The historic Treaty negotiations between Victoria's First Peoples' Assembly and the state's government will begin in the coming days.
At a press conference in Naarm on Thursday, Assembly co-chair Rueben Berg, along with Premier Jacinta Allan, First Peoples and Treaty Minister Natalie Hutchins and Treaty Authority Chair Jidah Clark, said the negotiations - the first of its kind in Australia - had been a long time coming.
Mr Berg said it was an "amazing day to build on the work of so many of our people across countless generations".
Speaking in Carlton Gardens, the Gunditjmara man said: "To be able to say that today we actually start the negotiations of Treaty, and to do so here as well, very close to where many of our leaders across generations have come to talk and advocate for our rights, is also really powerful."
"We are really looking forward to sitting down with the government [and] having these important conversations," he said.
"There's going to be some tough conversations we'll need to have what we're confident we'll be able to have those conversations in a respectful way and there will be able to deliver a treaty, which will deliver powerful outcomes for our communities, powerful outcomes for all Victoria."
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.
She said there would be regular updates "along the way" about the negotiations but did not comment on what exactly would be discussed.
"There will be opportunities for the entire community to follow on with negotiations," Premier Allan said.
Mr Clark, Djab Wurrung man, said the Treaty Authority - the independent umpire in the negotiations - had given its seal of approval for the negotiations to begin.
"Treaties will recast the relationship between First Peoples and the State, bringing us closer together. This is an important marker on the path towards unity," he said.
"As we begin overseeing negotiations for Statewide Treaty, we look forward to helping guide parties and ensuring a fair and just process for all Victorians. And we look ahead to working with Traditional Owners on Traditional Owners Treaties."
Minister Hutchins said when she became Minister (in what was then known as Aboriginal Affairs) nine years ago, she embarked on a listening tour with First Nations people and organisations across the state.
"Every single one of those conversations ended with a call for a treaty," she said.
"Why? Because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here in Victoria truly believe that Treaty could give us the best outcomes to closing the gap for the future."
The Treaty legislation was initially supported by all sides of politics, before the opposition withdrew their support - without informing the Assembly - earlier this year.
