First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria

The First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria has its origins in the Aboriginal Representative Body (ARB), established in 2016. The new name and form was set out by the Victorian Government in 2018 after passing legislation to create an independent elected body to negotiate treaties between the government and First Nations peoples in Victoria. The Assembly came into being after the elections held in October 2019. In October 2025, legislation was passed to formally recognise the body as a permanent authority. ==Functions==

The Assembly is responsible for establishing the framework and ground rules to enable Traditional Owners to negotiate Treaties with the Victorian Government. == Structure and membership ==

The Assembly is an independent body comprising 33 members chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities throughout Victoria. Elections are held every four years. The Assembly includes both general seats, filled by members elected by communities in specific regions, and reserved seats for representatives from particular Traditional Owner groups. Any Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who has lived in Victoria for at least three of the last five years is eligible to enroll with the Assembly. , Ngarra Murray and Rueben Berg are co-chairs of the Assembly. == Functions ==

The Assembly's primary function is to represent Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Treaty negotiations with the Victorian Government. The Assembly negotiated the creation of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, an independent and formal truth-telling process into historical and ongoing injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria. ==Gellung Warl==

On 9 September 2025, premier Jacinta Allan introduced a bill in the Legislative Assembly, the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025, which would establish a treaty between the government and First Nations people within Victoria, as well as making the First Peoples' Assembly a permanent authority under an umbrella body known as Gellung Warl. The new body will include an independent accountability mechanism, as required by the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The legislation also created two extra bodies "to hold the government to account and to continue the truth-telling work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission". The Liberal–National Coalition have vowed to remove the body. ==Elections and member lists==

• 2019 Victorian First Peoples' Assembly election • 2023 Victorian First Peoples' Assembly election == References ==