Saturday Magazine

7 Jul 2025

Saturday, July 5th, 2025: Rueben Berg – Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria-‘Victoria’s Statewide Treaty Bill’

Current Affairs, Interview, Joy, Joy 94.9, Joy Media, Media, News & Politics, Podcast, Saturday Magazine, Society & Culture

LISTEN TO PODCAST NOW

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:39 — 14.5MB)

Saturday, July 5th, 2025: Rueben Berg – Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria-‘Victoria’s Statewide Treaty Bill’

Macca and Fiona’s first guest in the studio this week, Rueben Berg, a proud Gunditjmara man, and a Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly
of Victoria (the Assembly). Rueben sits on the Assembly representing the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation– a Traditional Owner group of south-western Victoria. The Country and Waters of the Eastern Maar stretch to Ararat and encompass Warrnambool, Port Fairy and areas of the Great Ocean Road. Rueben has strong connections to Thangang-poon art (Hopkins Falls) and the Framlingham Aboriginal community.

As an elected Co-Chair of the Assembly, Rueben plays a pivotal role in representing the diverse voices and aspirations of First Nations communities in Victoria. With a deep
commitment to advancing the rights and interests of First Nations people, Rueben is passionate about ensuring Treaty delivers Aboriginal communities the power and tools
to develop and deliver practical solutions at a local level.

Rueben’s leadership and dedication have earned him widespread recognition and respect within First Nations communities and beyond. He is known for his
ability to build bridges between different stakeholders, fostering collaboration and understanding of complex topics. As a Member of the Assembly in its inaugural term,
from 2019-2023, Rueben spent a considerable amount of time contributing to the design and negotiation of the Treaty Negotiation Framework, and taking a leading role
in the negotiation meetings with the State.

“The government of Victoria is set to introduce a bill later this year that will make the First Peoples’ Assembly a permanent body, able to advise the government and set rules on matters directly affecting Aboriginal people.

It marks the latest development in an almost decade-long path for the state towards achieving Australia’s first Treaty.

In the joint on Friday, the Victorian government and the First Peoples’ Assembly — which was formed back in 2018 — confirmed the bill seeks to formalise the assembly as an ongoing representative body.

“For the last five years, the First People’s Assembly has been the independent, democratically elected body representing First Peoples in the Treaty Process,” said co-Chairs of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, Ngarra Murray and Rueben Berg, and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan.

“Victoria’s Statewide Treaty Bill is proposed to give the Assembly decision-making powers to make sure First Peoples’ communities can design and deliver practical solutions for their communities.”

https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/victoria-permanent-first-peoples-assembly/