Public Hearings

Descendants Day Hearing: 4 September

Non-Indigenous witnesses will give evidence to Victoria’s truth-telling process about State’s colonial past at a Descendants Day hearing at Yoorrook Justice Commission.

Witnesses

Elizabeth Balderstone
Katrina Kell
Peter Sharp
View Evidence
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Date: 4 September

Topic: History

Public Hearings: 24 June – 26 June 2024

The purpose of these hearings was to gather evidence from the Treasurer, Minister for Housing and representatives of First Nations businesses in Victoria.

Witnesses

Aunty Muriel Bamblett
Ian Hamm
Karen Milward
Michelle Evans
Paul Briggs
Sarah Gafforini
The Hon. Harriet Shing MP
The Hon. Tim Pallas MP
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Date: 24 June – 26 June

Topic: Economic prosperity

Topic: Housing

Public Hearings: 17 June – 21 June 2024

The purpose of these hearings was to gather evidence from the Minister for Mental Health, Minister for the Pervention of Family Violence, Minister for Health, and senior health bureaucrats.

Witnesses

Dr Clare Looker
Dr Melanie Heenan
Jodie Geissler
Katherine Whetton
Professor Euan Wallace
The Hon. Ingrid Stitt MP
The Hon. Mary-Anne Thomas MP
The Hon. Vicki Ward MP
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Date: 17 June – 21 June

Topic: Education

Topic: Health

Topic: Housing

Public Hearings: 13 June – 14 June 2024

The purpose of these hearings was to gather evidence from the Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, Secretary of the Department of jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions, and Public Sector Commissioner and First Peoples experts in mental health and family violence.

Witnesses

Associate Professor Graham Gee
Aunty Nellie Flagg
Commissioner Brigid Monagle
Djirra
The Hon. Ben Carroll MP
Tim Ada
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
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Date: 13 June – 14 June

Topic: Education

Topic: Health

Topic: Housing

Public Hearings: 3 June – 7 June 2024

The purpose of these public hearings was to gather evidence from Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations; the Vice-Chancellors of Monash University, the University of Melbourne and Deakin University; and senior public servants about systemic social injustice against First Peoples in Victoria.

Witnesses

Alan Brown
Alinta Williams
Anthony Craig
Associate Professor Andrew Peters
Associate Professor Nikki Moodie
Commissioner Liana Buchanan
Commissioner Meena Singh
Dallas Widdicombe
Dannii de Kretser
Darren Smith
Deakin University
Dr Heather Holst
Dr Lois Peeler
Elias Jarvis
Hayley McQuire
Jarvis Atkinson
Jenny Atta
Jenny Samms
Mati Keynes
Monash University
Peta McCammon
Professor Wendy Stone
Simon Flagg
Stephen Fraser
University of Melbourne
Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc
Victorian Aboriginal Health Service
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Date: 3 June – 7 June

Topic: Education

Topic: Health

Topic: Housing

Public Hearings: 27 May – 31 May 2024

The purpose of these public hearings was to gather evidence from Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, academics and the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria about systemic social injustice against First Peoples in Victoria.

Witnesses

Aunty Jill Gallagher
Lisa Briggs
Michael Graham
Nerita Waight
Ngarra Murray
Professor Raymond Lovett
Rueben Berg
Sheree Lowe
View Evidence
Close up hands performing a smoking ceremony at a Welcome to Country.

Date: 27 May - 31 May

Topic: Education

Topic: Health

Topic: Housing

Public Hearings: 29 April – 3 May 2024

The purpose of these public hearings was to gather evidence from the Premier of Victoria, the Hon. Jacinta Allan MP and representatives from the Uniting, Anglican and Catholic churches on injustices against First Peoples.

Witnesses

Anglican Church
Catholic Church
The Hon. Jacinta Allan MP
Uniting Church in Australia
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Close up of a scar tree with the Murray river in the background near Robinvale

Date: 29 - 3 May

Topic: Land Injustice

Public Hearings: 22 April – 26 April 2024

The purpose of these public hearings was to gather evidence from Traditional Owners, Government Ministers and academics on injustices against First Peoples related to land, sky and waters.

Witnesses

Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations
First Nations Clean Energy Network
John (Trakka) Clarke
Katherine Mullet
Matthew Shanks
Mick Bourke
Minda Murray
Nick Llewellyn-Jones
Professor John Burrows
Rebecca Halliday
Sonja Dare
The Hon. Harriet Shing MP
The Hon. Lily D'Ambrosio MP
Uncle Brendan Kennedy
Uncle Gary Murray
View Evidence
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Date: 22 - 26 April

Topic: Land Injustice

Public Hearings: 15 April – 18 April 2024

The purpose of these public hearings was to hear evidence from Traditional Owners, Government Ministers and academics on injustices against First Peoples related to land, sky and waters.

Witnesses

Aunty Marjorie Thorpe
Craig Sandy
Dr Erin O’Donnell
Dr Julia Hurst
Dr Katie O’Bryan
Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations
First Nations Legal and Research Services
Karen Jackson
Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations
Ngarra Murray
Rueben Berg
The Hon. Natalie Hutchins MP
The Hon. Steve Dimopoulos MP
Uncle Graham Atkinson
View Evidence
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Date: 15 - 18 April

Topic: Land Injustice