Elected Indigenous Victorians could receive increased powers to speak to key issues in parliament

Major reforms could allow elected Indigenous Victorians to make representations to parliament on key issues such as child protection.

Aboriginal Victorians would have a direct say over how taxpayer funds are used under plans to expand the mandate of the state’s First People’s Assembly.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal work is underway to give the Indigenous body increased powers and scope, setting it up as a local version of the Commonwealth voice to parliament that will go to a referendum later this year.

The First People’s Assembly is made up of elected representatives from the state’s Aboriginal communities but it cannot make representations to parliament on relevant issues, a key feature of the proposed federal voice.

But this is set to change, with discussions underway about major reforms that would allow the body to make representations to state parliament on topics such as youth justice and child protection.

The Assembly could then function as the local or “regional” voice to parliament that feeds into the Commonwealth version.

Senior government leaders have also flagged handing over control of certain funding decisions that form part of the budget.

In a submission to the Yoorrook Justice Commission, the government outlined some of the changes being explored.

“The State Budget process does not include a mechanism for Aboriginal community decision - making on budget priorities and outcomes, and it is difficult to track First Peoples’ funding over multiple years.

Marcus Stewart, Co-chair of the First Peoples' Assembly, addresses the Victorian Parliament Legislative Assembly. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

“The Treaty Negotiation Framework includes funding and revenue-raising as potential subject matters for Treaty negotiations, and offers the potential, over time, to transfer the Victorian Government’s spending on First Peoples to a representative decision- making body.

“An ongoing representative body could lead reforms to improve budget outcomes for First Peoples – working with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to determine funding priorities and linking budget reporting measures to Aboriginal-led outcome measurements.

Speaking at Yoorrook on Friday, Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes pointed to an example of how this might work.

“Rather than the government determining which policies are best to receive funding, how about you allocate the bucket of funding to Aboriginal-led organisations and let us determine which are our highest priorities?

“Government shouldn’t do the cherry picking.

“I would much prefer Aboriginal people tell me what is a priority for them rather than hearing from government what we think is best.”

Massive government-wide reforms are on the table as the government has been grilled by Yoorrook this month over major policy failures and as the state heads into Treaty negotiations which will demand significant changes.

In 2018, Victoria enacted Australia’s first ever Treaty legislation which led to the establishment of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria as the elected body that represents First Peoples in Victoria’s Treaty process.

A government spokesman said the Assembly was Victoria’s equivalent to a Voice.

“The Andrews Labor Government supports a ‘Yes’ vote to enshrine an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament in the Commonwealth Constitution, giving First Nations people a say in decisions that affect them,” she said.

“Victoria is the first jurisdiction in Australia to action all elements of the Uluru Statement of the Heart – Voice, Treaty and Truth, and the Victorian Government supports actioning the Statement in full at all levels of government to promote self-determination for First Peoples across Australia.”

Treaty negotiations are expected to commence in 2023, once a Treaty Authority and Self-Determination Fund are in operation.