Over the weekend in Naarm more than 350 First Nations leaders, Elders, and advocates renewed their call for the federal government to commit to a national treaty and truth-telling process, whilst criticising states and territories they say remain hostile to the idea.
In an open letter from organisers of the Together for Treaty National Summit — hosted by Common Threads, a First Nations-led organisation — the leaders praised Victoria for its Treaty process, finalised last year, and urged the Prime Minister to begin a "unifying federal-level Treaty and truth-telling process," which they describe as "critical".
They argued while state treaties are important, many decisions affecting First Peoples — including those relating to Country, water, climate and cultural heritage — sit with the federal government.
"Without a federal process, responsibility is fragmented and recognition remains inconsistent," the letter reads.
"A federal Treaty means consistency, that First Nations communities are in the driver's seat on decisions that impact them, and that First Nations knowledge can help shape a better future for everyone."
Common Threads CEO, Larissa Baldwin-Roberts, said there is widespread, organised support for truth-telling and treaties across the country.
"People are ready for federal leadership that matches the scale of this moment," she said. "At a time when far-right voices are trying to divide communities, wind back progress and create fear, we need a clear and ambitious national pathway towards justice and healing."
Opponents of both treaties and truth-telling — including conservatives and some Indigenous leaders — argue the 2023 referendum result should have ended calls for their implementation.
While the Uluru Statement from the Heart calls for the establishment of 'Voice, Treaty, Truth', the referendum only asked Australians to vote on altering the Constitution to "recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice".
Victoria's Treaty — the first in Australia — passed last year without the support of the state's opposition, which has vowed to tear it up if elected. Queensland and the Northern Territory have both abandoned their truth-telling and treaty processes over the past 18 months.
"Victoria has shown that Treaty is possible when communities lead and governments listen. But justice cannot stop at state borders. The federal government holds significant power and responsibility — and it must step up," Ms Baldwin-Roberts said.
"Truth-telling and Treaty are practical pathways to fairer decision-making, stronger rights and better outcomes for communities and Country."
The federal coalition also remains opposed to treaties, with Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price last year claiming Victoria's decision would empower activists to "pursue their goals of reparations and segregation driven, as they are, by retribution and resentment — not reconciliation and forgiveness".
Newly appointed Shadow Indigenous Australians Minister Julian Leeser — who stepped down from the role in 2023 over his support for the Voice before returning last week — told the ABC: "We've never supported treaty and that's because it's been our position that a nation can't have a treaty with itself."
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Nevertheless, Indigenous leaders have continued to push for both Treaty and truth-telling, whilst criticising the federal government for a lack of meaningful action since the referendum defeat.
Jackie Huggins, a board director for Common Threads, said a federal Treaty is "long overdue," arguing First Nations communities have been "calling for this for decades and we don't want to lose momentum".
"We're saying to the Albanese government: it is time to expedite a process towards Treaty and truth-telling now," the Bidjara and Birri-Gubbu Juru woman said.
Kerrupmara Gunditjmara man Travis Lovett last year walked more than 500 kilometres across Victoria to raise awareness of the final report from the Yoorrook Justice Commission — the country's first truth-telling body.
This year, he is walking from Naarm to Canberra, calling on the federal government to commit to a national truth-telling process in genuine partnership with First Nations Peoples.
The former Yoorrook commissioner said truth-telling is an act of "healing, respect and national repair".
"Momentum is building behind our call for the Albanese government to publicly commit to a national process of truth-telling, led in genuine partnership with First Peoples," Mr Lovett says.
It's a position replicated in the open letter to the Prime Minister, which argues support for Treaty is "growing".
"We write to you as people from all walks of life who want to see Treaty for a more fair and just future," it reads.
"We urge your Government to show leadership and greater ambition and recommit to a federal pathway to Treaty and truth-telling: a necessary and long overdue step towards justice and healing."
