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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags were unfurled in the public gallery as the Statewide Treaty Bill passed the upper house shortly before 9pm on Thursday. Labor MPs loudly cheered passage of the landmark legislation, while onlookers from the packed public gallery broke down crying. The Bill has been hailed by campaigners as a critical turning point for the life and wellbeing of Indigenous people in Victoria. It seeks to establish a democratically elected body for First Peoples, Gellung Warl, which will be consulted on laws and policies affecting Indigenous communities. It will also mandate that new legislation be assessed for Treaty compatibility and establish a new naming authority for geographical features. Premier Jacinta Allan said the Bill would be signed by the Victorian government and the First Peoples’ Assembly in coming weeks. “Treaty gives Aboriginal communities the power to shape the policies and services that affect their lives,” she said. “This is how we build a fairer, stronger Victoria for everyone.” The Bill was supported by Labor, the Greens, Animal Justice and Legalise Cannabis MPs in the upper house after passing the lower house earlier this month. It comes just over two years after the failed Voice referendum. In Victoria, 54 per cent or about 2.1 million people voted against the Voice. The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, which has long campaigned for Treaty, said passage of the Bill was an “historic moment”. “We will tell our children about today,” co-chair and Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung and Dhudhuroa woman Ngarra Murray said. “They will tell their children, passing down to future generations the story of how decades of Aboriginal resilience and activism led to Australia’s first Treaty.” Ms Murray said the Bill marked the beginning of a “new era”. “One where First Peoples’ 60,000 years of knowledge and culture is respected and celebrated,” she said. “It’s an opportunity for all Victorians to acknowledge our shared history, heal and move forward together.” A public celebration event is expected to be held on December 12.
