Opposition rules out supporting a Treaty with Indigenous Victorians
Victoria’s Treaty process is under a cloud following an announcement by Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Peter Walsh.
Victoria
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The state opposition has ruled out supporting a Treaty with Indigenous Victorians.
The move puts Victoria’s Treaty process under a cloud with bipartisan support considered critical to any successful negotiations.
Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Peter Walsh, on Sunday told Sky News the Opposition no longer supported a Treaty.
In the wake of the failed Voice referendum, opposition leader John Pesutto faced pressure to walk back support for a Victorian Treaty.
Senior Liberals said there was a view from the party’s federal counterparts that supporting a Victorian Treaty would be “unacceptable” following the referendum result.
They foreshadowed the issue emerging as a key challenge to Mr Pesutto’s leadership.
The Liberal Party’s state council last year backed a motion calling on the State Parliamentary team to oppose a Victorian Treaty.
“This proposal is to advance 3 per cent of the population over the interest of 97 per cent of the state,” the motion said.
“It is totally against any democracy. It would allow a very small part of the population to take control of our resources to the detriment of our economic and coherent right to exist. Apartheid in reverse!
“If you need any proof of the damage that this treaty would do to our way of life, look no further than Western Australia or New Zealand.”
The Coalition last year offered bipartisan support for the establishment of a Treaty Authority to support future Treaty negotiations between Aboriginal Victorians and the State of Victoria.
The matter of reversing the state party’s position on Treaty had been raised at at least one recent partyroom meeting.
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