Dear Prime Minister Albanese,

You promised to walk with us on the journey of truth and treaty. We are asking you to begin honouring that promise by taking real, concrete steps toward justice for the Traditional Owners of this land. Words are not enough — we need action that centres First Nations voices, respects sovereignty, and acknowledges the full truth of this country’s history.

We, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this land, are calling for truth, justice, and treaty. For over 230 years, we have endured the theft of our lands, the denial of our sovereignty, and the ongoing impacts of colonisation. We have fought in wars, contributed to the economy, built this country, and survived missions, dispossession, and government control. Many of us are working, paying taxes, raising families, and actively contributing to society — yet we are still denied the justice, compensation, and recognition we deserve.

Our ancestors died waiting for justice — for land to be returned, for reparations, and for acknowledgement of our rights. Meanwhile, the generational wealth that non-Indigenous Australians have passed down was systematically denied to us. The consequences of this injustice continue to impact our families, children, and communities today.

We are deeply frustrated that the systems meant to support us often disempower us. Trusts, corporations, and government-controlled bodies frequently take a large share of the resources meant for Traditional Owners, while many of our people receive little or nothing. Too often, our land and wealth are handed over to big corporations instead of being returned to the rightful custodians. This must stop.

The legacy of exclusion continues to deny us access to the economic foundations of this country. Our people have been locked out of land ownership, decision-making, and the ability to build intergenerational wealth — all while our land is exploited for profit.

Native Title is not enough. It is a narrow, colonial legal framework that forces us to prove our connection to land through a system that displaced us in the first place. It does not return sovereignty. It does not empower communities. It asks us to give up too much for too little, while governments and companies continue to benefit from what was taken from us.

The world is watching. Australia has legal and moral obligations under international law to end the ongoing cultural and economic harm caused by colonisation. It is time to move beyond the limitations of Native Title and commit to a just, fair, and honest process.

A Treaty is not a symbolic gesture — it is a practical necessity. A treaty means recognising our sovereignty, returning power and control to our communities, and ensuring resources and compensation reach our people directly. It means ending the exploitation of our land and stopping the flow of our wealth to corporations and bureaucracies.

We speak for our Elders, our children, and the generations yet to come. We should not have to keep waiting. Our children deserve to live in a country that honours their ancestors, respects their rights, and supports their futures.

The time for justice is now. Stop giving our money and land to corporations. Start giving it back to the rightful owners. Begin Treaty negotiations now — no more waiting, no more broken promises. We want Treaty. We want it now.