2024 in Victoria saw both stagnation and progress, as the state government's decision to abandon progressive causes on youth incarceration contrasted with the beginning of historical Treaty negotiations.

In January, the opposition abandoned their previously bi-partisan support for the Treaty process, choosing to reveal their stance on Sky News, without previously telling the First Peoples' Assembly.

Occurring just before January 26 on the conservative channel, the decision was seen as inflammatory and disrespectful, however the Assembly noted whilst the decision was "disappointing, but not surprising, news," it wouldn't mean much.

"Of course, we would have liked to have kept Treaty above party politics and our door will remain open to politicians of all persuasions, but there is a clear path to Treaty ahead of us," the Assembly said at the time.

The January 26 rally in Naarm days later saw thousands waving both Aboriginal and Palestinian flags, with many calling for Treaty and a change of the date, whilst throughout the state, mourning ceremonies were held.

In March, the state government "backflipped" on "multiple promises they made to Aboriginal communities" surrounding youth bail laws.

It caused Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) chief executive Nerita Waight to argue Premier Jacinta Allan was developing a "terrible track record" when it came to law reform.

"At every turn, she has picked the meanest and most punitive policy – whether its punitive parole laws or electronic monitoring, the Premier seems intent on making Victoria a penal colony once again," Ms Waight said.

The laws had been labelled "a complete and unmitigated disaster" which discriminate against Aboriginal people by a coroner in the inquest into the death of Indigenous woman Veronica Nelson.

However, the reaction to the bail laws was nothing compared to the decision by the Victorian government to abandon long-promised plans to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years-of-age in the wake of a perceived youth crime crisis and intense pressure from sections of the Victorian media—labelled "fear mongering" by Ms Waight.

Whilst the decision came as part of a raising of the age from 10 to 12, Indigenous, human rights and legal groups have slammed the government's backflip, with VALS calling it an "example of weak leadership and regressive decision making," and arguing the Labor government "write their promises in the sand".

Criminologist Dr Matthew Morgan called the decision a "disgrace," and a "popular punitive narrative" which wouldn't do anything to help community safety, whilst Yoorrook Justice Commission chair, Professor Eleanor Bourke, said the "tsunami of disappointment" couldn't be underestimated.

"This decision is so contrary to the evidence it is difficult to comprehend – evidence heard by Yoorrook and countless other inquiries, commissions and coronial inquests over a period of decades," Professor Bourke said.

Throughout the year, Yoorrook held hearings into colonial injustices, with a number of ministers, public servants, and descendants of colonisers, fronting the inquiry and being grilled by the commissioners.

It also saw Premier Allan become the first government leader to appear in front of an Indigenous truth-telling commission in Australia, where she said she was prepared to apologise to First Nations people for the injustices suffered due to government policies.

After a number of issues that caused consternation between many in the Indigenous community and the government, the year culminated in the launch of the historical Treaty negotiations—the first of their kind in the country.

Despite the abandonment by the opposition, it did not stop the beginning of the negotiations in November, with Premier Jacinta Allan, along with Assembly co-chair Rueben Berg, launching proceedings at a press conference in Naarm.

Later that day in the Darebin Parklands, after many decades of false dawns and failed promises, the Gunditjmara man spoke with hope at the official opening.

"We have resisted. We have survived," Mr Berg said.

Premier Allan said Treaty was needed to help "reset the relationship between the state of Victoria and First Peoples".

"We're about to embark on treaty negotiations that will make our strong state even stronger, even fairer. Since colonisation, First Peoples in this state have been excluded from opportunity," she said.