First Nations and Treaty
In Victoria, we’re so fortunate to live in a place with the longest continuous culture in the world.
First Nations’ history and culture dates back over 60,000 years, and is alive and thriving today. We can all share in this incredible history and culture, and in 2025 all Greens MPs in the Victorian Parliament were proud to vote for Australia’s first Treaty.
Treaty is about coming together to create a better future for all Victorians, to acknowledge the harms of the past, and ensure First Nations communities have a real genuine say in the decisions that affect them. But right now, Treaty is under threat with the Liberals, Nationals and One Nation all committing to repeal this historic legislation. The Greens will stand against any attempt to repeal or water-down Treaty, and will develop a plan to ensure the outstanding recommendations of the historic truth-telling Yoorrook Justice Commission are fully implemented.
Explore our plan for First Nations and Treaty
- Defend Treaty in Victoria
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After decades of incredible work by First Nations leaders, elders and communities, in 2025, Australia’s historic first Treaty with First Nations people was signed right here in Victoria. Treaty is an agreement between the state and First Nations communities, as equals, that recognises that First Nations communities will thrive when they have the power to control their own future.
The Greens welcomed Treaty as an opportunity to listen to First Nations communities, learn from the past, and ensure that we can all walk together into a bright future.
The Greens will stand strong against the Liberal, National and One Nation parties’ attempts to rip up Treaty and all the benefits it brings to our community. We will always vote to defend Treaty.
The Greens also support First Nations communities negotiating further local and statewide Treaties to create a better future for our communities. We also want to see other state and territory governments and the federal government develop treaties to create change that all Australians can be proud of.
- Fix our discriminatory prison and criminal justice system
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Kids belong in schools and in communities, not in prison. But Labor has made it harder to get bail, backflipped on a promise to keep 12 and 13 year olds out of prison, and introduced life sentences for kids.
These harsh and cruel laws disproportionately affect First Nations people, and the Labor Government knows it.
In the last year alone, the number of First Nations women in Victoria’s prisons has increased by 85%, while First Nations men are more than 14 times more likely to be in prison than other men, significantly increasing the risk of harm and deaths in custody.
The Greens will raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14, as recommended by experts. This will save millions of dollars on prisons, which we’ll invest into support programs proven to keep kids and communities safe. We will also repeal Labor’s 2025 bail changes and life sentences for kids.
The Greens also believe that healthcare in prison shouldn’t be provided by for-profit companies. And for First Nations prisoners, it should be provided specifically by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations who understand their community’s needs and lives and can provide better and more culturally-safe care.
- Implement the recommendations of the Yoorrook Commission
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The Yoorrook Justice Commission spent four years collecting stories about unfair treatment of First Nations people and the laws, policies and practices that cause and contributed to significant harm for First Nations communities. The commission was designed and led by First Peoples and made many recommendations which would make society fairer for all of us. The government is yet to implement all of these recommendations. The Greens will develop a plan to implement all of Yoorrook’s recommendations in full.
- Restore First Nations leadership on Country
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First Nations people are the experts when it comes to caring for Country.
The Greens support Traditional Owner management of national and state parks.
We would like to see rivers and waterways acknowledged as living entities and more respect for Traditional Owner water rights.