Australia news live: nation's first Indigenous treaty passes Victorian parliament: Coalition to meet on net zero policy

Australia has achieved a historic milestone with the passage of its first Indigenous treaty in the Victorian parliament. The bill, which establishes the First Peoples' Assembly as a permanent representative body to provide advice to government, was passed 21 votes to 16 just before 9pm on Thursday.

The treaty makes Victoria the first state in the country to adopt voice, treaty and truth – the three pillars of reform requested in the 2017 Uluru statement from the heart. The bill has been hailed as a significant step towards reconciliation and recognition of Indigenous rights.

Ngarra Murray, co-chair of the First Peoples' Assembly, described the moment as "historic" and said it would be told to future generations as a story of Aboriginal resilience and activism that led to Australia's first treaty.

The establishment of the Gellung Warl corporation will provide a permanent forum for Indigenous voices to shape policies and services. The Nyerna Yoorrook Telkuna truth-telling body and Nginma Ngainga Wara accountability body will also be established, providing additional mechanisms for Indigenous representation and oversight.

This development comes as Coalition MPs meet in Canberra today for their crunch meeting on net zero policy, with Sussan Ley attempting to steer the party towards a more centrist position. Meanwhile, independent MP Zali Steggall is hosting a roundtable meeting with Climate Change Authority boss Matt Kean, which will discuss Australia's energy policy and climate change.

In other news, a study by the Parliamentary Library found that teachers in Australia lose over $11 billion annually due to unpaid work. The analysis assumes teachers work 50 hours a week but are paid for only 38.

The passage of the treaty has been met with cheers and tears from the public gallery, with Labor, Greens, Legalise Cannabis, and Animal Justice party MPs who supported the bill applauding.

OMG I'm so glad Australia is finally taking steps in the right direction towards reconciliation ! This treaty is a huge deal and I'm loving how it's giving Indigenous voices a platform to shape policies . It's about time we acknowledged their struggles and worked together to create change . The fact that they've included truth-telling and accountability measures is also super important, it's all about transparency and trust . Now let's see if our leaders can follow through on this and make some real progress

omg can't believe it's finally happening! Australia is taking a huge step towards reconciliation . I've been following this for years and it's amazing to see the progress being made. The fact that Victoria is leading the way with its first treaty is huge . It's about time we acknowledge the histories and struggles of our Indigenous friends.

I'm so glad to hear that Ngarra Murray is co-chair of the First Peoples' Assembly, I've been following her work for ages . This is such an important moment in Australia's history and it's going to be told for generations to come! The fact that there are now permanent forums for Indigenous voices to shape policies and services is a massive win .

But seriously, this treaty is just the beginning. We need more states to follow suit and we need more action on climate change . I'm loving that Zali Steggall is pushing for a roundtable meeting with Climate Change Authority boss Matt Kean .

And can we talk about how unfair it is that teachers are losing out on so much money? $11 billion annually is a huge amount of cash . We need to do better by our educators and support them more.

I'm kinda torn about this treaty thing... I mean, it's a huge step forward for Indigenous rights and all that , but at the same time, I'm worried it might create more bureaucracy than we need . Like, do we really need another layer of government to oversee everything? Can't they just work with the existing system? But then again, maybe that's exactly what's needed – a permanent voice for Indigenous peoples in our parliament . And honestly, I'm also kinda skeptical about the whole "treaty" thing... is it really gonna lead to tangible change or just more of the same old stuff? Still, I guess it's a start and we can't deny the emotion and pride that's behind this bill .

OMG, this is literally so inspiring! I'm beyond proud to see Australia finally taking a step towards reconciliation and recognition of Indigenous rights The fact that they've passed their first treaty in the Victorian parliament is a huge deal, and I love how it's been described as "historic" It's amazing to think that this moment will be told to future generations as a story of Aboriginal resilience and activism Ngarra Murray's words just made me emotional And can we talk about how this development comes at a time when our politicians are finally starting to listen to the people I'm not going to lie, I've been following this issue for ages, and it's so satisfying to see progress being made Let's keep pushing forward and making sure that Indigenous voices are heard loud and clear

what's up with this treaty thingy? like, I get that it's a big deal for Indigenous people but what does it actually change? is it just another government promise or can we really see some real action happening here? and btw, $11 billion lost by teachers due to unpaid work? how did they even calculate that? and who's responsible for this? the gov't?

What's up everyone ? Just saw the news about Australia finally passing its first Indigenous treaty in Victorian parliament it's a huge deal! Been years of campaigning by Indigenous Australians and their allies, and to see this moment finally happen is just amazing . The fact that Victoria is now leading the way for other states to follow is a great sign of progress . I'm not surprised to hear Sussan Ley trying to steer the Coalition towards a more centrist position though . The real question is, what's next? Are we going to see more state governments following suit? Will this be a game changer for Indigenous Australians and Australian society as a whole? So many questions .

I'm seeing so much positivity here! The fact that Australia is finally taking steps towards reconciliation and recognition of Indigenous rights is a huge deal . It's like, we've been talking about this for ages, but to see it actually happen is just amazing . And the fact that Ngarra Murray is calling it "historic" and telling stories about Aboriginal resilience is just so powerful . I'm also loving that this treaty includes these pillars of reform: voice, treaty, and truth - it's all about centering Indigenous voices and perspectives . Can we talk about how long it took us to get here though? Like, 2017 was already a big step forward, but it feels like we're still just scratching the surface ...

I'm hyped that Vic's finally got a treaty in place , but we gotta keep it real - this is just the beginning . We need more states to follow suit and actually implement the changes we've been asking for. It's all about momentum now . The fact that they're setting up these permanent bodies for Indigenous voices to shape policies is a major win , but let's not forget about the real players - the ones who are actually doing the work in the communities .

And can we talk about the teachers' study for a sec? $11 billion lost annually? That's wild . We need to make sure our educators get the recognition and support they deserve . It's time for some serious policy changes, not just empty promises .

man I'm so hyped about this Australia finally did it! a real treaty for the first time ever, it's like they're taking steps in the right direction. the fact that it was made possible by the First Peoples' Assembly and Ngarra Murray is everything this is what it means to be a leader, to listen and to amplify the voices of those who need to be heard most.

and meanwhile on another note, $11 billion is just insane teachers in Australia are being robbed blind, it's not even funny anymore. when will we get our priorities straight?

just saw that Australia finally did it! first Indigenous treaty passed in the parliament it's about time we acknowledge the rights of the First Peoples. 21-16 ain't bad either . I'm glad to see some real change happening, not just words on a page. Now let's hope they actually listen to the Ngarra Murray and co-chair of the First Peoples' Assembly .