First the Talk. Now the Walk.

Accountability around the harms caused by the so-called ‘Half-Caste Act’, passed in Victoria in 1886

“I think it’s really important that the ‘Half-Caste Act’ is scrutinised as a policy that had a significant intergenerational impact. It stopped us from being able to practice our culture, our language and ceremonies. It stopped us from gathering at important cultural sites, and it disconnected us from our family, clans and kinship structures.”

Gunai, Yorta Yorta, Gunditjmara, Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung man Alister Thorpe calls for accountability around the harms caused by the so-called ‘Half-Caste Act’, passed in Victoria in 1886.

We can’t change the truth of our past, but by accepting and understanding it, we can walk forward together to a better shared future. For First Peoples and all Victorians.

First the talk. Now the walk. The true path forward starts here.

Recent Videos

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Aunty Eva-Jo Edwards shares her painful and disconnected experience of being taken into institutions growing up

Jun 23, 2025
Child protection system
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Aunty Muriel Bamblett speaks on the lack of government accountability surrounding massacres and child removals.

Jun 23, 2025
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Gomeroi woman Dr Nikki Moodie shares the importance of Country

Jun 13, 2025
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Ebony Phillips on the need for systemic change that continues to impact First Peoples families today

Jun 13, 2025
Child protection system
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Jarvis Atkinson shares how the lack of support and exclusion in school impacted his life

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Rueben Berg, Gunditjmara, shares the deep connection to the environment and to the land shown by his ancestors and passed down to First Peoples through the generations

Jun 13, 2025
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Nerita Waight

Nerita Waight shares the strength of First Peoples and ongoing connection to culture, community and Country

Jun 13, 2025
Land Injustice
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Paul Paton, Monero Ngorigo and Gunai, shares how Country includes family, culture, language, customs and spiritual beliefs

Jun 13, 2025
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Gunditjmara and Yorta Yorta woman Keicha Day talks about the connection between historical truth and liberation

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Truth-telling

More First the Talk. Now the Walk.

Through Yoorrook, meaning ‘truth’ in Wamba Wamba language, over the past four years people across Victoria have shared their truths as evidence.

Now we invite everyone to listen and learn from the truths Yoorrook has heard.

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Accountability around the harms caused by the so-called ‘Half-Caste Act’, passed in Victoria in 1886

Gunai, Yorta Yorta, Gunditjmara, Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung man Alister Thorpe calls for accountability around the harms caused by the so-called ‘Half-Caste Act’, passed in Victoria in 1886.
Jun 23, 2025
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Aunty Eva-Jo Edwards shares her painful and disconnected experience of being taken into institutions growing up

Boon Wurrung/Bunurong, Yorta Yorta, Mutti Mutti woman Aunty Eva-Jo Edwards shares her painful and disconnected experience of being taken into institutions growing up.
Jun 23, 2025
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Aunty Muriel Bamblett speaks on the lack of government accountability surrounding massacres and child removals.

Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurung, Boon Wurrung Elder Aunty Muriel Bamblett speaks on the lack of government accountability surrounding massacres and child removals. She asks why nothing is being done.
Jun 23, 2025
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Gomeroi woman Dr Nikki Moodie shares the importance of Country

“All First Nations around the world are purposeful peoples. Teaching the next generation how to care for Country by caring for the stories and the languages that come from land is our purpose. Our purpose is to care for the land and our right to do so has been denied.”
Jun 13, 2025
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Ebony Phillips on the need for systemic change that continues to impact First Peoples families today

“Since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, the rate of Aboriginal deaths in custody has risen.”
Jun 13, 2025
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Jarvis Atkinson shares how the lack of support and exclusion in school impacted his life

“It really stood out to me how other children, how they were treated compares to how I seen my cousins get treated and how I was treated.”
Jun 13, 2025
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Rueben Berg, Gunditjmara, shares the deep connection to the environment and to the land shown by his ancestors and passed down to First Peoples through the generations

“Our ancestors worked out you don’t need the whole tree. If you wanted a canoe one choice is you could go and chop down a tree and you could make a canoe, but then there is no more tree left.”
Jun 13, 2025
Nerita Waight

Nerita Waight shares the strength of First Peoples and ongoing connection to culture, community and Country

“Terrible things have been done to us throughout the last 230 years of colonisation”
Jun 13, 2025
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Paul Paton, Monero Ngorigo and Gunai, shares how Country includes family, culture, language, customs and spiritual beliefs

“Land is us and we are land. Land is central to what we call Country. Country is part of us and we are part of it…”
Jun 13, 2025
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Gunditjmara and Yorta Yorta woman Keicha Day talks about the connection between historical truth and liberation

“Having all the facts means not making the same mistakes again. When we say self-determination, I just think of the end goal, which is black joy, but never forgetting how far we’ve come…”
Jun 3, 2025
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Wollithiga Elder Uncle Henry Atkinson recalls his experiences of racism and discrimination at school

“We weren’t allowed to have playtime at the same time as the other kids. We weren’t really encouraged to be good at school…”
Jun 2, 2025
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Dr Vicki Couzens, Keerray Woorroong Gunditjmara, shares the importance of Country and the impact of severing that connection on First Peoples.

“Your name, your kinship, your totems, your clans tell you who you are. They tell you how you are related to each other…”
Jun 2, 2025

Other Topics

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First the Talk. Now the Walk.

Through Yoorrook, meaning ‘truth’ in Wamba Wamba language, over the past four years people across Victoria have shared their truths as evidence. Now we invite everyone to listen and learn from the truths Yoorrook has heard.
Aunty Jill Gallagher and Commissioner Travis Lovett yarning next to the Yarra River

Walk for Truth

Yoorrook Justice Commission invites you to be part of the Walk for Truth from Portland to Parliament.
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History

Shed light on and learn the “hidden truth” of the colonisation of Victoria.
Close up hands performing a smoking ceremony at a Welcome to Country.

Housing Videos

Yoorrook heard how today’s housing crisis stems from colonisation. Darren Smith, from Aboriginal Housing Victoria, said “you can draw a line”. Learn more.
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Health Videos

Commissioners heard extensive evidence of past and ongoing racism and discrimination within Victoria’s health services, both for individuals requiring health care and Aboriginal organisations providing care. Learn more.
Aunty Jill Gallagher and Sheree Lowe discuss the health system in the Yoorrook hearing room.

Social Justice Videos

Watch what Yoorrook has heard about systemic injustice experienced by First Peoples in Victoria in relation to health, education, housing and economic life.
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Land Injustice videos

In yarns & submissions, First Peoples are telling Yoorrook about the importance of land, sky & water and the impact of colonisation. Hear what they have to say.
Jedah wearing Aboriginal Body Art outdoors infront of a fire put while discussing how the Victorian education system be improved for First Peoples

Education videos

Yoorrook is looking into the barriers First Peoples face in accessing all levels of education, as well as the racism many still endure within the system. Now is the time to have your say by making a submission.
Yoorrook For Justice: Report into Victorias child protection and criminal justice systems

Yoorrook for Justice

The Yoorrook for Justice report is the culmination of Yoorrook’s year-long inquiry into Victoria’s child protection and criminal justice systems.