Tarlamis hails Treaty as milestone for First Peoples and migrant communities

Lee Tarlamis was rushing to the precocious location past Thursday arsenic whip successful the Legislative Council, helium had to guarantee each were counted for and acceptable to vote connected the historical statewide treaty measure with First Nations Australians. It was conscionable aft 2pm connected Thursday, and the precocious location passed the treaty measure without amendment by 21 votes to 16, conscionable earlier 9pm – aft two days of aggravated debate.

The statewide treaty measure “lays the instauration for a caller concern betwixt the Victorian authorities and First Peoples”, Tarlamis told Neos Kosmos.

“It strengthens the work of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria by creating a imperishable typical body, the Gellung Warl, chosen by Aboriginal voters for themselves to tell us what is important to them,” helium said.

He said that a consultative assemblage has already existed for implicit 5 years, which has led to amended relationships betwixt the authorities and First Peoples.

Aware that some Greek Australians whitethorn person concerns, “born of misinformation”, astir readying and improvement rules, Tarlamis said that, “The Treaty has nary veto powerfulness implicit the Victorian government. The Victorian parliament is sovereign. It ever has been, and it ever will be.”

He went connected to bespeak connected the experiences of Greek migrant communities, saying, “As children of migrants, it’s important to admit that we are each migrants connected this land, but the First Peoples. Our journeys span continents, oceans and languages, nurtured by parents and grandparents who migrated to Australia, sacrificed, worked hard and held accelerated to their civilization and traditions.”

Lee Tarlamis (L) connected his way to the precocious location past Thursday, caught up with colleagues erstwhile curate John Pandazopoulos and Anthony Cianflone MP, alongside guests Stergios Papaioannou from Greece, President of the Penion Development Institute, and Fathers Leonidas (Leo) Ioannou and Stathis Papadopoulos from Coburg’s parish of The Presentation of Our Lord—all contiguous to witness statement implicit the historical statewide treaty measure with First Nations Australians. Photo: NK

Tarlamis then focused connected his ain family’s path, describing however they “started a caller life, holding connected to identity, civilization and traditions whilst contributing to society.”

“These migrant experiences item the value of identity, inclusion, understanding — and treaty,” helium said.

“Our experiences of hardship, racism, and household connections tin assistance physique strong links with the First Peoples of this land. When we respect who radical are, their past and culture, we marque our state stronger. We indispensable respect those who were present earlier us.”

“The Treaty invites us to walk together successful truth, to perceive deeply, and to physique a aboriginal where the oldest surviving civilization successful the world and our divers migrant communities are celebrated and respected by all,” Tarlamis told Neos Kosmos.

Victorian Treaty and First Peoples Minister Natalie Hutchins told AAP that elaborate negotiations will statesman aft July 2026, when representatives for the Gellung Warl are elected.

“The Treaty is going to happen, and rather frankly, different states will beryllium welcome to work with us ongoing to instrumentality it and truth-telling arsenic well,” she said.

It has ne'er been done earlier successful Australia UNSW instrumentality subordinate prof Harry Hobbs told AAP.

“Now different jurisdictions successful Australia tin look astatine what Victoria’s done and say, ‘if we spell up connected a treaty process, we tin larn from what they’ve done,’ due to the fact that this is so very important for the remainder of the country.”

The Victorian opposition, however, does not judge treaty is the champion way to adjacent the gap, with the Liberals promising to repeal the instrumentality within 100 days if they win authorities astatine the adjacent state election.