Queensland considers local voice to parliament for remote Aboriginal community

Queensland is considering creating a local voice in one of the state’s most remote Aboriginal communities as the NSW Premier walks back his support for treaty deals with Indigenous groups.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewWire

The Palaszczuk government is considering creating a local voice in one of the state’s most remote Aboriginal communities as the NSW Premier walks back his support for treaty deals with Indigenous groups.

On Queensland’s Mornington Island, where 77 per cent of the community voted Yes in the voice referendum, government spending has risen 81 per cent in the past six years but failed to improve outcomes for Indigenous people.

A recent KPMG audit report, obtained by The Australian, revealed $326m was pumped into the small community between 2017 and 2022 but made no “consistent improvements” in key areas including schooling, employment, chronic disease and child safety.

The audit found government programs and policies were often crafted without talking to the community, and recommended a local decision-making body to ­advise government.

Housing Minister and Mornington Island’s “ministerial champion”, Meaghan Scanlon, on Monday said the government was considering the recommendation for a local voice, despite Queensland posting the nation’s highest No vote at the referendum.

“We will obviously consider that recommendation,” she said.

“I’m really proud as the ministerial champion for Mornington Island to have committed to that audit and to listen to the community on the ways we can close the gap.”

Kyle Yanner, mayor of the 1000-strong Mornington Island community, said he did not agree with a national voice to parliament, but believed “the only way forward” was for local and regional voices to advise government.

“They are spending all of this money, but as you see in the audit report, there are no outcomes – that is because they don’t live in the community,” he said.

“We need an advisory group with real black people, people who have never had the opportunity to sit on a board. It is the quiet people in the community who have the real voices that need to be heard.

“Everyone has to come together for the same cause – and that is to drive fairness and equality in these communities.”

Consideration for a local voice comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Monday confirmed her government would not negotiate treaty deals without the backing of the Liberal National Party.

State LNP leader David Crisafulli withdrew his support for treaty last week, days before he was set to face intense pressure at the party’s state council meeting over his backing of the deals.

Ahead of a meeting of Labor MPs on Monday afternoon, Ms Palaszczuk said she personally supported treaty deals but they would not progress without ­bipartisan support.

“It’s a long process, so the truth-telling is three to five years.

“The treaties will come afterwards and that is for subsequent governments.”

Asked why bipartisan support was necessary, given it would be up to the government of the day to negotiate deals, Ms Palaszczuk said: “I’ve made my position very clear.”

NSW Labor Premier Chris Minns said his government was not planning to take a treaty position before the next state election, due in 2027. “We believe it’s important to have that dialogue but any substantial or major changes that we make to our arrangements in NSW we’d have to take it to an election,” he told radio 2GB on Monday. “All we’re promising is to start that dialogue … I can’t promise quick changes, but I have promised dialogue.”

Labor designated $5m in its September budget for a 12-month consultation process with Indigenous leaders on a state treaty.