Aboriginal Affairs Minister Urges Queensland to Hit the Brakes on Axing Truth-Telling Inquiry

A woman walks past posters advocating for an Aboriginal voice and treaty ahead of an upcoming referendum in Melbourne, Australia on Aug. 30, 2023. William West/AFP via Getty Images

The “decent and fair” thing for the Queensland government to do would be to allow the state’s Truth-Telling and Healing Inquiry to finish its work and produce its report, the federal Labor Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy has said.

Incoming Premier David Crisafulli went into the election promising to abolish the commission responsible for the Inquiry, and earlier this week made the announcement that his government would do so.

“I'd certainly say to the new premier of Queensland, just hold your horses here. Don’t be hasty … Let this process roll through,” Senator McCarthy told the ABC, noting that the federal government was tracking the progress of truth-telling inquiries across the states and territories.

“I’ve been on the record to say that Voice, Treaty, Truth of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, is very much supported in principle by our government,” she said.

The senator said the government respected the result of The Voice referendum held October last year, which saw 60 percent of voters reject a proposed alteration to the Australian Constitution.

The change would have saw an additional Indigenous advisory body added to the Parliament.

‘The Right Decision’: Premier

Crisafulli said on Nov. 4 that scrapping the Inquiry was “the right decision, and we stand by it, but I don’t want to cause angst to people.”

“I want people to know we are serious about giving good outcomes for Indigenous communities and Indigenous Queenslanders,” he said.

In 2023, Crisafulli along with all 33 other LNP MPs, voted in favour of the Path to Treaty Bill which established the Commission.

At the time he told Parliament that he hoped it would be “a catalyst for materially improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this state.”

But after more than 68 percent of voters in Queensland voted “no” in The Voice referendum—a higher proportion than any other state—he reversed his position.

Commission Chair Josh Creamer said he planned to meet with the government to review the decision but the planned meeting with state minister for Aboriginal partnerships, Fiona Simpson, was cancelled.

The delay was due to “a number of matters requiring further advice.”