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Path to Treaty: A move towards reconciliation by Qld government
The Queensland government has made a strong commitment to First Nations reconciliation by launching the start of the formal Path to Treaty.
Jess Feyder
On 16 August, the Palaszczuk government announced the next steps on the Path to Treaty; structures will be established in legislation, including a First Nations Treaty Institute and a Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry.
“We stand together at an incredible moment of time in the history of our state,’’ said Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
“What we do next on the Path to Treaty will define our humanity, our sense of fairness, and the legacy we leave our children.”
The government released their response to the Treaty Advancement Committee Report as part of the state’s Path to Treaty, where they accepted all 22 of the report’s recommendations either in full or in principle.
At the launch, the Premier signed a statement of commitment with First Nations leaders and hundreds of guests in a ceremony.
An excerpt from the statement reads: “This Path to Treaty is a journey, not for the timid, but for those who are courageous to confront our uncomfortable past, the curious who long to find out and live with the truth, and the optimists who dream of the possibilities of a future where we live comfortably with the past, free of blame and rancour.”
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister Craig Crawford said that the announcement included concrete actions to advance reconciliation in Queensland.
“There has never been more momentum across the land for truth and treaty than right now,’’ Mr Crawford said.
“I get the sense that every fair-minded Queenslander wants to just take care of this unfinished business, so we can all move forward together,” said Mr Crawford.
“The independent First Nations Treaty Institute will be led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and will develop a treaty making framework for agreement with government to ensure we have equal voices at the negotiating table.
“The treaty making framework is a fundamental aspect as it will guide government and community in the treaty negotiation process.
“Importantly, structures supporting the Path to Treaty will be co-designed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — we are committed to a new way of working,” said Mr Crawford.
An Independent Interim Body (IIB) consisting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, as well as non-Indigenous representatives, will be in place for the next 12 to 18 months as legislation is developed to establish the First Nations Treaty Institute and Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry.
The IIB will firstly lead local truth-telling initiatives including with public libraries, museums, archives, and art galleries to promote a shared understanding of why it’s important to know the true history.
Following this, a formal three-year Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry will be established.
Treaty Advancement Committee co-chair Dr Jackie Huggins AM said the Path to Treaty is about how we mend the very fabric of our society.
“Treaty is a signed, negotiated agreement that accepts our true history,” she said. “It opens the doors to our shared future.
“We want all Queenslanders to walk side-by-side with us on the Path to Treaty, so that we can overcome those huge injustices that still, unfortunately, persist in our society.”
The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) welcomed the step towards addressing the injustice experienced by First Nations communities.
“A treaty or treaties with First Nations people will help to remove the racism that is unfortunately still reflected in laws and social policies across Australia, which impact First Nations people’s lives every day, including in Queensland,” said Sarah Grace, ALA Queensland president.
“The law has been an instrument of oppression for First Nations people for too long.
“Telling the truth about Queensland’s history and working towards [a] treaty is a significant step towards addressing the injustices that First Nations people still face today,” said Ms Grace.
“Truth-telling builds the bridge of understanding from which the treaty process can then proceed,” said Treaty Advancement Committee co-chair Mick Gooda.
“We know that truth-telling is central to the healing we must all go through, without the truth we will never heal properly.
“This healing is what we all will need, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous people alike.
“Telling the truth will be traumatic and difficult for those involved, especially as the current impacts flow from recent history in terms of removal of children, dispossession and the ongoing impacts of colonisation.”
“We can’t change the past, but together we can create a new future for our state,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
