A Hollow Victory: Treaty Negotiators Win Human Rights Award Amid Election Uncertainty

The Voltaire human rights award bestowed upon Victoria’s treaty negotiators seems like a hollow victory given the threat to the landmark document looming on the horizon. The state is hurtling towards an election that could potentially upend the historic agreement, raising questions about whether this prestigious honor is more of a testament to the negotiators’ perseverance than a genuine recognition of their achievement.

The treaty negotiation process, finalized in late 2025 after protracted talks between the state and the First Peoples’ Assembly, marked a significant milestone in Victoria’s history. The creation of Gellung Warl, an independent statutory body tasked with ensuring accountability and representation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians, was a crucial aspect of the agreement. As Liberty Victoria president Gemma Cafarella noted, “the statewide treaty is just the first step.”

Cafarella’s words echo a broader concern: that the treaty represents a mere starting point in the long journey towards reconciliation and redress for Indigenous Australians. The Labor opposition has pledged to wind back or repeal the agreement if they form government, serving as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead.

The Coalition’s commitment to axe treaty within 100 days of being elected, coupled with One Nation’s vow to repeal the agreement, has sparked fears among First Peoples and their supporters. As co-chairs Djaran Murray-Jackson and Meriki Onus noted in a statement, “First Peoples are the experts on our own lives, we know what does and doesn’t work for our communities.” The uncertainty surrounding treaty’s fate has put into sharp relief the power dynamics at play between the state and First Nations people.

The Voltaire award takes on a different complexion in this context. By honoring the treaty negotiators amidst election uncertainty, Liberty Victoria risks being seen as complicit in the threat to the agreement. Cafarella’s remarks about the state election, made in support of the First Peoples’ Assembly’s “groundbreaking work,” seem almost prescient.

Previous recipients of the award, including disability advocate Dylan Alcott and journalist Peter Greste, were celebrated for their tireless efforts in advancing human rights causes. In contrast, the treaty negotiators’ achievement seems somewhat diminished by the looming specter of repeal or watering down. This is not to diminish the significance of their work but rather to highlight the precarious nature of progress made towards reconciliation.

As Victoria hurtles towards an election that could potentially unravel the treaty, one can’t help but wonder what this means for Indigenous Australians and their ongoing struggles for recognition and justice. The Voltaire award may be a testament to the negotiators’ dedication, but it also serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of human rights progress in the face of shifting political landscapes.

The fate of treaty will undoubtedly be a crucial factor in the upcoming election, with First Peoples and their supporters holding onto hope that the agreement will be safeguarded. The implications of a potential repeal or watering down of the treaty on Indigenous communities and beyond are impossible to predict. Will the state continue down the path towards reconciliation, or will the momentum gained from the treaty negotiation process be lost in the aftermath of an election?