The Victorian First Peoples’ Assembly has criticised a fake letter claiming to be written by a member of the body as “racist fear-mongering” after it was distributed to homes in the state’s north-west.
The letter, falsely claiming to be written by a member of the assembly, claims landowners should take steps to protect their properties being acquired by Indigenous traditional owner groups in the region.
The letter claims to be written by Dylan Clarke, a Wotjobaluk man, and was distributed to homes in Boort, about 250km north-west of Melbourne.
The assembly has referred the fake letter to Victoria police, which said they were conducting further inquiries into the matter.
On Wednesday Clarke said he was horrified that someone had impersonated him in the letter.
“We’re trying to have important conversations and we have morons taking fake letters out there in the community, creating fear,” Clarke said. “We are better than this.”
The letter makes several inaccurate claims, which the assembly said would create “unfounded fear about the reacquisition of land”.
The letter falsely claims the assembly is in the process of reacquiring land, with support of the state and federal governments.
“We recommend you seek legal advice, as new Lease Holds may be negotiated as existing Land Titles come under review,” it reads.
“In the lead up to the finalising of Treaty Negotiations, Land Holders will be offered a one year amnesty, during which time they can explore their options with regards to legal advice.”
Clarke said he had penned a genuine letter to landowners in the region to “correct the record”.
“I believe the vast majority of the people in the north-west are willing to show goodwill, to come to these topics with an open mind. I hope that they will walk with us to a better future,” he said on Wednesday.
“I hope that our kids can grow up together without this type of racist fear-mongering, trying to scare people about something that should be embraced and celebrated.”
The assembly’s co-chair, Rueben Berg, a Gunditjmara man, said it was unclear who was behind the letter and what the motivation was.
“Sadly this has been a trend across our people’s history as when we’re advocating for our rights, when we’re advocating for benefits for our people, some people who don’t support that come out and spread lies,” Berg said.
“We know that treaty will bring better outcomes for Victorians.”
The letter comes after the federal government accused the no campaign of a “flat-out lie” and “promoting fear” in the referendum campaign after it was revealed Fair Australia’s official phone call scripts suggested telling voters the change could “mean separate laws, separate economies and separate leaders”. The script was first reported by the Nine newspapers.
The opposition’s Aboriginal affairs spokesperson, Peter Walsh, whose electorate includes Boort, said the Coalition “strongly condemned” the fake letter.
“In recent days, some land owners in the state’s north-west have received the letter, which contains damaging mistruths on land reacquisition,” Walsh said.
The assembly will negotiate a state-wide treaty with the Andrews government, with talks to commence in the coming months.
The Victorian treaty could lead to changes to the state’s institutional structures, including the criminal justice system. Traditional owner groups will also be able to enter into separate treaties with the state government for issues relevant to specific regions of the state.
