Treaty Advancement Committee members visit Townsville

Members of Queensland’s Treaty Advancement Committee will be in Townsville next week (17 JUNE) to brief the community about their work on the implementation design that will support the treaty-making process with First Nations people in Queensland.

Representing the Committee on the visit will be Co-Chair Dr Jackie Huggins and Committee members Dr Sallyanne Atkinson and Professor Michael Lavarch.

On the agenda will be an update on the next steps in the process, which includes developing implementation options for the Eminent Panel’s recommendations and providing independent advice to the Queensland Government.

Minister for Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Craig Crawford says the Treaty Advancement Committee’s schedule of community briefings is helping to raise the profile of the historic Path to Treaty process.

“We know Queenslanders right across the State have an interest in Path to Treaty and that it will have an enduring legacy for generations to come.

“I’m pleased to reaffirm our government’s commitment to the recommendations made by the Eminent Panel in 2020.

“The Treaty Advancement Committee is a group of very highly respected and knowledgeable leaders and it’s great for local communities to see them working together to move this once-in-a-generation work forward.”

Dr Huggins says the opportunity to re-connect with communities in the north of the state will help shine a light on the progress being made toward Queensland’s Path to Treaty.

“Our role as the Treaty Advancement Committee is to build on the work that’s been done by the Eminent Panel and the Treaty Working Group and shape the next steps.

“Part of this is about looking at the Eminent Panel’s recommendations and thinking through what those actions will look like as part of the implementation stage.

“This is nation-building work. It’s about reconciling our past so that all Queenslanders can move forward together. To do this, we know that building trust with the broader community and designing culturally safe and meaningful mechanisms for truth-telling will be central to achieving our goals.

“There has been extensive consultation undertaken with Queenslanders right across the State, and these voices, ideas and learnings will be carried forward with us as we work through how implementation will be shaped.

“Truth-telling was a key community priority that emerged from the 2019 consultations and it will be an ongoing priority for us as a Committee as we deliver our advice and options.”

The Treaty Advancement Committee will report to government on options in the second half of 2021.

For more information on Path to Treaty or to register for the community briefing, visit www.datsip.qld.gov.au/treaty

[ENDS] Media contact: Richard O'Leary 0447155332