PROPOSED treaty negotiations in Victoria have sparked controversy as concerns mount over transparency and fairness.
Member for Northern Victoria, Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell has ruled out supporting the formation of a treaty with Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, criticising reported demands from Aboriginal leaders that the treaty include exemptions for Indigenous Victorians from paying such things as land tax, council rates and school fees.
She said she was shocked that Premier Jacinta Allan had refused to rule out including the demands in a final treaty and described such a policy as being “racist.”
“A policy that is purposely implemented for the benefit of only one race of people, to the disadvantage of every other race of people is by both definition and nature a racist and divisive policy,” Mrs Tyrrell said.
Tyrrell said she has never supported a treaty because of the lack of transparency on the process and how it would impact the lives of all Victorians.
“The Allan Labor Government has been unwilling and unable to articulate what a treaty will be or what it will mean to all Victorians, so I have never supported it,” she said.
“Now we learn that the Allan Labor Government is considering including in the treaty ridiculous and inappropriate tax exemptions for Indigenous Victorians that will divide the Victorian community rather than unite it.”
Mrs Tyrrell said the State Government had promised an initial $65M to Traditional Owner groups to prepare to negotiate the treaty, with no accountability of where or how this money would be spent, and reaffirmed she would not turn her back on the beliefs of her constituents regarding Aboriginal issues.
“The majority of my constituents strongly opposed the Voice, and I will not betray them by supporting a divisive treaty, the consequences of which are unknown,” Mrs Tyrrell said.
