Readers slam Allan Government’s ‘secrecy and deceit’ over reparations pathway in hidden ministerial briefings

Herald Sun readers have delivered a crushing verdict on Labor’s covert Indigenous Treaty payments pathway after the government concealed crucial details from parliament.

Herald Sun readers have had their say on revelations the state government has been secretly preparing a way for Indigenous Victorians to seek supercharged reparations through the state’s new Treaty body.

The briefing, prepared for former Premier Daniel Andrews — which the Allan government fought to keep hidden until after the Treaty legislation was passed in parliament weeks ago — also reveals two Indigenous groups have recently been awarded an estimated $100 million in settlement packages.

The secret briefings were prepared for Daniel Andrews when he was Premier, but parliament was not given access before voting on treaty legislation. Picture: David Caird

More than 87 per cent of Herald Sun readers polled on Facebook said they were against the scheme, while just over 4 per cent were in favour, and just over 8 per cent were undecided.

Many readers were outraged by the revelations, with some arguing that the scandal was a prime example of Victoria’s wasteful spending that drives up debt and deprives essential services of funding.

“This is so wrong on every level. Labor has absolutely ruined the future finances of Victoria,” wrote Andrew.

“$100 million would have been handy to fix all of the potholes I am dodging on the way to work this morning,” added Mark.

Others were also critical of the “secrecy and deceit” with which the Andrews and Allan governments executed and hid the plans from Parliament and the Victorian people.

“Under the Andrews and Allan governments, they’ve made it a regular occurrence to withhold information from the public they are supposed to be serving in a democratic and transparent manner,” wrote John.

Some decried the fact that the briefings were also kept secret from MPs who ultimately voted to pass the Treaty, describing its passage as undemocratic and “rigged”.

One commenter even suggested that, “If things had been kept secret from voting MPs and it had been passed, then it should be repealed.”

Some readers supported the reparations move. Picture: Supplied.

Other readers supported the move to compensate Victoria’s First Peoples, with reader Trish Ravenhall commenting that it was “no different from those abused in state care being compensated.”

Others said their support for the settlement would depend on how it was spent, with Ashley Horne writing that, “If the money was going to health, education, supporting Indigenous women, I would be in favour.”

Other readers suggested there were “many ways to correct historical wrongs,” with commenter Stephen Darcey suggesting “help with employment pathways,” while Garry Edginton said the government should be seeking “reparations from Britain,” instead.

Originally published as Readers slam Allan Government’s ‘secrecy and deceit’ over reparations pathway in hidden ministerial briefings