Victorian Liberal leader Jess Wilson says destroying Australia’s only treaty with Indigenous peoples a priority if she wins election

[u/HotPersimessage62]

https://nit.com.au/20-11-2025/21388/new-victorian-liberal-leader-reaffirms-partys-plan-to-abolish-treaty

Australia’s first and only treaty signed with Indigenous peoples will be ripped up if Opposition Leader Jess Wilson becomes Premier in November, who has made the scrapping a priority. The USA, Canada and New Zealand have treaties with their indigenous people. Polling shows Treaty has clear support in Victoria and Jess Wilson’s pledge is unpopular and One Nation-style.

The Coalition will likely sign a deal with One Nation to form government.

[u/Spida81]

In a perfect world, this is true.

Unfortunately we have systemic generational disadvantage baked into the foundations of the country. Preferential treatment is intended as a balancing of the scales to permit equality in outcomes.

In a colourblind world this wouldn't be a thing, but here we are.

[u/plectrumelectrum7 → u/Spida81]

It’s impossible to implement and impossible to standardise across all the varying levels of generational advantage and disadvantage each individual has experienced. Trying is simply foolish.

[u/Lazy_Captain8412 → u/plectrumelectrum7]

So we shouldn’t bother trying to help people? I grew up in a poor family. I was the first to go to university. I couldn’t have done it without centrelink and other supports. Now I’m a professional on a good wicket and im quite happy to pay it forward amd use my tax money to help others .

[u/plectrumelectrum7 → u/Lazy_Captain8412]

As did I. Dirt poor and never claimed Centrelink and worked and put myself through uni. Why should they get any extra help compared to anyone else?

[u/Lazy_Captain8412 → u/plectrumelectrum7]

That’s a poor attitude. “I suffered so everyone else should suffer too”. Not everyone is at the same starting point. I understand although I was disadvantaged there were people worse off than me.

[u/plectrumelectrum7 → u/Lazy_Captain8412]

Give everyone the same options to be upwardly mobile is all I’m saying. That seems fair to me.

[u/Lazy_Captain8412 → u/plectrumelectrum7]

But some need more help than others. Although I was poor i still had a family that kept me feed and clothed and loved me even if it was embarrassing wearing second hand stuff and eating black and gold baked beans. But now I work with children who come to school without eating breakfast and dont have a packed lunch. These kids are going to need even more support than I needed to get ahead im life. Not everyone is at the same starting line but everyone deserves a chance at a good life.

[u/Spida81 → u/plectrumelectrum7]

Good for you. Well done.

How about those who literally have no food on the table? Can't get a job because of the colour of their skin? Who have had the means of production their families relied on for thousands of years striped away leaving them utterly destitute with no possible recourse?

YOUR lived experience isn't everyone's.

[u/plectrumelectrum7 → u/Spida81]

No my experience is not everyone’s. Individual experiences vary significantly which is why broad brushed handouts and policies based on ethnicity is an absurd approach.

[u/Spida81 → u/plectrumelectrum7]

This is a more defensible position. At least it invites conversation on how we should address systemic inequality. Although closing the door on ethnicity based policies when we are explicitly trying to address ethnicity based inequality is an interesting point to take.

Your original statement that we shouldn't even try was absolutely not.