LNP life member Sallyanne Atkinson criticises party for dumping treaty

Former Brisbane Liberal lord mayor Sally­anne Atkinson believes most Queenslanders are ignorant about the experience of Indigenous people and the history of colonisation.

Former Brisbane lord mayor Sallyanne Atkinson. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Former Brisbane lord mayor Sally­anne Atkinson, a Liberal Nat­ional Party life member, said she was “surprised and dis­appointed” by her party’s decision to withdraw its support for the state’s Indigenous treaty laws.

Months after backing the laws in state parliament, LNP leader David Crisafulli last week said he no longer wanted Queensland’s Indigenous groups to have treaties and would repeal the legislation if elected at next October’s state election.

Mr Crisafulli said he had not spoken to any First Nations leaders about his decision to retreat on truth-telling and treaty, but he had talked about “Indigenous issues” with some mayors after Queensland posted the biggest No vote of the Voice referendum.

Ms Atkinson, one of the non-Indigenous architects of the state’s treaty laws, said truth and treaty were “quite different” from the voice and she thought former Indigenous affairs minister Craig Crawford’s talk of reparations spooked many in the LNP.

“The fact Queensland resoundingly voted No to the voice, does not mean (it) will not be supportive of treaty,” she told The Australian.

“For the past two years, I’ve been going around local communities talking about treaty and people are very supportive.”

Ms Atkinson believes many Queenslanders were “ignorant” about the experience of Indigenous people and the history of colonisation and a truth-telling inquiry was crucial. “We’ve got to face up to it and acknowledge it and accept it,” she said.

“Before you could have any opportunity to move forward into a good future, people have to understand the past. Most people, particularly people of my generation, do not understand.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk this week confirmed her government would not negotiate treaty deals without the backing of the LNP.

Ms Atkinson, who serves on the Interim Truth and Treaty Body board, said treaties would be negotiated between First Nations groups and the government, so would not require opposition support. “It has gone through parliament, it is law, so it is up to the government of the day to carry it forward,” she said.

After walking back support for treaty, the Palaszczuk government on Monday revealed it was considering creating a local voice on the remote Mornington Island, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, to advise government.

Katter’s Australian Party leader Robbie Katter, who voted No at the referendum, said he would support a local voice on Mornington Island and was “open” to the model being replicated in other remote communities.

“The more local autonomy the better in those islands; the government keeps stuffing everything up that goes into all those Aboriginal communities,” he said.

“You need those people who live in those communities … they are the ones who give you the ­answers.”