Indigenous leaders are calling for a national treaty and truth-telling process to follow Victoria's pioneering path, asking a pointed question: if one state can do it, why not the nation?
The push comes after the failed Voice referendum left federal reconciliation policy in limbo. Now Victoria has demonstrated that treaty negotiations can work, and First Nations advocates are demanding Canberra follow suit.
According to the ABC, Indigenous leaders have pointed to Victoria's progress on treaty as proof that formal agreements between governments and First Nations peoples are achievable, workable, and long overdue at the federal level.
Victoria established the First Peoples' Assembly in 2019 and has been negotiating the framework for treaties between the state government and Aboriginal communities. It's the first Australian jurisdiction to pursue comprehensive treaty negotiations, and the process has delivered real progress on self-determination and truth-telling.
The contrast with federal policy is stark. The Albanese government invested enormous political capital in the Voice referendum, which was decisively defeated in October 2023. Since then, federal Labor has shown little appetite for bold reconciliation initiatives, wary of another electoral backlash.
But First Nations leaders argue that Victoria's success shows the Voice wasn't the only path forward—and its defeat shouldn't mean the end of reconciliation efforts.
"Victoria just proved treaty works," one Indigenous leader told reporters. "The question is whether the federal government has the courage to follow that lead, or whether they'll let the Voice defeat become an excuse for inaction."
Mate, this is about Canberra's reluctance to do what Melbourne has already started. Victoria didn't wait for a constitutional referendum to begin treaty negotiations. They established a process, gave First Nations communities a seat at the table, and started the hard work of truth-telling and negotiation.
The call for federal treaty negotiations comes with demands for a national truth-telling process. Truth-telling—formally documenting and acknowledging the history of colonization, dispossession, and ongoing disadvantage faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples—is seen as essential groundwork for meaningful treaty negotiations.
Victoria's Yoorrook Justice Commission is conducting exactly that kind of truth-telling process, examining historical and ongoing injustices against First Peoples. It's Australia's first formal truth-telling process, and it's uncovered confronting evidence about government policies, institutional racism, and systemic failures.
Indigenous leaders want that model replicated nationally. They argue that without truth-telling, Australia can't have honest conversations about treaty, reparations, or self-determination. You can't negotiate a fair settlement if you haven't acknowledged what needs settling.
The federal government's position remains cautious. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said reconciliation remains a priority, but he's offered no specific commitments to treaty or truth-telling. After the Voice defeat, Labor is wary of another divisive referendum or constitutional fight.
But treaty doesn't necessarily require constitutional change. Victoria is pursuing treaties through legislation and negotiation, not constitutional amendment. The same approach could work federally, though it would require political courage and sustained commitment.
The Coalition, meanwhile, has shown zero interest in treaty. Opposition leader Angus Taylor and his senior colleagues opposed the Voice and have given no indication they'd support federal treaty negotiations. If anything, the Coalition has moved away from reconciliation policy, focusing instead on culture war attacks on Indigenous programs.
That leaves federal treaty dependent on Labor's willingness to act—and right now, the government is showing more caution than courage.
Indigenous advocates argue the stakes are too high for timidity. Australia remains one of the few Commonwealth nations without treaties with its Indigenous peoples. New Zealand has the Treaty of Waitangi. Canada has comprehensive land claims and self-government agreements. Even United States recognizes tribal sovereignty through treaties, however imperfect.
Australia has nothing comparable at the federal level. The closest equivalent is the limited land rights and native title framework, which Indigenous leaders say falls far short of genuine self-determination or treaty-based relationships.
Victoria's example shows what's possible. The state's treaty process involves First Nations communities directly negotiating with government on issues ranging from land rights to self-governance, cultural heritage protection to economic development. It's not perfect, and negotiations are complex and slow, but it's happening.
The question now is whether the federal government will match Victoria's ambition. Indigenous leaders are making it clear they won't accept the Voice defeat as the end of reconciliation. They're pointing to Victoria and asking: if they can do it, why can't you?
Mate, Canberra's silence on federal treaty speaks volumes. After the Voice defeat, Labor seems content to let reconciliation drift while Victoria does the actual work. That's not leadership—that's abdication.
The call for federal treaty isn't going away. If anything, Victoria's progress will intensify pressure on the federal government to act. Indigenous Australians have waited more than two centuries for formal recognition and treaty. They're making clear they won't wait indefinitely while one state does the work the nation should be doing.
