Victoria is on the verge of making history, with a Treaty bill expected to be introduced into Parliament as early as this week — the first of its kind in the country.

Last week, the First Peoples' Assembly — the democratically elected body representing Traditional Owners in statewide Treaty negotiations — ratified the agreement. Cabinet met on Monday, and if approved, the bill will be free to be tabled.

If passed without major amendments, it would mark the first lawful Treaty between an Australian state or the Commonwealth and Traditional Owners since colonisation.

The proposal follows decades of calls for greater Aboriginal self-determination. Under the plan, a new Assembly will hold defined consultative and decision-making powers. Earlier this year, the Victorian Government confirmed the Assembly will be established as a statutory corporation and permanent body "to provide advice to Government and make decisions over matters that affect First Peoples".

While the Assembly will not have legislative veto powers, nor the ability to compel testimony or documents from officials, The Age reports it must be consulted on any proposed laws affecting First Peoples before they are introduced to Parliament.

"When it is just left in the hands of government, we have seen the status quo and that it doesn't deliver the outcomes that we need," Assembly co-chair Rueben Berg told The Age.

"This is really about creating a First Peoples-led body that is independent of government and can look and see what is and isn't working and make practical recommendations about what needs to change."

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The latest round of negotiations, finalised earlier this month, included plans to create a First Peoples Institute to strengthen leadership, improve public sector understanding of Treaty, explore the trading of water entitlements between First Peoples, and consider restoring traditional place names for geographic features.

It is understood there has been tension within some parts of the government about how much information on Treaty was released to the media before Cabinet's deliberations this week. National Indigenous Times understands the Assembly co-chairs addressed Cabinet on Monday.

Nonetheless, Treaty has had significant public backing from both the Allan and Andrews governments.

"Treaty is a pathway to acknowledging the past and making real, practical change to achieve better outcomes for First Peoples in Victoria and close the gap," the government and the Assembly said in a joint statement earlier this month.

Labor has also used the opposition's decision last year to withdraw support — without notifying the Assembly — as a point of contrast between the parties' treatment of First Peoples.

The Opposition called the legislation of a permanent Assembly the "culmination of a treaty process negotiated behind closed doors and without transparency," whilst Opposition spokesperson for Aboriginal Affairs, Melina Bath, said they "do not support a Treaty, and we do not support a Victorian version of a Voice to Parliament".

In May, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins said: "If you listen to the people directly affected by policies, you get better outcomes — that's commonsense — and Traditional Owner groups are experts in their communities, languages, cultures and caring for Country. Treaty is about making a better and fairer state for every Victorian."

Treaty has widespread support among First Peoples, though tensions remain over aspects of its development and the degree of state involvement.

On Sunday, hundreds of mostly non-Indigenous allies gathered at Trades Hall for the launch of Together for Treaty, a national campaign to build public support for truth-telling, Treaties and First Nations justice.

The campaign is coordinated by Common Threads, a new First Nations-led organisation focused on leadership and advocacy to drive transformative change.

"If people from all walks of life stand together with proud support for truth and Treaty, Victoria can lead the way for the whole country to follow," Common Threads co-founder Larissa Baldwin-Roberts said.

"That's why it's so important we talk with our friends, neighbours and politicians about why we support building a brighter future through Treaty."

The Widjabul Wia-bal woman added: "Right now, Victoria is making history. While the likes of Advance Australia and right-wing media attempt to divide and confuse our communities, we know there are millions of Victorians who proudly support moving forward together through Treaty with First Nations people."