After weeks of prevaricating, state’s opposition expresses support for independent body to oversee treaty negotiations
Outgoing Liberal MP Tim Smith says he cannot condone the establishment of a treaty authority in Victoria.Outgoing Liberal MP Tim Smith says he cannot condone the establishment of a treaty authority in Victoria.The Victorian Coalition has announced it will support the establishment of an independent authority to oversee the state’s treaty negotiations, although outgoing Liberal MP Tim Smith has vowed to cross the floor to vote against the bill, describing it as “woke tokenism”.
The state’s opposition leader, Matthew Guy, and Nationals leader, Peter Walsh, confirmed the Coalition’s position on the Treaty Authority bill after a party room meeting on Tuesday. “The Liberals and Nationals are committed to advancing the treaty process in Victoria in a way that supports self-determination and reconciliation while strengthening community and connection to country,” Walsh, the party’s spokesperson for Aboriginal affairs, said in a statement.
It took the opposition several weeks to firm its position on the treaty bill, which allows for the establishment of an authority with the legal powers necessary to act as an independent umpire between the government and traditional owners as they work through treaty negotiations. It will be debated in parliament’s lower house on Wednesday.