The 2023 Victorian First Peoples' Assembly election, advertised as the 2023 Treaty election, was held June 2023 to elect 22 members to the First Peoples' Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. The election filled 22 of 32 seats to the body, which was charged with the responsibility of negotiating a treaty between the state's government and its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population.
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22 seats elected 10 seats appointed | ||
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| Registered | 7000+ | |
| Turnout | ~4200 (~60% of enrollment, ~10% of voting age population) | |
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Only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Victoria and at least 16 years of age were eligible to enroll to vote in the election - a population around 45,000.[1] Compared to the previous election in 2019, enrollments more than tripled from ~2000 to ~7000.[2] Between the 2019 and 2023 elections, there was 2 by-elections held to fill vacant seats after 2 resignations.
The election had 75 candidates across 22 regional seats. 10 from the metropolitan region (where most of Victoria's population lives), and 3 each from the Northwest, Southwest, Northeast and Southeast regions. A further 11 reserved seats were appointed by local Registered Aboriginal Parties within Victoria.[2] 90% of eligible voters did not participate in the election.
Aside from making a treaty with the Victorian Government on behalf of the First Peoples of Victoria, other priorities of the Assembly will be advocating for reform to Victoria's bail laws and raising the age of criminal responsibility in the state.[3]
If the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum was successful, the Assembly might be a point of contact between Victorian First Peoples and the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, and might elect the Victorian representatives to the national body. The Assembly could shift its role in the future and act as a Voice in Victoria, giving advice to state Parliament on the basis that 10% of the eligible population and 0.07% of the general Victorian population voted for it to do so.[2] According to The Assembly website the Assembly will also take a lead role in administration of the Self Determination Fund provided by the Victorian (Labor) Government. Up to $200,000 is available to successful applicants to assist in negotiations, what role the Assembly plays in approving and monitoring the distributions is unclear, presumably strong conflict of interest rules will be applied in dispensing taxpayer provided funds.
Results
editOf the 22 elected members, 11 were elected for the first time, the remainder were re-elected.[3]
The 2 outgoing co-chairs (Aunty Geraldine Atkinson (Elected North East Area 2019) and Marcus Stewart - (Appointed not Elected in 2019) ) did not re-contest their roles, so new co-chairs were elected.[2] Rueben Berg (Appointed) and Ngarra Murray (Elected - Metro Area, Elected to the Metro-Area in 2019) were chosen as new co-chairs. This would be their 2nd term in the Assembly (having been re-elected or appointed in 2023), and first as co-chairs.[4]
Winners of the 2023 election were reported on the Assembly's website.[5] In a stark contrast with the South Australian Voice election and a departure from democratic norms numerical results were not declared to the public or electors.
North West Region
edit- Rodney Carter, Dja Dja Wurrung
- Jacinta Chaplin, Wadi Wadi, Wamba Wamba/Wemba Wemba
- Jason Kelly, Wamba Wamba, Muthi Muthi/Mutti Mutti
North East Region
edit- Levi Power, Yorta Yorta
- Belinda Briggs, Yorta Yorta, Wamba Wamba, Wurundjeri and Ngiyampaa
- Nicole Atkinson, Bangerang, Gunditjmara
South West Region
edit- Jordan Edwards, Gunditjmara, Waddawurrung, Arrernte
- Michael ‘Mookeye’ Bell, Gunditjmara, Boandik
- Sheree Lowe, Gunditjmara
South East Region
edit- Alice Pepper, Gunnai, Yorta Yorta, Mutti Mutti, Gunditjmara, Arrernte
- Peter Hood, Kurnai
- Brian Stevens, Gunai
Metro Region
edit- Barry Firebrace-Briggs, Yorta Yorta, Ulupna
- Indi Clarke, Wemba Wemba, Mutti Mutti, Boon Wurrung, Trawlwoolway and Lardil
- Troy Austin, Gunditjmara
- Esme Bamblett, Bangerang, Taungurung, Wiradjuri
- Ngarra Murray, Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa, Dja Dja Wurrung (co chair, second term)
- Tracey Evans, Gunditjmara, Bundjalung
- Nerita Waight, Yorta Yorta, Narrandjeri
- Alister Thorpe, Gunai, Yorta Yorta, Gunditjmara
- Uncle Shane Charles, Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Yorta Yorta
- Gary Murray, Dhudhuroa, Yorta Yorta, Barapa Barapa, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wamba Wemba, Wergaia, Wiradjuri
Reserved (not directly elected) Seats
edit- Aunty Donna Wright, Ginditjmara
- Djaaran Murray-Jackson, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa, Waywurru, Barapa Barapa, Wergaia, Wiradjuri
- Matthew Burns, Taungurung
- Rueben Berg, Gunditjmara (co-chair, second term)
- Troy McDonald, Gunaikurnai
- Dylan Clarke, Wotjobaluk
- Melissa Jones, Latje Latje, Wotjabaluk
- Zoe Upton, Bunurong, Trawlwoolway
- Uncle Byron Powell, Wadawurrung
- Uncle Andrew Gardiner, Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Census of Population and Housing - Counts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Meet the freshly elected people who 'will get treaty done' in Victoria". The Age. 18 June 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Raising the age a priority for newly elected First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria leaders". The Guardian. 18 June 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Victoria's Treaty Assembly elects new leadership". First People's Assembly of Victoria. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ "Thanks to all the mob who had a say in the Treaty Elections to decide who will negotiate Treaty in Victoria!". First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria. Retrieved 28 July 2023.