‘In for a fight’: Indigenous leader Mick Gooda sends warning to David Crisafulli over Path to Treaty

The man leading Queensland’s treaty-making and truth-telling process has delivered a clear threat to the Opposition Leader.

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Indigenous leader Mick Gooda has delivered a clear threat to Queensland’s Opposition Leader, warning David Crisafulli if he dismantles Path to Treaty he will be “in for a fight” with the state’s First Nations communities.

Path to Treaty legislation passed with bipartisan support last year, with Mr Crisafulli telling parliament the laws were a “genuine opportunity” to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians.

Indigenous leader Mick Gooda. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

He said at the time he believed the treaty process “should be embraced wholeheartedly” by Queenslanders.

But in the days after Australian voters rejected Voice to Parliament, Mr Crisafulli withdrew his support for treaty citing the harmful division sparked by the referendum process.

Mr Gooda, who is leading Queensland’s treaty-making and truth-telling process, spoke optimistically during an address to the Aboriginal National Press Club in Brisbane about an LNP government not repealing laws if it wins the October state election.

But when pressed about the possibility of Mr Crisafulli dismantling the treaty laws, he sent out a warning to the Opposition Leader that the Indigenous community won’t “lay down and cop that”.

“Everything we’ve got, no one gives it to us on a platter,” Mr Gooda said.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli. Picture: John Gass

“If the Opposition get elected, and they carry through with this repeal — that’s what they’ve got to do if they want to stop this stuff, it’s not just a matter of doing something behind closed doors, they’ve got to do it in the full public glare of Parliament.

“They’re going to be in for a fight.

“We’re not going to lay down and cop that — we’ll be in there fighting for this legislation.

“So take that as a threat if you like.”

During his speech, Mr Gooda quoted a significant portion of Mr Crisafulli’s speech in Parliament from May when he spoke in support of the Path to Treaty Bill.

“I didn’t put those words in there to shame him,” the Indigenous leader said. “I put that in there to show I think he’s a good bloke.

“All those nice things he said about why there should be treaties, I don’t think that changes because of the outcome of the referendum.”

Originally published as ‘In for a fight’: Indigenous leader Mick Gooda sends warning to David Crisafulli over Path to Treaty