The Victorian Treaty Advancement Commission is proud to announce the results of the 2019 First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria election.
The provisionally elected members are (in alphabetical order):
• Metro region
Esmerelda Glenda Bamblett
Muriel Pauline Bamblett
Rueben Berg
Carolyn Briggs
Matthew Burns
Tracey Evans
Trevor John Gallagher
Ngarra Murray
Alister Thorpe
• South West
Sissy Austin
Michael (Mookeye) Bell
Jordan Edwards
• North West
Jacinta Chaplin
Raylene Ivy Harradine
Jason Kelly
• North East
Geraldine Atkinson
Natarsha Bamblett
Leanne Miller
• South East
Peter Hood
Alice Ann Pepper
Kaylene Williamson
The Commission congratulates every Candidate – those elected, and those not. Over 70 Traditional Owners put their hand up across the state. They are all leaders. They have much to contribute as the journey continues.
The gender quota was not applied in any region, due to the number of female candidates elected without the quota taking effect.
The inaugural Assembly meeting will be held on 10 and 11 December 2019, at Parliament House in Melbourne. The meeting will be available via livestream.
If any community members would like more information, please contact the Commission on 1800 TREATY (1800 87 32 89).
The Assembly will be the voice for Aboriginal people in the next phase of the Treaty process.
It will represent communities in setting - along with government – the ‘ground rules’ for negotiations, including how Treaties can be agreed in Victoria. It will also help set up the Treaty Authority, which will be an independent umpire through the Treaty process.
The Assembly is made up of 32 seats – 21 determined in a vote of Aboriginal communities, and 11 reserved for of the 11 formally recognised Traditional Owner groups.
The Treaty Advancement Commission is setting up the Assembly. When the Assembly is established, the Commission will cease to exist.