Premier urges PM to back indigenous treaty

The Queensland Premier has urged Scott Morrison to back constitutional recognition for indigenous people.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Mike Knott

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says states should consider negotiating treaties with ­Aboriginal and Torres Strait ­Islander people while the federal government debates the model of indigenous recognition in the Constitution.

Aboriginal academic Jackie Huggins and former federal ­attorney-general Michael Lavarch have been appointed to lead an eminent panel in wide-ranging consultation in Queensland about a treaty, an indigenous voice to state parliament and possible ­financial reparations.

Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland would follow in Victoria’s footsteps in moving towards its own state-based treaty, or treaties, and said more needed to be done at a federal level.

“Federally, I think we all realise there does need to be constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians,” she said yesterday.

“Secondly, we’ve seen other states such as Victoria look at a treaty and I don’t think there’s any reason why Queensland can’t also be part of that conversation.”

Scott Morrison said last week he would not support a constitutionally enshrined indigenous voice to federal parliament, as proposed in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, after federal Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt committed to holding a referendum on constitutional recognition within three years.

Ms Palaszczuk yesterday declined to say whether Queensland’s treaty could be negotiated before the state election in October next year or whether consultation would take longer. “It depends on the consultation; I’m not going to put a timeline on it,” she said.

“I’d like to see all the community come together as part of that conversation.’’

Victoria started a treaty process in 2016, and indigenous Victorians in September will vote for the members of the First Peoples ­Assembly of Victoria, a body to ­advise the government on the process, and provide advice to groups entering negotiations with the government. A source close to the Victorian process said a final ­treaty could still be years away.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian yesterday ducked questions about whether NSW would follow Queensland’s lead with a promise to negotiate a treaty and the possibility of financial reparations.

She said her government was proud of its record of support for indigenous people across the state.