British Settlers Found Guilty Of Genocide Against Indigenous Australians

A royal commission has ruled that British settlers committed genocide against Indigenous Australians in Victoria. The Yoorrook Justice Commission delivered its final report to state parliament on 1 July 2025, finding that colonists orchestrated at least 50 massacres, tore children from families, barred language and ceremony and cut the First Peoples’ population by three-quarters. Commissioners argue that these coordinated acts sought “to destroy the essential foundations” of Aboriginal life and continue to shape health, wealth and justice gaps today. 

Genocide Findings Rewrite Colonial History

The commission traced the killings to 1834, when pastoral expansion turned violent. Settlers and soldiers shot clans, poisoned wells and razed camps; official records list 978 murders, though oral testimony suggests higher tolls. 

Beyond mass death, investigators detailed cultural erasure. Missions banned Dreaming stories, languages and ceremony while Victorian law barred Aboriginal people from towns without permits. Survivors described inter-generational trauma that still fuels incarceration rates and chronic illness. Commissioner Travis Lovett called the evidence “undeniable proof of genocide under international law.” 

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Redress And Treaty Pathways Gain Momentum

Yoorrook issued 100 recommendations. It urged the state to negotiate treaties that return land, waive stamp duty on transfers to First Peoples, fund cultural revitalisation and create a permanent Indigenous decision-making body. 

Premier Jacinta Allan welcomed the report yet promised only to “consider” redress within two years, while opposition MPs questioned large payouts. Indigenous leaders counter that compensation is a legal obligation, not charity, and warned Canberra that delay would deepen mistrust. 

The finding that British settlers committed genocide against Indigenous Australians rewrites the story taught in Victorian classrooms. Whether lawmakers translate truth into treaty and tangible compensation will test Australia’s commitment to justice, and determine if this historic ruling sparks lasting change.