Women’s Health in the South East (WHISE) approaches the historic introduction of the Statewide Treaty Bill 2025 into the Victorian Parliament with deep humility and profound respect. As a community organisation committed to our own journey of reconciliation, we recognise that we have much to learn as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples lead this transformative era towards justice and self-determination.

This moment demands honest acknowledgement of the centuries of harm inflicted upon First Peoples and the urgent need for fundamental change in how our institutions operate. We understand that genuine reconciliation requires more than good intentions—it calls for sustained commitment to dismantling the very systems that have perpetuated inequality and exclusion.

As a health organisation serving diverse communities, WHISE recognises the profound connections between historical injustice and contemporary health disparities. The establishment of Treaty represents a critical pathway towards addressing these deep-rooted inequities, but only if non-Indigenous organisations like ours commit to genuine transformation of our own practices and perspectives.

We humbly offer our support to the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, Gellung Warl, the truth-telling body to be known as Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuma, and the accountability and oversight body known as Nginma Ngainga Wara. Our commitment extends beyond words to concrete action: examining our organisational structures, challenging our assumptions, and ensuring our work genuinely serves the vision of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination.

WHISE acknowledges that our role is not to lead but to listen, learn, and follow the guidance of First Peoples. We commit to the difficult but essential work of internal transformation, recognising that true allyship requires ongoing examination of our own complicity in systems of harm whilst actively working to dismantle barriers to Indigenous leadership and decision-making.

We stand with the Premier of Victoria in recognising that all those who live, work and play in this place now referred to as Victoria can be proud of this historic moment. This Treaty process represents an extraordinary opportunity for collective transformation—a moment that calls forth the best of our shared humanity whilst demanding urgent action on systemic change.

This Treaty process offers our organisation—and all Victorians—an opportunity for profound growth and healing. We approach this moment with the humility it deserves, committed to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as they rightfully reclaim their authority over their futures and guide us all towards a more just society. The time for transformative action is now, and we are determined to rise to meet this critical moment with the courage and commitment it demands.