Victoria's First Nations Treaty Body Holds Historic Elections for Gellung Warl
In a landmark moment for Indigenous self-determination, Victoria's First Peoples' Assembly is conducting its inaugural elections for the newly established Gellung Warl body. This development follows Australia's first and only state-level treaty signed between the Victorian government and traditional owners in November, creating a statutory advisory body that represents a significant shift in political representation.
Andrew Thorpe Steps Into Political Arena
Among the seventy-one candidates competing across five regions is Andrew Thorpe, a Gunnai and Gunditjmara man who recently left his construction career to pursue political representation. Thorpe comes from a family with deep roots in Aboriginal activism—his mother is independent senator Lidia Thorpe and his uncle is longtime campaigner Robbie Thorpe.
"I've decided to step up and be a part of this new era," Thorpe explains. "Last Friday, I quit my job in construction, and I'm fully committed to campaigning. Whether I get elected or not, I will continue working to help our mob move forward."
Thorpe brings unique qualifications to his candidacy for the south-east region seat. As a marathon runner and mental health advocate, he facilitates first aid courses in mental health specifically designed for First Nations communities, combining physical wellness with psychological support.
The Structure and Purpose of Gellung Warl
The newly elected representatives will form Gellung Warl, a statutory body created through Victoria's groundbreaking treaty. While this assembly won't possess law-making powers, it will have significant advisory authority including:
- The ability to question government ministers directly
- Advising on proposals affecting First Nations communities
- Implementing treaty-negotiated reforms across multiple sectors
Key reforms to be implemented include changes to history curriculum, allocation of grants for Aboriginal community infrastructure, dual-naming policies, and facilitating local-level treaties between traditional owners and the state government.
Victoria's Unique Position in Treaty Progress
Victoria stands alone as the only Australian jurisdiction to have progressed to actual treaty implementation, despite numerous commitments made by other governments following the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart. The national landscape reveals a patchwork of approaches:
- New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory remain in preliminary discussion stages
- Tasmania abandoned its treaty process last year while continuing to fund a truth-telling commission
- South Australia maintains treaty on its legislative agenda alongside a state-level voice to parliament
- Queensland's newly elected LNP government dismantled six years of treaty work within two days of taking office
- The Northern Territory's treaty process was officially dismantled by the Country Liberal Party in 2025
Political Opposition and Alternative Proposals
The Victorian Liberal Party has pledged to scrap the treaty within its first 100 days if elected in November's state election. Opposition leader Jess Wilson argues that treaty isn't the right approach, proposing instead a new body called First Nations Victoria that would report to a single minister.
First Peoples' Assembly co-chair Ngarra Murray strongly rejects this alternative approach. "Any political party genuinely interested in closing the gap should follow the Productivity Commission's recommendation to put decision-making in First Peoples' hands," Murray states. "Treaty ensures Aboriginal communities can use local knowledge to deliver practical solutions. We're the experts on our own lives."
Candidates Emphasize Lived Experience
Yorta Yorta man Jarvis Atkinson, running for the north-east region seat, believes lived experience should be essential for anyone representing First Nations communities. Having experienced homelessness and entanglement with the justice system from a young age, Atkinson previously worked as an engagement officer educating youth about the treaty process.
"I will operate with empathy, knowing what someone is going through," Atkinson explains. "Lived experience in these spaces is really needed and important. I'm all about the people."
Meanwhile, Gunnai and Gunditjmara candidate Meriki Onus, running for the metro region and former head of policy for the Assembly, emphasizes the need for transformative vision. "Sovereignty must be at the heart of everything we do," Onus asserts. "It's crucial to have a self-determining body making our own decisions."
Election Timeline and Future Implications
Voting for the treaty elections opened on March 21st and continues through April 12th, with the newly elected Gellung Warl officially commencing operations in May. This election represents more than just political representation—it signifies a fundamental shift toward Indigenous self-determination in Victoria, potentially setting precedents for other Australian jurisdictions despite current political opposition.
The outcome will determine whether Victoria continues its pioneering treaty implementation or reverts to what Murray describes as "a broken, business-as-usual model where non-Aboriginal people think they know what's best for Aboriginal people." As candidates like Thorpe, Atkinson, and Onus campaign across the state, they carry not just political aspirations but the hopes of generations seeking meaningful self-determination through treaty processes.
