Qld Treaty process pushes on despite LNP threat

Queensland’s Path to Treaty process is pushing forward with truth-telling community consultations despite threats it will be scrapped if the LNP wins government.

Queensland’s Path to Treaty process is set to push forward despite Opposition Leader David Crisafulli’s pledge to ditch the plan entirely should he become Premier, with truth-telling community consultations launching across the state from next week.

The Interim Truth and Treaty body will hold sessions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous community members to “develop an understanding of how local and regional truth-telling can be enabled”, beginning in Rockhampton on December 6.

Mr Crisafulli sensationally backflipped on Queensland’s Treaty process – which he had previously supported – in October, following the overwhelming failure of the referendum on the Voice to parliament, saying he believed it would “create further division”.

Following Mr Crisafulli’s withdrawal of support, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk caused concern among her party after she repeatedly said Treaty needed a “bipartisan support”.

She also said at the time the truth-telling process – the first part of the Treaty plan – was expected to take a number of years.

Ms Palaszczuk later told a hastily-arranged caucus meeting the government’s stance on Treaty had not changed.

Asked about the future of the ITTB, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Leeanne Enoch told The Courier-Mail the body was independent from government.

“(The body) was created to co-design and guide preparations for Queensland’s truth-telling and healing process, including the establishment of the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry and the First Nations Treaty Institute,” she said.

“The Palaszczuk Government remains committed to continuing with the Path to Treaty, as legislated.”

PwC Indigenous Consulting (PIC) has been tasked with facilitating the community consultations, which would also be held in Cunnamulla, Weipa, Townsville, and Brisbane.

In launching the community sessions the ITTB said “truth-telling is critical to reframing the relationship between First Nations peoples and non-Indigenous Queenslanders”.

“At the heart of a truth-telling process is healing from our collective past and helping Queenslanders to understand how past laws, policies and practices have, and continue to impact First Nations peoples,” the ITTB said.

“Local truth-telling provides an opportunity for communities across Queensland to learn about their local history, significant historical events, leaders and ambassadors who have shaped and informed their community identity and relationships today, to facilitate the healing process at a local level.”

The ITTB was established in 2022 and tasked with establishing the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry and the First Nations Treaty Institute.

The body also helped designed the landmark Treaty legislation, which was passed during the Cairns regional sitting of parliament in May this year – with the support of the LNP.

Originally published as Qld Treaty process pushes on despite LNP threat