First Peoples in Victoria have been clear and consistent in the call for truth-telling as an essential part of the Treaty process. In June 2020, building on generations of advocacy, the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria (Assembly) called on the State to establish a formal truth and justice process. In response and in partnership with the Assembly, The Victorian Government established the Yoorrook Justice Commission (Commission) in May 2021.
The Yoorrook Justice Commission
Named after the Wemba Wemba / Wamba Wamba word for truth, the Yoorrook Justice Commission was established as a Royal Commission under the Inquiries Act 2014. It had a broad and unprecedented mandate to hear, record and address the truths of First Peoples' experiences of the systemic injustice from colonisation to today. The commission operated independently from government and is different to any other Royal Commission or inquiry undertaken in Australia because of its unique truth-telling purpose.
The Commission was Aboriginal-led, with four of the five serving commissioners being First Peoples at all times.
Throughout its four-year inquiry, the Commission:
- received more than 1,300 submissions from individuals and organsations.
- held 65 public hearing days with more than 200 witnesses.
- delivered three interim reports and one final report, containing a total of 148 recommendations for reform.
Reports, findings and recommendations
The Commission investigated First Peoples’ experiences of injustice in child protection, criminal justice, land, education, health, housing, economic prosperity, political life and access to records. This broad inquiry produced three interim reports and one final report:
- Yoorrook with Purpose (July 2022), which made two recommendations relating to the Commission’s operation and administration.
- Yoorrook for Justice (August 2023), which made 46 recommendations for reform of the criminal justice and child protection systems.
- Yoorrook for Transformation (June 2025), which made 100 recommendations in relation to its land and social injustice lines of inquiry.
- Yoorrook: Truth Be Told (June 2025), which contained an official public record based on First Peoples’ experiences of systemic injustice since the start of colonisation in Victoria.
- The Commission concluded with the delivery of its final report, Truth Be Told, to the Governor and the Co-Chairs of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria in June 2025. The Commission's final reports were tabled in Parliament and publicly released on 1 July 2025.
- All the Commission’s reports are publicly available on the Yoorrook website.(opens in a new window)
Hard copies of the Commission’s final report and official public record, Truth Be Told, may be accessed at the State Library Victoria. Copies may also be available at your local public library, as the Victorian Government has distributed more than 250 copies of Truth Be Told to libraries across the state.
State response to the Yoorrook Justice Commission
The State engaged openly and transparently with the Commission throughout its four-year inquiry. Former Premier the Hon. Jacinta Allan, 14 Ministers and the former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police all appeared before the Commission. The government provided over 7000 documents to the Commission in response to Notices to Produce and 20 State witnesses provided written statements.
The Victorian Government has implemented the two recommendations from Yoorrook with Purpose. The Government provided an initial response to Yoorrook for Justice(opens in a new window) in April 2024 and an Implementation Progress Report(opens in a new window) in October 2024. Government is considering and will respond to the recommendations from Yoorrook for Transformation in due course.
Treaty and Truth
The work of the Commission helps us understand our history from the perspective of First Peoples, how it impacts on the present, and how Treaty can be the pathway to practical changes and solutions. The Commission’s findings and recommendations have informed the Treaty negotiation process.
You can find out more about Victoria’s Treaty process here.
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