Indigenous leader Warren Mundine has strongly criticised the Victorian truth telling commission’s recommendation that the government provide financial reparations, tax relief, and land grants to Indigenous Australians. He described the proposal as a “slippery slope” that risks deepening national division.
The commission, part of the Yoorrook Justice Inquiry, released its final report this week after four years of investigation into the impact of colonisation on Victoria’s First Peoples.
What the Commission Recommended
The Yoorrook report asserted that Victoria was illegally occupied and that First Nations people were subjected to genocide. It issued 100 recommendations, including:
• Reparations payments to Indigenous Australians
• Tax relief and land grants
• Revenue sharing from state-generated resources
• Recognition of Indigenous groups as sovereign nations
• Establishing a Traditional Owner organisation funded by taxpayers
The commission framed these recommendations as necessary steps to acknowledge historical injustices and move toward genuine reconciliation.
Mundine’s Response: A Warning Against Division
Warren Mundine, a high-profile Indigenous figure and former leader of the No campaign against the Voice to Parliament, argued that the commission’s recommendations do not represent the views of all Indigenous Australians.
“It is a slippery slope,” Mundine told Sky News. “It’s only a small minority, more radical Aboriginals, who are asking for this. When this starts, they ask for more and more.”
Mundine also questioned why such demands were being made in light of the High Court’s recent native title ruling, which affirmed property rights for Indigenous Australians.
Concerns About Economic and Political Implications
The commission’s proposal for Indigenous access to state revenues and sovereign recognition has sparked debate about the long-term implications of such measures.
Mundine argued that instead of uniting Australians, proposals like these risk entrenching divisions and expanding a “separate nations” framework that may not reflect the broader aspirations of many First Nations people.
What’s Next?
The Victorian government is now tasked with reviewing the Yoorrook commission’s recommendations. Whether or not it will implement reparations or structural changes remains uncertain, but the release of the final report marks a new chapter in Australia’s ongoing dialogue about truth, treaty, and justice.
As public debate continues, figures like Warren Mundine are urging a cautious approach, one that, in his view, considers unity over division and shared national progress over separation.