EXCLUSIVE: Jacinta Nampijinpa Price warns $533,000 job to advance treaty and truth in Victoria is a taste of what’s to come under the Voice: ‘We know it will cost us’

By William On Aug 21, 2023

Dan Andrews’ department is promoting a role that helps promote treaty and truth-telling in Victoria with a massive reward package of up to $533,431.

Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply for the position, which will be a fixed term of up to five years.

The role – Assistant Secretary of the First Peoples State Relations Group – will provide executive leadership and strategy to the Victorian Government to create practical solutions to emerging policy issues.

The ad describes the work as an “exciting opportunity to be part of the advancement of First People’s cultural rights, land justice, self-determination, treaty and truth.”

A successful candidate will earn a total compensation package of anywhere from $410,018 to $533,431, depending on their experience and negotiations.

Voice to Parliament None campaigner and Opposition Minister Jacinta Nampijinpa Price told Daily Mail Australia that the vacancy raises questions about how much an advisor to a potential Voice to Parliament could earn.

Dan Andrews’ department is promoting a role helping to promote treaty and truth-telling in Victoria with a massive reward package of up to $533,431

“We don’t have a lot of details about the divisive Voice, but we know it’s going to cost us,” she said.

The only question is how much. Australians want to know… how much their leaders will be paid, especially given that we are the ones footing the bill.

Aussies have plenty to worry about with mortgages and rent, food and fuel all going up. We want to know how much extra the divisive Voice will actually cost.”

And the Fair Australia campaign on Twitter said, ‘Wonder how much of the vote will the president get? Put your house on it more than most Australians (if you can still afford the mortgage!)’

But a Yes campaign source argued that this is nothing more than “more misinformation from the No campaign, and it is on purpose.”

“This is a position within the Victorian public service – it has nothing to do with the referendum and should not be merged.”

The insider wondered if the No campaign was suggesting that ‘Aboriginal people don’t belong at higher levels of the Victorian public service?’

Victoria is relatively advanced in treaty talks, most advanced in Australia after the formal process began in 2016.

Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply for the position, which will be a fixed term of up to five years

The role – Deputy Secretary of the First Peoples State Relations Group – will provide executive leadership and strategy to the Victorian Government to create practical solutions to emerging policy issues

Even still, insiders say the state is at least 10 years away from finalizing treaties or reaching a resolution.

The ideal candidate for the position has “knowledge and understanding of the policies, laws and frameworks of Aboriginal affairs, including treaty and truth-telling best practices.”

They are expected to provide and coordinate strategic policy analysis and advice directly to Dan Andrews as Prime Minister, as well as to the Secretary of State for Treaty and First Peoples, currently Gabrielle Williams.

This will extend to all other ministers involved in issues related to the First Peoples State Relations Group.

The job description does not specify how many years of experience a candidate must have, nor whether specific formal qualifications are required. Daily Mail Australia has asked Pipeline Talent for clarification.

The successful candidate must also work closely with key stakeholders including the First Peoples Assembly.

Former First Peoples Assembly co-chairs include Marcus Stewart and Aunt Geraldine Atkinson, both of whom chose not to contest again this year as they work on the official Yes campaign for the referendum.

Mr Stewart recently accused Ms Nampijinpa Price of ‘hating’ Aboriginal people and is also the husband of Labor Senator Jana Stewart, a fierce Voice advocate

Mr Stewart recently accused Ms Nampijinpa Price of ‘hating’ Aboriginal people and is also the husband of Labor Senator Jana Stewart, a fierce Voice advocate.

As part of the role with the Victorian First Peoples State Relations Group, the candidate will be required to ‘support Victoria’s work on truth and promoting self-determination and treaty’.

The government is looking for an employee who has demonstrable experience of working at such a high level within complex organizations and leading projects.

They are also looking for “proven influencing, negotiation and relationship management skills in an environment that requires highly developed interpersonal skills, and a proven capacity for highly effective communication with a range of government and non-governmental stakeholders.”

The ideal candidate will also have an understanding of working within government and with Aboriginal communities.

While several states, including Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory have already started discussing treaties in recent years, the issue is at the forefront of Australians’ minds with the upcoming referendum.

The Albanian government has done everything it can to reassure the public that the vote – and the question they will be asked in the referendum – is not a treaty.

A government spokesperson reiterated to Daily Mail Australia today that a Voice ‘is not about more bureaucracy or politicians; it’s the opposite’.

“We’re all better off if governments don’t spend taxpayers’ money on things that don’t work. Politicians don’t know best – we get better results when we listen to people.

‘A Voice helps us listen to the local population and save money.’

Indigenous vote to parliament None campaigner and opposition minister for Indigenous affairs Jacinta Nampijinpa Price told Daily Mail Australia the vacancy raises questions about how much an adviser to a potential vote in parliament could earn

The Uluru Declaration from the Heart, which Labor has vowed to fully implement, calls for treaty and truth-telling following a constitutionally enshrined vote.

Any treaties the Australian government is now entering into are unlikely to be finalized for decades to come.

There are some schools of thought suggesting that treaties could cost the Australian public hundreds of millions of dollars.

It remains unclear how many treaties may arise.

There are estimates suggesting that the state of Queensland alone owes First Nations people ‘up to $500 million’ in ‘stolen wages’ dating back to the 1800s when some governments held First Nations wages in trust accounts only to later refuse the money to be transferred .

Many of New Zealand’s treaties – of which there are about 80 – reportedly cost between the tens of millions and hundreds of millions each. Costs varied depending on the number of people killed on each plot and the amount of land seized.

The pitfalls of treaties: ‘It takes two to tango’

Constitutional lawyer Shireen Morris, at a panel discussion in Sydney last week, blasted “progressive no” voters – such as Lidia Thorpe – who believe a treaty should be the priority before a Voice.

While a treaty is one of the key components of the Uluru Declaration from the Heart and is an element supported by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Dr Morris said it should not be treated as a ‘silver bullet’ that solves all the problems for Indigenous nations will resolve.

‘Look around the world. Treaties have not been silver bullets,’ said Dr Morris.

“Most of them have been violated because the Crown, the colonizer, is the more powerful party. They kept promises.

A treaty is subject to political whims, but the Voice cannot be taken away by future governments. No one can take it away.’

In the “practical reality,” Dr Morris said there is no guarantee that future governments will honor or comply with a treaty, even if the Albanian government were to sign one.

“Treaty is agreement,” she said. It takes two to tango.

“If a government doesn’t come to the table to negotiate a treaty, nothing will happen. There is a misconception among the progressive left that a treaty is better, stronger.’