Two cousins of federal senator Lidia Thorpe are pursuing a contentious model of representation for Victoria’s landmark treaty negotiations as they seek to be elected to the state’s First People’s Assembly.
Voting for the second term of the assembly will commence next month after nominations for the 32-seat Indigenous body closed on Monday, ahead of a treaty negotiations due to begin this year.
A universal income for Indigenous elders, reserved seats in state parliament and co-ownership of renewable energy infrastructure are among the issues raised by candidates.
But the elections are also likely to reignite a debate over the representation of traditional owners at the assembly.
Lisa Thorpe – a cousin of the federal senator – said her priority was ensuring 38 language groups had a reserved seat at the First Peoples’ Assembly.
“How would having a wide treaty include them if they’re not sitting there?” said the Gunnai, Gunditjmara, Tjapwhurrung, Wemba Wemba, Boonwurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung woman.
Lidia Thorpe, whose mother, Marjorie, is also running as a candidate, has long called for the 38 Indigenous nations model of representation at the assembly – a contested model of traditional ownership in Victoria.
Victoria currently has 11 registered Aboriginal parties that are formally recognised by the government and covers about 74% of the state, according to the Aboriginal heritage council.
But candidate and the chief executive for the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations, Paul Paton, said Indigenous elders had fought for a long time for the “representative structures”.
“We should be respecting those structures that are established through those generations to represent the voices of those communities,” he said.
Alister Thorpe, also a cousin of Lidia Thorpe, is a current assembly member and Gunai, Yorta Yorta, Gunditjmara, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung man – said more work needed to be done to ensure all 38 nations were included in the treaty process. He also called for an improved pathway for groups not formally recognised by the state.
However, he said providing a universal basic income for First Nations elders should be at the top of the agenda.
“It’s about acknowledging past wrongs and we need to look at how do we care for our most disadvantaged,” he said.
While the state’s former treaty advancement commissioner, Jill Gallagher, said she expected robust debate among candidates, she did not think the elections would be more divisive than state or federal campaigns.
“If over time the design of the representative body grows and evolves to meet the ever-changing and ever-evolving needs of the community, then that is ultimately a good thing,” Gallagher said.
Aunty Geraldine Atkinson, the outgoing co-chair of the assembly, said she hoped its next members would seize the historical opportunity to improve the lives of their communities.
“This means having big ideas, knowing our strength and power as First Peoples and having the commitment to do the hard work to get agreement and make these ideas [and] make treaty a reality,” the Bangerang and Wiradjuri woman said.
The chief executive of the state’s Aboriginal legal service, Nerita Waight, is contesting for the first time and said she hoped a treaty could “reset relationship” between First Peoples and the state by ensuring the assembly shared responsibility for policies affecting Indigenous people.
Waight, a Yorta Yorta and Narrandjeri woman, also called for systems like child protection to be reimagined for Indigenous Victorians.
“Why do we always have to follow the mainstream model?” she said. “Why can’t we develop our own?”
Michael Bell, a current assembly member and Gunditjmara and Boandik man, has called for reserved Indigenous seats in Victoria’s parliament as he seeks re-election.
“It’s important there is something that is equal to current members of parliament,” he said.
“My experience in working in Aboriginal affairs is we never sit behind the treasury door where the decisions are made.”
Rueben Berg, a Gunditjmara man also seeking to be re-elected, said he wanted to push for decision powers for policies to be shifted away from a minister and into the hands of the assembly.
“Decisions should be made by people who are most directly affected by it. Not by some higher up bureaucracy,” he said.
