No sovereignty, no compo, no veto rights under LNP government First Nations treaties

Queensland Opposition leader David Crisafulli has ruled out giving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups taxpayer-funded compensation, the right to veto mining projects, or sovereignty, as part of treaties with state government.

LNP Opposition leader David Crisafulli’s parliamentary team voted for Annastacia Palaszczuk’s Path to Treaty legislation, sparking dissent within party ranks. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has ruled out giving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups taxpayer-funded compensation, the right to veto mining projects or sovereignty, as part of treaties with state government.

There has been simmering anger in Liberal National Party ranks – both grassroots members and federal MPs – since Mr Crisafulli’s state parliamentary wing voted for the Palaszczuk government’s landmark Indigenous Path to Treaty legislation in May.

After the legislation was passed, then Indigenous Affairs Minister Craig Crawford said treaty settlements in New Zealand had “nearly all cost tens or hundreds of millions of dollars” each in reparations, which was a “bit of a guide” to the Queensland context.

In his formal address to the party faithful at the LNP state convention on Saturday, federal Nationals leader David Littleproud laid bare the split in the party, declaring his opposition to a treaty with First Nations people.

“I find no circumstances that I can see our party room even accepting a treaty. We don’t believe a treaty is necessary,” Mr Littleproud said. “We believe our great nation has come together (and) will continue to come together and work together.”

Mr Littleproud said there was no need for a treaty because there had never been a war with Indigenous people in Australia.

Nationals leader David Littleproud. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE/Tertius Pickard

Queensland Opposition leader David Crisafulli. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“We’ve never been at war with Indigenous Australians,” he said. “We’ve never been at war in this country. We’ve worked hand-in-hand, with genuine intent about making sure the opportunity, no matter your race, no matter your religion, is provided in this great country.”

Asked about frontier massacres, Mr Littleproud said they were a “mistake”.

Another federal LNP politician confirmed there was still real anger in the ranks, and warned the issue could have an impact at the next state election in October next year.

The fury against Mr Crisafulli’s team threatened to break out behind closed doors at the LNP’s state convention at the weekend, but party elders worked with some of the key dissidents to convince them to withdraw critical resolutions.

A closed-session motion from the LNP’s Nicklin branch calling for a future LNP state government to repeal the Path to Treaty legislation was withdrawn when it became clear it would be defeated, and another treaty-focused motion lost.

Instead, party president Lawrence Springborg put an uncontroversial motion reaffirming the party’s support for closing the gap, which passed unanimously.

During a closed session on Saturday afternoon, a verbal brawl erupted in response to a motion from the Christian right to oppose a Brisbane City Council Reconciliation Action Plan.

In an interview with The Australian, Mr Crisafulli said he believed the LNP had done the right thing to back the Path to Treaty legislation, and insisted the party had never been more united.

“We rule in setting KPIs to improve health and education, employment. We rule in ways to celebrate and ways to acknowledge the longest-running continual culture on the planet,” he said.

“What do I rule out? Compensation, reparations, sovereignty, right of veto.”

He said during the debate in parliament there was no mention by the government of compensation, but he committed to negotiating treaties with First Nations groups should the LNP win the next election.

Mr Crisafulli said there was no dissonance between his support for a Path to Treaty and his opposition to the Indigenous voice to parliament.