Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has condemned the passing of Victoria's historic Treaty Bill, arguing Premier Jacinta Allan has "given the middle finger to democracy".
The legislation - which passed the upper house on Thursday night with support from the Greens and the crossbench - paves the way for the first Treaty between an Australian state and First Peoples to be formally signed before the end of the year.
It has been welcomed by many Victorian Traditional Owners and Indigenous organisations as a historic step toward self-determination.
Senator Price, however, said the bill defies the result of the 2023 Voice referendum, in which nearly 61 per cent of Australians voted No. She argued the outcome of the referendum "wasn't just a rejection of the divisive Voice" but also a "rejection of divisive treaty-making".
"It was also a rejection of those activists who have no interest in telling history in the round, but instead, seek to rewrite our past in the most hostile, unforgiving and unbalanced manner imaginable," she said.
SENATOR JACINTA NAMPIJINPA PRICE
SENATOR FOR THE NORTHERN TERRITORY
MEDIA STATEMENT
PREMIER ALLAN GIVES HER MIDDLE FINGER TO DEMOCRACY
On 14 October 2023, millions of Australians resoundingly rejected the Voice referendum that, if passed, would have divided our country by... pic.twitter.com/E6N9GlD3P8
- Jacinta Nampijinpa (@JNampijinpa) October 31, 2025
In a strongly worded statement, the Warlpiri/Celtic woman accused Premier Allan of leading a "failed state," claiming Treaty would empower activists to "pursue their goals of reparations and segregation driven, as they are, by retribution and resentment - not reconciliation and forgiveness".
"And Victorian children will be taught a distorted and revisionist view of history so they are indoctrinated to feel national guilt instead of the national pride they should feel for Australia - a country where our achievements and successes far outweigh our wrongdoings and failures," she said.
Senator Price claimed the Victorian Government had undermined the national referendum result, arguing the bill "will bring about everything a clear majority of Victorians voted against more than two years ago".
"In passing this Statewide Treaty Bill, the hubristic Jacinta Allan has given her middle finger to every Victorian who voted No and to the democratic process in general. We all know where this treaty leads: Victorians will be divided by race," she said.
Whilst the Uluru Statement calls for the establishment of 'Voice, Treaty, Truth', the referendum only called on people to vote on altering the Constitution to "recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice". The Victorian Government has taken the Treaty process to two state elections, winning decisively in both 2018 and 2022.
After the bill's passage on Thursday, Premier Allan said Treaty would give Aboriginal communities the "power to shape the policies and services that affect their lives".
"This is how we build a fairer, stronger Victoria for everyone," she said.
Dr Petah Atkinson, a Yorta Yorta woman and member of the Treaty Authority - the independent body overseeing the process - described the moment as "a testament to the strength and resilience of First Peoples".
She said the legislation was not merely a legal milestone, but a "powerful step toward healing, truth and a shared future for all Victorians".
"This agreement lays the foundation for a new relationship built on respect, trust and integrity, and acknowledges the enduring sovereignty and rights of First Peoples. For the first time in Australia's history, there will be a Treaty with First Peoples," Dr Atkinson said.
Under the legislation, Gellung Warl - meaning "tip of the spear" in Gunaikurnai - will become the new Aboriginal governance structure. It will encompass the First Peoples' Assembly, alongside a permanent truth-telling body and an accountability commission, to oversee efforts to close the gap in Victoria.
The bill explicitly states that Treaty will not limit or override the powers of Parliament - a point repeatedly emphasised by both the government and the Assembly.
Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos said the new body "could not veto legislation," affirming that Parliament remains "sovereign".
"This is a permanent representative body chosen by Aboriginal voters for themselves to tell us what is important to them," he told the ABC. "It's a consultative body... and it has already led to better relationships between the government and First Peoples."
The Victorian Opposition has vowed to repeal the Treaty within 100 days if elected next year.
This week, Liberal frontbencher Bev McArthur told Parliament, "Every facet of this bill, I oppose strongly. I oppose it in principle. I oppose it theoretically and politically. I oppose the language in the bill. I oppose its intent, the processes it creates, the bureaucracy, the expense."
