I would like to begin by acknowledging those who came first to the lands that I live and work on: the Barengi Gadjin people, the Dja Dja Wurrung people, the Eastern Maar people and the Wadawurrung people. I pay my deep respects to their elders past and present, and I acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people, the traditional owners of the land on which we all meet today. I want to thank the members of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria for their tireless work to get us to this point. I thank the Yoorrook Justice Commission for their incredible work over four years to listen to and share the truths of thousands of First Peoples and to develop the Truth be Told report tabled in this place on 1 July this year.
This week in Parliament is historic and a culmination of so much work by so many. It is the product of listening, of difficult conversations and of long-term commitment. It has been an almost 10-year process and will be the first treaty of its kind in our nation. That fact alone should fill us with humility and purpose. This bill is about righting the wrongs of the past and building a stronger state for the future. It acknowledges and reckons with the truth of what was done to Aboriginal people so we can create a better future together. It will give Aboriginal communities the freedom and power to deliver practical solutions at a local level, and it will provide recognition, voice and a platform for partnership between First Peoples and all Victorians.
One part of this bill I am particularly excited about is how it will create better and ongoing education about the impacts of colonisation on First Peoples and about the diversity, strength and resilience of First Peoples in our schools. Education shapes us. Education shapes how future generations understand one another and how they choose to act. I remember as a 16-year-old student on Dja Dja Wurrung country at Bendigo Senior Secondary College, choosing to do year 12 Australian history because I wanted to learn more about Indigenous history. We spent only one week on the over 65,000 years of Indigenous history and culture in this country, and so much more time on the settlers and the gold rush. Even at 16 years old, I remember being angry about this. I wanted to learn more, and now students will get that opportunity.
Business interrupted under sessional orders.
Mary-Anne THOMAS: I move:
That the sitting be continued.
Motion agreed to.
Martha HAYLETT: I was just saying that at 16 years old I remember being angry about spending only one week learning about Aboriginal history in this country. I wanted to learn more, and now students will get that opportunity, because if we do not learn about our history, especially the toughest parts of our history, we are doomed to repeat it. We must give every young Victorian the chance to learn the truth. I was proud yesterday to join the smoking ceremony with my 13-month-old son Liam. That moment was a privilege and a reminder of why this work matters. It was a moment I will remind him of in decades to come. When we think of treaties and truth-telling we must think about the legacy that we are creating for our children and grandchildren. We must ask what kind of Victoria we want them to inherit.
This bill will bring everyone who calls Victoria home closer together. It will help us to move beyond denial and division toward shared responsibility and shared hope. This bill is not just a piece of legislation, it is a promise – a promise to listen, to learn and to lead with courage. It is a commitment to walk alongside First Peoples, not ahead of them, and to build a future grounded in truth, justice and respect. I want my son to grow up in a Victoria that is honest about its past and brave about its future, a Victoria where First Peoples are not just recognised but empowered. This bill is a step toward that Victoria, and we are ready. I commend the bill to the house.
