The recent "kneejerk" bail changes in Victoria highlight the need for an independent, Indigenous-led accountability body, the body representing Victorian First Peoples has said.

In a joint statement with the Victorian Government highlighting the latest phase of Treaty negotiations, the First Peoples' Assembly said an accountability body is desperately needed, especially in the wake of bail reforms which experts have said will disproportionately impact Indigenous people and could see more deaths in custody.

"A robust government accountability mechanism has long been a priority for Aboriginal Communities across Australia and was a key recommendation in last year's landmark Productivity Commission report commissioned by the former Morrison Government," Assembly co-chair Ngarra Murray said.

A First Peoples' Assembly Negotiation Delegation recently met with Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins at the Convincing Ground at Allestree Beach on Gunditjmara Country, the site of the 1834 massacre of the Kilcarer Gundidj Clan.

"Negotiations have been robust, and we don't always agree with the State. But progress is being made, and we're determined to keep pushing forward to get the best outcomes for our people," Ms Murray, a Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa and Dja Dja Wurrung woman, said.

"Ongoing truth-telling acknowledges that while we can't change the past, we can learn from it. It's about creating a stronger, shared future."

The government said topics discussed in Allestree included the capturing of stories from across the community, as well as the experiences of First Peoples; retaining an archive of this information and public education opportunities; and continuing truth-telling even after the conclusion of the Yoorrook Justice Commission.

In January and February, topics discussed included closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, including a new independent accountability mechanism.

Several community members have expressed their dismay to National Indigenous Times about the contrast between the government's positive statements and support for Treaty - a national first - compared to their implementation of policies that seem likely to exacerbate Indigenous disadvantage and go against the Closing the Gap agreement.

The bail laws have been widely condemned by Indigenous groups, including the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS) and the Assembly itself, with the Premier admitting more people will be held on remand.

Changes include scrapping the principle of remand only as a "last resort" for accused youth offenders, a tenet of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Australia has ratified. This is also a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC).

The changes come seven months after the government backtracked on their promise to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14.

A year after the Yoorrook Justice Commission's historic interim report in October last year, only 15 per cent of the recommendations had been fully implemented.

Aunty Vicki Couzens, chair of the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages, told Yoorrook last year that federal support for a language centre had not changed in ten years, whilst support from the state government was non-existent.

She said the lack of funding meant boxes of material lay dormant in the offices; unable to be analysed, and unable to help the community, describing it as "linguicide".

Assembly co-chair and Gunditjmara man, Rueben Berg, said the Assembly had been "working hard to bring aspirational proposals to the Treaty table" to bring forward proposals to let Indigenous people take charge of decisions that "directly impact our lives and improve outcomes in our communities".

"The Assembly has brought together thousands of Aboriginal community members in events spanning the State to build a unifying vision for Treaty in Victoria," he said.

Premier Jacinta Allan said in November the government would keep the state updated with negotiations. These are being led by senior Department of Premier and Cabinet executives and appointed Member Negotiators for the Assembly.

"The Government is carrying out an engagement program to inform local government, community, and business leaders about the Treaty process in 2024 and 2025," a government spokesperson said.

"This includes information sessions across Victoria as well as regular updates to the website and joint statements."