Reckoning with Colonial Legacies of Harm: Victoria's Yoorrook Justice Commission.

This article focuses on the Yoorrook Justice Commission, established by the State of Victoria in 2021 as Australia’s first formal truth-telling and treaty process addressing historical and ongoing injustices against Indigenous Victorians since colonization. The Commission, empowered as a Royal Commission and guided by Indigenous ownership and cultural autonomy, investigates systemic harms including dispossession, child removal, and racialized policing, aiming to create an official public record and recommend structural reforms. Unlike previous national inquiries and reconciliation efforts, which were often limited, fragmented, or politically constrained, Yoorrook integrates Indigenous perspectives and holds state institutions accountable, marking a significant transitional justice initiative in Australia. While challenges remain in translating truth-telling into widespread societal awareness and substantive reform, the Commission sets a precedent for other Australian jurisdictions and contributes to broader discussions on Indigenous self-determination and treaty-making.