What happens when truth-telling becomes action? At Melbourne Writers Festival’s Making the Victorian Treaty panel, First Peoples leaders and advocates explored Victoria’s landmark Treaty and the decades of work behind it. By Alexi Freeman

At the Melbourne Writers Festival 2026, Dr. Bob Brown reclaimed the term while tracing a centuries-long tradition of environmental courage. From historic acts of sacrifice to modern campaigns protecting Tasmania’s forests, he connects past and present in a compelling call to action. By Alexi Freeman