Respected Elders and Assembly Members Aunty Charmaine Clarke and Uncle Andrew Gardiner have been appointed as the interim Elders’ Voice Co-Chairs. The Co-Chairs will personally attend consultation sessions and support Elders in the development of the permanent Elders’ Voice, which will inform and guide the work of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria. Aunty Charmaine Clarke, a proud Gunditjmara woman, celebrated the introduction of the model and spoke positively about the knowledge Elders can bring to the Treaty negotiation process. “The strength of Aboriginal Elders, and their long fight for justice, has brought us to this point in our State’s history. We are grateful to receive our Elders’ direction on our historic path towards Treaty, and we will listen to the collective wisdom and knowledge they share to inform our journey,” Aunty Charmaine said.
“We encourage Elders across Victoria to attend these community consultation events to have their say on the form the permanent Elders’ Voice will take.” Aunty Charmaine speaks to Gman on 3KND.
DETAILS:
• The Assembly has today announced its interim Elders’ Voice, a model which will provide guidance from Aboriginal Victorian Elders and Traditional Owners on Victoria’s historic path to Treaty and truth • The interim Elders’ Voice will operate for the next three months and will primarily be responsible for developing the permanent Elders’ Voice through community consultation • Respected Elders and Assembly Members Aunty Charmaine Clarke and Uncle Andrew Gardiner have been appointed as the interim Elders’ Voice Co-Chairs • The Co-Chairs will attend consultation sessions across the State and encourage Elders in all regions to attend • The format and structure of the permanent Elders’ Voice will be designed and led entirely by Elders to ensure self-determination for Aboriginal Elders • The Interim Elders’ Voice will begin community consultations across the State from early August • For more information on the interim Elders’ Voice please visit: https://www.firstpeoplesvic.org/our-work/elders-voice
About the First Peoples’ Assembly The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria is the elected voice for Aboriginal people and communities in future treaty discussions with the Victorian Government. For 230 years, Australia has been one of the only Commonwealth nations of its kind without a treaty with its First Nations People. In Victoria, this is changing. The Assembly represents communities in setting the ‘ground rules’ for treaty. This includes a framework for negotiations – which sets out how Treaties can be agreed upon in Victoria. It will also help set up the treaty Authority, who will be the independent umpire through the treaty process. The Assembly has not been established to negotiate treaties. The Assembly has 31 members – 21 elected by a state-wide vote held in 2019 and 10 nominated by formally-recognised Traditional Owner groups.
