Yoo-rrook Justice Commission, a ‘facilitator of voice’ for Aboriginal truth
The Yoo-rrook Justice Commission is Australia’s inaugural truth-telling body for First Nations people and will advise the state government on much-needed structural changes.
BY TIA HARALABAKOS
The Yoo-rrook Justice Commission is Australia’s inaugural truth-telling body for First Nations people.
Yoo-rrook is the Wamba Wamba/Wemba Wemba word for truth.
The First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria says that "truth-telling is a process of openly sharing historical truths after periods of conflict".
"[Historical truths] reveal and acknowledge human rights violations by promoting the voices of communities who have been victims of these violations."
The Yoo-rrook Justice Commission was granted Royal Commission status on May 12, which means the commission has authority to recommend structural changes to the Victorian Government.
According to Aboriginal Victoria, “the Yoo-rrook Justice Commission will investigate both historical and ongoing injustices committed against Aboriginal Victorians since colonisation by the State and non-State entities, across all areas of social, political and economic life”.
This is to help facilitate the Victorian Government’s work on creating a treaty with Aboriginal Victorians.
The process of truth-telling will be facilitated by five commissioners whose role is to acknowledge, examine and recommend structural changes for institutional and legal reform.
Wurundjeri and Ngurai Illum Wurrung woman Sue-Anne Hunter is known for her leadership in trauma and healing for the Aboriginal community and hopes to use these skills in the truth-telling process.
“One of the biggest things is around the truth-telling process… holding space for people to be heard, to be listened to,” she said.
“In this respect, I see myself as a facilitator of voice, a facilitator of change.”
The First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria called for a truth-telling commission to address past wrongs and ongoing injustices in June last year.
The Assembly stated self-determination cannot be achieved without a clear record of First People’s experiences with systemic injustices since colonisation.
Palawa woman and Yoo-rrook commissioner Maggie Walter said self-determination cannot be achieved without truth-telling.
"You cannot plan for your future, you cannot negotiate or renegotiate a relationship with the state, you cannot renegotiate your relationship with non-indigenous peoples unless you have truth-telling," Ms Walter said.
"You cannot have self-determination unless you are able to renegotiate your relationships."
Whilst Victoria is the first and only jurisdiction to embody truth elements from the Uluru Statement from the Heart, truth-telling commissions have been exercised in other parts of the world, such as Canada and Argentina.
Yorta Yorta elder Dr Wayne Atkinson will be working alongside Ms Hunter and Ms Walter as a Yoo-rrook Commissioner.
Dr Atkinson hopes the truth-telling process will be the first step towards a treaty between Aboriginal Victorians and the Victorian Government.
“We must first establish a shared understanding of the true histories and cultures of Victoria and the injustices experienced by Aboriginal people since colonisation,” he said.
“Truth and justice will run concurrently with treaty negotiations. Truth and justice will have its own autonomy.”
The first public record will be available in June 2022, which will deliver the commission's progress and findings.
