INDIGENOUS community members across the Mallee will have their voices heard after voting for the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria began.
The Mallee District Aboriginal Services hosted voting throughout the day, with 11 candidates eligible to vote across the North West region.
In the North West there are three spots available, with the assembly to be made up of 32 individuals: 22 who will be voted in during these elections and 10 representing registered Aboriginal parties.
The voting will elect an assembly to represent the Indigenous community, with the group working to negotiate a state-wide treaty.
First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria head of engagement and communication Amy Rust said the statewide treaty would tackle issues such as improving health, education and justice.
“The government has said there is nothing off the table, which is a good starting point, and we will focus on the detrimental statistics around Aboriginal people,” Ms Rust said.
“Systematic change is what we hope to see from the treaty.”
Ms Rust said the first assembly was voted in in 2019 and enrolment numbers had increased by 260 per cent this year.
“You have to be enrolled to vote” she said.
“We are not working off the back of the state or federal election roll; we started from the ground up.
“Last election there was 1900 votes and this election we have over 5000 people enrolled to vote.”
Ms Rust said it was important that people voted.
“It is going to be the first treaty that has ever been signed in this country and the assembly needs to have community involvement to know what the aspirations are and to make sure they are going to negotiate with the state government things that are important to them,” she said.
“To get to that point you have to make sure the people sitting around the table are the people you believe are the ones who will put the interest you raised with them at the forefront.”
Voting is open until June 3. Once enrolled voters can request a personal online voting link.
Information is at treatyelections.org
