Dedicated seats for First Nations people in the New South Wales parliament and truth-telling and treaty processes will be called for as part of the state Greens’ pitch to voters ahead of the March election.
The federal senator Lidia Thorpe – who has described the proposed voice to parliament as a “waste” – will stand alongside NSW upper house candidate Lynda-June Coe as they announce the party’s treaty policy in Redfern on Tuesday.
A Wiradjuri and Badu Island woman, Coe said an independent treaty commission, a truth and justice commission and dedicated seats for Indigenous Australians would “change the trajectory and shape a future based on empowerment”.
“First Nations people are tired of being advisers – we need the real truth and real power, in writing,” she said, adding NSW was behind states in progressing a treaty.
Under the Greens policy, the state would go to a referendum to create dedicated seats for First Nations people in both houses of the NSW parliament.
How many seats would be set aside, how electorates would be divided and the model for the election, as well as a First Nations electoral roll, would be recommended by the treaty commission the party also wants established.
“We have seen a lack of political will by both major parties to ensure a pathway is committed to – beyond this term of government,” Coe said.
“The major parties must move beyond performative politics and provide practical and tangible solutions for our mob.”
The South Australian branch earlier this month declared unanimous support for a First Nations voice to parliament.
Members voted to pass a motion supporting the Uluru statement from the heart in full, including a voice to parliament, treaty and truth-telling, and affirmed support for a referendum to enshrine a voice into the constitution.
The federal Greens have expressed broad support for the voice while seeking to progress treaty and truth processes with the federal Labor government.
But Thorpe, who will attend the launch event on Tuesday, has called the referendum a “waste of money” and a “wasted exercise”. She has said she wanted treaty-making and truth-telling to be the priority before the voice was legislated.
Thorpe supports the First Nations advisory group the Blak Greens, which says the treaty is more important.
The group was also leading the NSW branch on its policy, Greens justice spokesperson Sue Higginson said.
“It is well past time for a truth-telling and a treaty process to be established so that all of us can be part of righting the ongoing injustice against Aboriginal people,” she said.
“The Greens, led by Blak Greens, will work to make this happen.”
Coe said she wanted to see progress on “all elements” of the Uluru statement including the voice.
