Sunshine Coast Council’s new tourism permit offers opportunities to Indigenous people

Sunshine Coast Council wants an exemption from anti-discrimination laws to offer new tourism and business opportunities to Indigenous people only. Here is why

Gubbi Gubbi Dance leader Lyndon Davis watches on as Mayor Mark Jamieson addresses a NAIDOC Week ceremony in Nambour.

Youth worker Robbie Peters’s connection with Indigenous cultural performance is “almost like religion” to him and he says it is worthy of preferential treatment to further grow its positive impacts.

It comes as Sunshine Coast Council seeks an exemption from anti-discrimination laws to be able to offer community land to Indigenous people for them to run commercial activities that deliver cultural tourism experiences.

The exemption, which is being considered by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, would allow for an identified tourism permit category.

Sunshine Coast youth worker Robbie Peters welcomes a push by Sunshine Coast Council for a new tourism land use category only for Indigenous people. Picture: Stuart Cumming

Expressions of interest for three-year permits under the new category would be sought from traditional owner groups and Kabi Kabi and Jinibara peoples only.

It is a breach of Queensland’s Anti-Discrimination Act to discriminate on the basis of race.

Mr Peters is a Pitjantjara man who grew up on the Sunshine Coast but whose family connections are in South Australia.

He said it was good to hear the council was taking steps to provide business opportunities for Indigenous people.

“I definitely think it is necessary because we are really as one, living in one country so we all have to be at peace with what is happening,” Mr Peters said.

Mr Peters said he understood why there were rules around anti-discrimination.

“But in the same picture, we’ve been here over 60,000 years,” Mr Peters said.

“The country was beautiful when everyone else came and it still is.

“That wouldn’t have happened without us doing what we do.”

He said he worked with young men to make them better people.

“The main key part is grounding,” Mr Peters said.

“That comes from sharing culture and what we do and how we conduct ourselves everyday.”

Gubbi Gubbi Dance members (from left) Robbie Peters, Ayla Carrington-Sanson, 11, Jahmarly Davis, 13, Yeelara Chilly and Lyndon Davis perform at a NAIDOC Week ceremony in Nambour. Picture: Stuart Cumming

Mr Peters said being a performer with Gubbi Gubbi Dance kept him at peace and he loved sharing his knowledge of culture with the next generation of dancers.

He said he wouldn’t be opposed to a non-Indigenous person taking on a role defined under the council’s new tourism category.

“The way I have been brought up is everyone deserves a go so if they want to give it a go I am willing to learn whatever they think they can do better than whatever we achieved,” he said.

“But at the same time, we have got the score on the board, 60,000 years, the place is beautiful.

“But at the same time, we are always willing to share what we have here too.”

Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson said he supported the council’s efforts to assist Indigenous groups who wanted to be able to access opportunities to create business and commerce.

“I think in this NAIDOC Week in particular, it is worth noting that there is a significant Indigenous community in our area and they want an opportunity,” Mr Jamieson said.

“Council has been working very hard trying to assist them in building capacity — ultimately this is the opportunity they need.”

Gubbi Gubbi Dance members (from left) Robbie Peters, Ayla Carrington-Sanson, 11, Jahmarly Davis, 13 and Yeelara Chilly perform at a NAIDOC Week ceremony in Nambour. Picture: Stuart Cumming

A council spokesman said the council had a high-use/high-impact permit category under which tourism operators who didn’t meet the identified tourism criteria could apply to use council land.

The spokesman said the council anticipated the new identified tourism permits would start from July 1, 2022 to coincide with scheduled renewal of current high-impact permits.

He said the council had not yet identified locations for the new identified tourism category but already had low-use/low-impact permits for Indigenous cultural tours at Endriandra Park in Bridges, Penny Lane Pontoon in Mooloolaba and at the Lower Mooloolah River Environmental Reserve at Palmview.