This report details the findings of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, Australia's first formal Aboriginal-led "truth-telling" inquiry in Victoria. The commission concluded that British colonists committed genocide against the Indigenous population of Victoria, citing a three-quarters reduction in population within 20 years of colonisation from the early 1830s due to mass killings, disease, and systemic acts of cultural and physical destruction. The report issues 100 recommendations for "redress," including potential reparations, educational reforms, and a government apology for historical injustices. While the Victorian government has pledged to consider the findings, the report notes an unspecified disagreement from three of the five commissioners. This landmark finding is a significant step in Australia's ongoing and often contentious national reconciliation process.
Summarizing the Yoorrook Justice Commission's Findings on Genocide in Victoria:
Genocide Finding: The Yoorrook Justice Commission, Australia's first Aboriginal-led "truth-telling" inquiry, has determined that British colonists committed genocide against Victoria's Indigenous population.
Historical Impact: The inquiry found that violence and disease caused the local Indigenous population to decrease by three-quarters (from 60,0
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Acts Constituting Genocide: The report identifies mass killings, disease, sexual violence, exclusion, linguicide, cultural erasure, environmental degradation, child removal, and assimilation policies as factors contributing to the "near-complete physical destruction" of the Indigenous community.
Commission's Mandate: Established in 2021, the Yoorrook Justice Commission was tasked with examining past and ongoing "systemic injustices" affecting Indigenous people in Victoria, covering areas such as land rights, cultural violations, health, education, and housing.
Recommendations for Redress: The report puts forth 100 recommendations for "redress," which may include reparations, a significant overhaul of the education system to incorporate Indigenous perspectives, and a government apology for Aboriginal soldiers who were excluded from land schemes after the world wars. It also calls for increased funding and staffing for Indigenous health services due to "endemic" racism.
Commissioner Disagreement: Three of the five commissioners did not approve of the inclusion of "key findings" in the final report, though specific details regarding their objections were not provided.
Responses to the Report: Victoria's Labor government stated it would "carefully consider" the findings, acknowledging they "shine a light on hard truths." Jill Gallagher, head of a peak Aboriginal health body, asserted the "indisputable" nature of the genocide finding and emphasized the current generation's responsibility for recognition and reconciliation.
Broader National Context: This inquiry is part of a wider national movement in Australia towards reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which aims to include truth-telling, treaty-making, and greater political representation for First Nations people, despite recent challenges like the rejected 2023 referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.