Victoria’s First Peoples’ Assembly to be made permanent and granted decision-making powers under treaty bill

Supporters of Victoria’s truth-telling inquiry outside the state parliament. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Victoria’s First Peoples’ Assembly will manage the rollout of community infrastructure grants and have a direct line to ministers and the power to make appointments to government boards under legislation to be introduced to parliament this year.

As first reported by Guardian Australia this week, the Victorian government and the First Peoples’ Assembly have confirmed that the statewide treaty bill will establish the assembly as a representative body to provide advice to government.