A new survey by the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) has found that most Victorians do not support the state government’s proposed Treaty with Indigenous Australians, with just 37% backing the plan.
The poll, conducted by independent researcher Fox & Hedgehog, revealed that 42% oppose the Treaty, while 21% remain undecided. It is the first public survey on the issue since the failed Voice to Parliament referendum in October 2023, which saw 54% of Victorians voting No.
According to the findings, most respondents believe there are more pressing concerns than forming a new Indigenous body to oversee laws related to health, justice, and social policy.
When participants were provided with factual details about the Treaty’s implications, opposition rose sharply to 61%, suggesting limited appetite for structural reform.
The legislation, described by Premier Jacinta Allan as “historic”, was negotiated between the state government and the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria. It would establish a new Indigenous council, known as Gellung Warl, comprising 33 elected representatives and receiving over $70 million annually in taxpayer funding.
However, this element proved the most controversial: only 26% of Victorians support creating an independent body free from government control, while 51% oppose it.
IPA research fellow Margaret Chambers said the data showed the government was pursuing a divisive policy without public backing:
“Victorians believe in equality and don’t want their state permanently divided by race,” she said.
But Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins dismissed the survey as politically biased:
“The IPA is a Liberal-aligned think tank with a clear agenda. Treaty makes sense because it empowers Aboriginal people to have a say in how services are delivered — it doesn’t take anything away from anyone.”
The Treaty legislation remains under debate in the Victorian Parliament, with divisions evident not only across political lines but also among Labor supporters themselves.
