Big Ideas Victoria's new treaty with First Peoples — a turning point for Australia?
Dec 9, 2025
Nagara Murray, Co-chair of the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria and a proud Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung and Duderow woman, discusses the groundbreaking Victorian treaty with Australia's first peoples. She explores the deep cultural connections to land, the historical significance of Dr. Charles Perkins' legacy, and the importance of truth-telling for reconciliation. Murray highlights the treaty as a transformative shift in power dynamics and emphasizes its role in promoting self-determination and improving the wellbeing of Aboriginal communities.
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Treaty As A National Turning Point
- Treaty marks a rupture in Australia's national story by shifting power toward First Peoples and promising a different future.
- Nagara Murray frames treaty as a foundational step for self-determination and structural change.
Sovereignty Is Relational And Continuous
- First Peoples see people and country as one, with law and knowledge embedded in language and songlines.
- Murray emphasises unbroken sovereignty and cultural continuity over 65,000 years.
A Childhood Memory With Charles Perkins
- Nagara Murray recounts meeting Dr Charles Perkins in the 1980s at Moama, which inspired her as a child.
- That memory grounded her leadership and connection to long-term family activism.
