A treaty between indigenous Victorians and the state government will begin to heal wounds inflicted on generations of Australia's first people, an MP says.
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The government has agreed to amend its bill for a treaty with traditional land owners following objections from some indigenous Victorians and the Greens.
In the lower house on Tuesday night, government minister Lily D'Ambrosio said it was important not to fall into a pattern of "condescending paternalism" of "telling indigenous what they need".
"The generational atrocities committed against Australia's first people cannot be undone nor can it be solved overnight but this bill will begin to heal those wounds," she added.
"The government acknowledges that telling the indigenous community what they need is not self-determination and too often it is an easy pattern to fall into and it's nothing more than condescending paternalism."
The amendments agreed to by the government on Tuesday seek to include a definition of treaty in the bill, define 'traditional owners' and require that they form part of the Aboriginal Representative Body.
The amendments also guarantee the independence of the Treaty Authority and the government has indicated support for an Elders Council, in accordance with the recommendations of the Community Assembly.
Greens Northcote MP Lidia Thorpe has been pushing for a clan-based approach.
However, the amendments do not specify who will represent Aboriginal Victorians or restrict or determine what will be included in treaty.
"The lack of recognition in this bill of Aboriginal culture, including the different clans and first nations and indeed the role of elders, is concerning from a human rights perspective," Ms Thorpe told parliament.
She also called on funding to support measures including further cultural mapping of Aboriginal people's genealogy.
"Treaty is not about moral appeasement or legitimacy for Victorian government, it's about securing justice and political and economic rights for the first people of this land," Ms Thorpe said.
Nationals MP Tim Bull said a treaty should be discussed at a national level to avoid "having different discussions in different states".
Australian Associated Press
