VIC New Gellung Warl Authority Created and First Peoples' Assembly Can Make Its Own Rules

Statewide Treaty Bill 2025

13 Nov 2025: Passed by Parliament and signed off by the governor.

This bill kicks in: TBA

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

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Topics

Aboriginal affairs elections first peoples government accountability human rights Indigenous affairs Indigenous rights self-determination treaty negotiations truth-telling

Introduced by: Jacinta Allan MP (ALP); The Hon Lizzie Blandthorn MLC (ALP)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria will become a permanent statutory corporation (renamed Gellung Warl), replacing its former temporary status.
Gellung Warl will be empowered to make formal representations to Parliament, review government agencies, attend cabinet meetings, manage community infrastructure grants, advise ministers, confirm Aboriginality, organize cultural events (such as NAIDOC Week), and make statutory appointments to government boards--though it will not have veto power over legislation.
new legislation will require a Statement of Treaty Compatibility, assessing how proposed laws align with Aboriginal rights and self-determination.
school curricula from Foundation to Year 10 will include more teaching about colonisation and its effects on Aboriginal people, co-designed with Gellung Warl and based on Yoorrook Commission findings.
there will be a formal parliamentary apology, along with the increased use of Aboriginal place names for geographic features and schools.
an independent accountability mechanism -- part of the treaty framework -- will be created (through bodies like IBAC, the Ombudsman, and others) to monitor treaty obligations and government behaviour.
the Assembly will have decision-making power over certain matters, such as confirmation of Aboriginality, community infrastructure programs, Aboriginal Honor Roll events, collaboration on water entitlements, and leadership in truth-telling, healing, reconciliation, and archival of cultural knowledge
Victorian taxpayers will fund Gellung Warl with a budget projected at $206 million over four years, rising to $70 million annual operating budget by 2028-29, with total spending (including negotiations since 2016) expected to exceed $586 million by 2029.
The bill creates Gellung Warl as a public authority. This body consists of the First Peoples' Assembly, Nginma Ngainga Wara, and Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna.
The State government and the First Peoples' Assembly, Nginma Ngainga Wara, and Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna must act in good faith when working together.
The First Peoples' Assembly, Nginma Ngainga Wara, and Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna cannot use coercive powers to force people to comply or punish them for not complying.
The First Peoples' Assembly can make its own rules. This includes creating processes for First Peoples organisations to provide certificates of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander acceptance.
Certain people cannot be members of the First Peoples' Assembly. This includes members of Parliament, local councillors, public sector employees, bankrupts, and people currently in prison.
Election candidates must pay back any campaign donations that break the electoral rules. This money goes to the Self-Determination Fund.
Gellung Warl must provide insurance cover for its staff, the CEO, and members of the Assembly, Nginma Ngainga Wara, and Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna if they are sued for acting in good faith.