In a historic and deeply sobering revelation, the Yoorrook Justice Commission has found that British colonists committed genocide against Australia’s Indigenous population in Victoria, a state in southeastern Australia. The Commission’s landmark report, which was released after years of investigation, has shed light on the extent of violence, disease, and systemic injustice that resulted in the near-destruction of Victoria’s Aboriginal communities following European settlement. This conclusion has sparked both national and international outcry, prompting renewed calls for reconciliation and justice for Australia’s First Nations people.
The Yoorrook Justice Commission, established in 2021 as Australia’s first formal “truth-telling” inquiry, was tasked with investigating the historical and ongoing injustices suffered by Indigenous Australians in Victoria. Over a four-year period, the Commission heard from hundreds of people, gathering testimonies, examining historical evidence, and delving into issues ranging from land and water rights to cultural violations, killings, and genocide. The inquiry aimed to give voice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, providing them with the opportunity to share their stories and seek accountability for the injustices they continue to endure.
The findings of the Yoorrook Justice Commission have sent shockwaves through the Australian public. According to the report, violence and disease dramatically reduced the Indigenous population of Victoria by three-quarters in the two decades following British colonization, which began in the early 1830s. The population, which stood at around 60,000 before European settlement, was decimated to just 15,000 by 1851. The Commission’s report attributes this catastrophic decline to a combination of mass killings, disease, sexual violence, land dispossession, cultural erasure, environmental degradation, and the forced removal of children from their families.
The report’s conclusion is unequivocal: “This was genocide.” It outlines in detail the violent methods used to subjugate and eliminate Indigenous people in Victoria, citing accounts of massacres, forced displacement, and systemic efforts to destroy the cultural and social fabric of Aboriginal communities. The Commission’s findings highlight the brutal nature of the colonization process, where the primary goal was not just territorial expansion but the eradication of Indigenous populations and cultures.
The Commission’s report, which is based on over two months of public hearings and more than 1,300 submissions, is a profound acknowledgment of the pain and suffering endured by Aboriginal people in Victoria and across Australia. The report calls for “redress” to address the human rights violations that have occurred, including reparations, public apologies, and institutional reforms. Among the recommendations is a significant overhaul of the education system to include more input from Indigenous communities and ensure that the history of Australia’s Indigenous peoples is taught truthfully and comprehensively. The report also calls for an apology for the exclusion of Aboriginal soldiers from post-war land grants, highlighting the systemic racism and neglect faced by these veterans after their service in the World Wars.
Another critical finding of the Commission’s investigation is the pervasive racism within Victoria’s healthcare system. The report states that racism is “endemic” in the system and calls for increased funding for Indigenous health services, along with policies aimed at hiring more Aboriginal staff in healthcare settings. This finding underscores the continued marginalization of Indigenous Australians, even in areas as essential as healthcare, where they face significant barriers to access and quality of care.
While the report’s findings have been widely supported by Indigenous leaders and human rights organizations, there was some dissent within the Commission itself. Three of the five commissioners—Sue-Anne Hunter, Maggie Walter, and Anthony North—did not approve of the inclusion of certain key findings, though no further details have been provided about their objections. Despite this internal disagreement, the report’s overall conclusion regarding genocide has been accepted by most as a crucial step toward acknowledging the past and addressing the harms done to Indigenous people in Victoria and beyond.
In response to the report, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said that the government would “carefully consider” the findings, acknowledging the “hard truths” it brings to light. “This report shines a light on the history we cannot ignore,” she said, signaling the government’s commitment to engaging with the recommendations, although it is unclear what concrete actions will be taken in the near future.
Jill Gallagher, the head of the peak body for Aboriginal health and wellbeing in Victoria, strongly supported the report’s findings, describing the genocide finding as “indisputable.” She emphasized the importance of all Victorians coming to terms with these historical facts. “We don’t blame anyone alive today for these atrocities,” she said. “But it is the responsibility of those of us alive today to accept that truth. All Victorians must accept, recognize, and reconcile with these factual findings.”
The Yoorrook Justice Commission’s findings have sparked a broader conversation about the need for reconciliation in Australia. Despite the long history of Indigenous activism, this report represents a pivotal moment in the national dialogue about how to properly recognize and address the historical and ongoing mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Commission’s efforts are part of a larger movement that seeks to provide Indigenous Australians with greater political power, recognition, and control over their land and culture.
However, the findings also highlight the ongoing challenges in achieving true reconciliation. Although similar inquiries have been conducted in other Australian states, the pace of progress varies significantly depending on the political climate. In Queensland, for example, a truth-telling inquiry was canceled after a change in government, illustrating the difficulty in gaining bipartisan support for such initiatives.
The report’s findings are part of a broader national debate on how best to recognize Australia’s Indigenous peoples. In October 2023, Australians voted against a historic referendum that would have created an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, a national body that would advise the government on issues affecting Indigenous communities. The rejection of this referendum has raised questions about the willingness of mainstream Australia to truly engage with its Indigenous history and make meaningful changes to address the ongoing disadvantages faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
As the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s report makes clear, the violence and destruction inflicted upon Indigenous communities in Victoria is part of a broader pattern of colonial violence that continues to have lasting effects on Indigenous peoples today. The findings of the report provide a crucial opportunity to acknowledge this painful history and begin the work of healing and justice. It is now up to the Australian government and society as a whole to take responsibility for the past and move forward in a way that respects the rights and dignity of Indigenous peoples.
The Yoorrook Justice Commission’s report will undoubtedly serve as a cornerstone for future debates on reconciliation, reparations, and justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It offers a chance for Australia to come to terms with its past, make amends, and work toward a more just and equitable future for all its citizens.
