‘Landmark moment’ for Australia, legal expert says

A leading expert on Indigenous law and treaties has welcomed the agreement made by the Victorian State government and Indigenous Victorians as a ‘landmark moment’.

Associate Professor Harry Hobbs, from the University of New South Wales, told First Nations News it was the first such treaty in Australian history and he hoped other States would follow.

“It is landmark moment,” Professor Hobbs said. “I do hope other States and territories in Australia now lookout their positions.

“The treaty process is now law in Victoria and is consistent with laws made by Federal Parliament.”

Advise future laws

Professor Hobbs said while he acknowledged that parliament was there ultimate decision maker, the treaty gave Indigenous Victorians the opportunity to scrutinise and advise future laws where it affected them.

“It’s about a shared future,” he said. “Canada has been negotiating treaties for 50 years, so we can learn from them to build that future.”

Professor Hobbs, who’s expertise is in Law and Justice at the UNSW, is currently researching how States and Territories can work together to create better laws that meet the expectations of both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.