Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is set to become the first state leader in Australia to provide evidence at an Indigenous-led truth-telling inquiry, the Yoorrook Justice Commission, which has the same powers as a royal commission. The commission is currently holding public hearings investigating land injustice.
Speaking ahead of her appearance, Allan said the failure of last October's Voice referendum had strengthened her resolve to present the facts about Victoria's history and the inequalities faced by First Nations people. She emphasised the responsibility of government to explain the ongoing impacts of colonisation, including high levels of disadvantage in education, justice, and health.
Allan described the truth-telling process as a critical part of the treaty process, stating: “We can’t have treaty without telling the truth about how our state was colonised.” The Yoorrook findings are expected to inform Victoria's treaty process, with the state's First Peoples' Assembly set to begin negotiating a statewide treaty with the government this year.
The government is considering how to promote Yoorrook's work more widely, encouraging people to access its website and videos on the impacts of dispossession and colonisation. The commission is due to deliver a final report by June next year, with recommendations for reform and redress.
An interim report released last September recommended major overhauls of child protection and criminal justice systems. The government's response accepted four recommendations in full and 24 in principle, sparking criticism from some Indigenous leaders who argue reform is not moving fast enough ahead of treaty negotiations. Allan maintained that Yoorrook's reports would be an important part of the treaty process.
