Juno acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we work. We honour the ongoing survival and cultural wisdom held by the rightful Custodians of these Lands and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.
As a community organisation providing gender-informed services for women, trans, and gender-diverse people and their children experiencing homelessness and family violence, we stand in strong support of the First Peoples’ Assembly’s call for a Treaty in the place we now call Victoria.
Social work and the broader social services sector have played a central role in upholding colonisation, and they remain deeply embedded in systems that continue to dispossess, disempower, and cause harm to First Peoples. Recognising this history is essential; we have a responsibility to prevent further dispossession and marginalisation of First Nations communities and to actively dismantle systemic inequities.
The ongoing impacts of colonisation for First Nations women, Sistergirls, and Brotherboys are compounded by systemic inequities and barriers to safety. Treaty represents a historic opportunity to build relationships grounded in respect, self-determination, and justice. Treaty endorses processes that empower First Peoples to shape the laws, policies, and services that directly affect their lives, ensuring cultural safety and equitable access to support.
Treaty aligns with Victoria’s commitment to gender equality and the prevention of family violence, as outlined in the Safe and Strong strategy. Grounded in principles of self-determination and cultural safety, Treaty strengthens the capacity of services to respond effectively to the unique needs of First Nations women, Sistergirls, and Brotherboys.
Truth-telling and acknowledgment of past injustices are central to the Treaty process. As a sector, we must ensure our work reflects these principles, embedding cultural safety, equity, and respect for self-determination in everything we do.
We wholeheartedly support Treaty as a vital step toward justice, healing, and stronger relationships between First Peoples and all Victorians. We commit to resisting colonial practices, preventing further dispossession, and standing in solidarity with First Peoples to build a future free from violence, discrimination, and systemic inequity.
