Australia’s first Indigenous truth-telling commission will take its next historic step, with Victorian elders to formally start sharing their stories of the impacts of British colonisation.
The Yoorrook Justice Commission will open public hearings and submissions for First Nations elders from Tuesday, following its official launch last month.
The inquiry has been tasked with establishing an official public record of Indigenous experiences since the start of colonisation.
It will recommend reform and redress by June 2024 and findings will guide Victoria’s Treaty negotiations.
The first public hearings, or wurrek tyerrang, are expected to run from Tuesday to May 6 before a second block begins later in the month.
Elders were invited to speak at Yoorrook based on their direct experiences, relevant perspectives and preparedness to tell their truths in a public setting.
