State Apology to the First Peoples of Victoria

Victoria will take an important step towards addressing past injustices towards Aboriginal people and building a stronger, united future, with an apology to First Peoples to be made in the Victorian Parliament.

The apology is a key recommendation of Victoria’s nation-leading Yoorrook Justice Commission and was committed to in the first Treaty, following the Statewide Treaty Act 2025 becoming law.

The Commission heard evidence that the colonisation of Victoria was marked by dispossession, displacement and violence towards First Peoples.

The final report of the Yoorrook Justice Commission recommended an acknowledgement of the responsibility of predecessors for laws, policies and practices that contributed to injustices against First Peoples in Victoria.

The Victorian Government has worked with the First Peoples’ Assembly to deliver the apology through the Treaty process.

Watch the livestream here