Victoria’s government not ruling out compensation to Indigenous Australians for ‘genocide’….
Victoria’s Yoorrook Justice Commission, a four‑year truth‑telling inquiry, has officially labelled colonial-era actions against Indigenous Victorians as “genocide”. It documented over 50 massacres between 1831–1854, nearly 1,000 deaths, mass child removals, disease, cultural erasure and land dispossession .
The final report, released July 1, 2025, includes 100 recommendations, covering recognition, land and resource restitution, systemic reform, and financial compensation for victims .
A formal apology and legislative acknowledgment of genocide.
A permanent First Peoples’ Assembly with real policy influence.
Mechanisms to return lands, waterways, and revenues.
Embedding Indigenous narratives in education and civic life.
Redress funding, including compensation within treaty negotiations .
Premier Jacinta Allan has neither ruled in nor ruled out payments—stressing the need for “careful consideration” . The government has 24 months to decide which recommendations to adopt and has already taken early steps on representative bodies and cultural training . However, broad compensation remains politically and fiscally sensitive.
Indigenous leaders see this as a foundational moment for healing and treaty progress, though internal commission disagreements reflect the complexity . The pathway now hinges on whether the government will back financial redress or focus on structural reforms.
