Aboriginal group condemns slow progress on treaty talks

Inviting “shonky” Aboriginal organisations to participate in a “one-sided” treaty and truth-telling process doomed the exercise to failure, the Aboriginal Land Council says.

INVITING “shonky” Aboriginal organisations to participate in a “one-sided” treaty and truth-telling process doomed the exercise to failure, the Aboriginal Land Council says.

Council chairman Michael Mansell said the State of the State address to parliament by Premier Gutwein on Tuesday was a real setback for Reconciliation, Treaty and Truth-Telling.

“The Premier has got off on the wrong foot with treaty,” he said.

“We had expected the Premier’s address to state what content the government might include in a treaty – land, empowerment, guaranteed revenue, compensation and reparations, and social, cultural and education improvement.

Michael Mansell

“While we support the Premier’s comments that Aborigines must drive negotiations from our side, it was strange for Mr Gutwein to declare that the government would decide who represents Aboriginal people by inviting all registered Aboriginal organisations, including the shonky ones, to nominate to the government sit on yet another advisory body.”

On Tuesday, Mr Gutwein said he hoped the all Aboriginal groups would be part of the process the government had outline in the State of the State address.

A number of Aboriginal people walked out of the Parliament’s public gallery during the address,.

“I hope the TAC, which is one Aboriginal corporation out of 22 in the state, would come to the table,” Mr Gutwein said.

“The government is going forward with goodwill, and we need to work with the Tasmanian Aboriginal people to co-design the processes moving forward.

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“It’s very important that the Tasmanian Aboriginal people play a part in this.

“Now it surprises me that in terms of the eligibility processes that were put in place around five years ago now that term that would be a reason for them to walk away.”

But Mr Mansell said consultation had been patchy and progress slow.

“There is no reason why the government has not already installed a Truth-Telling Commission. Victoria has had such a body for two years.

“Although it was pleasing to hear the Premier say that further steps toward a commission should be taken, we are no further advanced than we were 12 months ago when the Premier mooted the idea. Instead of real action, we get more statements of intent.

“This agenda is disappointingly some distance from where Aborigines expected government to be.”

Members of the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Communities Alliance were pleased by the premier’s announcement, Alliance co-chair Aunty Patsy Cameron said.

“Our members are delighted the Premier has heard the voices of Aboriginal people from all across the State and has made this commitment to meaningful co-design with Aboriginal people at its heart for the next steps for Truth Telling and Treaty,” she said.

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Originally published as Aboriginal group condemns slow progress on treaty talks