Victoria’s statewide treaty formally commences after cultural assent

Victoria’s statewide treaty has formally commenced after a day of cultural celebrations in Melbourne on Friday, 12 December 2025, including a ceremony and concert at John Cain Arena.

The first statewide treaty was signed in November but required cultural assent to mark its beginning. The ceremony and celebration took place on Wurundjeri Country, in line with the agreement that the treaty would formally begin after a cultural event.

Premier Jacinta Allan, Treaty and First Peoples Minister Natalie Hutchins, and First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria co-chairs Ngarra Murray and Rueben Berg attended the ceremony. As part of the cultural assent, leaders placed ochre handprints on a kangaroo skin version of the treaty.

“Today for the first time in the history of this nation we affirm a treaty between first peoples and the state,” Ms Murray said.

The Treaty Authority later published a public notice confirming the statewide treaty had been formally agreed between the State of Victoria and the First Peoples’ Assembly, and that the Assembly formally notified the authority and signified assent through ceremony and cultural protocol at the Victoria’s Treaty: It’s Here event.

Ms Allan said the work would continue beyond the treaty’s commencement.

“Here in Victoria we believe in fairness we believe in truth and we believe in a better future for First Peoples,” she said.

“This is not the finish line. It is the first big step in a much longer journey,” she said.

The Victorian Government says the statewide treaty establishes Gellung Warl, which includes the elected First Peoples’ Assembly, an independent accountability mechanism, and a truth-telling body. The government also says Gellung Warl will not have the power to veto Victorian Government policy or legislation, and that the Act will not create a “third chamber of Parliament”.

Elections linked to Gellung Warl are expected next year. The Victorian opposition has pledged to repeal the treaty legislation if it wins government at next year’s election.