurr” (in the language of the Gunaikurnai, one of the First Peoples groups living in Gippsland, Victoria, meaning “spear tip”) will be established. This body will provide advice and information to the state government and state parliament and will be able to hold the state to account. The treaty also mentions revising the education curriculum and replacing place names with Indigenous-language names.

In the background lies a history of discrimination and persecution of First Peoples beginning with Australia’s colonization in the late 18th century. Until the first half of the 20th century, settlers and their descendants carried out massacres against First Peoples. It is difficult to accurately estimate the total number, but analyses based on reliable records and materials indicate there were at least 438 massacres, with 10,657 victims. Settlers also sometimes put poison in wells used by First Peoples or handed out poisoned food to them, and such acts occurred. Sexual violence and exploitation against First Peoples women also occurred. Massacres continued into the 1920s, as is documented.

A 1967 referendum recognized full citizenship for First Peoples, but indirect discrimination is still noted to persist, as seen in high incarceration rates and the frequent removal of children (Note 2). While this treaty was concluded between the First Peoples’ Assembly and the Victorian state government, other Australian states and the federal government have not yet entered into formal treaties with First Peoples.

Note 1: In Australia, First Peoples are composed of numerous groups with their own cultures and languages. Broadly, they are divided into Aboriginal peoples living on the Australian mainland and peoples of the Torres Strait Islands. The term “Aborigine” carries negative connotations and is not recommended; instead, terms such as “First Nations” are proposed in Australia.

Note 2: Regarding the removal of children, the impact of segregation policies carried out in Australia from around 1910 to 1970 has been highlighted. During these 60 years, as part of assimilation policies, authorities removed First Peoples’ children from their parents and raised them in institutions or non-Indigenous households. Children taken from their families were stripped of their Indigenous identity, and many suffered sexual, physical, and psychological abuse. They are known as the “Stolen Generations,” and this has caused ongoing cultural, economic, and social intergenerational ruptures.

Learn more about the Indigenous peoples of New Zealand → “The history and present of the Māori in New Zealand”

Learn more about the Indigenous peoples of the Arctic → “The Indigenous Sámi of the Arctic: a threatened way of life”