Victoria’s Treaty promotion spend sparks debate over priorities and transparency

Fresh scrutiny is being applied to Victoria’s Treaty process after new reporting revealed more than half a million dollars was spent promoting Treaty negotiations during 2024, fuelling political arguments about priorities as the state faces mounting debt pressures.

Documents cited in reporting indicate the Victorian Government allegedly spent more than $536,000 on Treaty-related promotional activity in 2024. The figure includes $157,604 for an opening ceremony at Darebin Parklands in November 2024 to mark the beginning of Treaty negotiations, attended by senior government figures and leaders from the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria.

The same reporting said further spending included $275,299 on a public messaging campaign aimed at building public understanding of Treaty and the negotiation process, $62,792 for a dedicated website to provide updates and information, and $38,901 for engagement sessions with local governments.

The spending has landed in a politically charged environment, with critics arguing public money should be directed to service delivery rather than what they characterise as symbolic messaging. Commentary cited in the report pointed to Victoria’s debt settings as part of the concern, while also raising broader questions about how governments communicate major structural reforms and whether public education around Treaty is a legitimate and necessary part of the process.

Supporters of Treaty argue the public has a right to understand what is being negotiated and why, particularly given Treaty is framed as a long-term reset in how government works with Aboriginal communities. The state has positioned Treaty as a pathway to stronger decision-making, accountability and outcomes and has emphasised that the process is being conducted with a democratically elected body representing First Peoples.

The controversy also reopens a familiar tension: whether the costs of consultation and public communication are being transparently reported, and whether spending is clearly linked to practical outcomes that communities will feel. While Treaty is often discussed in terms of justice, recognition and self-determination, the debate over promotional costs shows how quickly it can become a contest over fiscal management and public trust.

As negotiations continue, the key question for many Victorians (including Aboriginal communities who have waited generations for meaningful agreements) is whether the process can maintain legitimacy across the community while staying focused on real-world change.