VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT APOLOGY TOMORROW

The Socialist Bulletin Staff - 8/12/2025

TOMORROW, the Victorian government will deliver on the first of the points agreed to in the Statewide Treaty. An apology will be delivered to First Nations people in the state at 11am on Tuesday. The apology, according to the First People's Assembly, will be "for the profound and undeniable harms inflicted on First Peoples by the State and colony – both historic and ongoing. ". The apology will take place during a special sitting of Victorian parliament, and can be viewed here.

The apology will be followed up on Friday with a celebration, held at John Cain Arena, to celebrate the signing of a treaty between the government and First Nations people. It will feature performances from many famed artists, including Yothu Yindi, Missy Higgins, Baker Boy, Uncle Kutcha Edwards and Deborah Cheetham Fraillon. Also on Friday, the Treaty will officially come into effect.

Very rarely does the capitalist government make any positive progress, especially towards minorities, however the Treaty that has been signed is unquestionably positive progress in this field. Despite this, Treaty will not liberate First Nations people. Under capitalism, no change, no progress, will see the liberation of First Nations people, or Women, or Queer people, or any other minority group, for that matter. The only solution is socialism.