Treaty

In 1788 there were more than 500 sovereign, land-owning Indigenous groups on the continent now known as Australia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have never agreed to their land being taken away. They have never sold or given land away.

By the international standards of 1788 and of today, this makes our occupation illegal. Among comparable nations around the world, Australia is the only nation which still does not have a treaty. Treaties were made by the British when they invaded North America. Canada re-kindled its treaty process in the 1970s and is resolving issues of land, resources, service-delivery and self-government.

We need treaties to form the basis for peaceful, honourable coexistence with Indigenous peoples.

In 2000, the Council on Aboriginal Reconciliation came up with a Declaration Towards Reconciliation, and made clear indications that a treaty process was the next step to authentic reconciliation. While this was rejected by the Howard Government, this Declaration is still a benchmark for a community consensus on the need for and the form of the resolution of 'unfinished business'.

The time has come to rekindle the momentum for treaty-making.

Let's start this process now!

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