1993 Queensland Cabinet Minutes: A glimpse into Queensland's history and reform

• The release of the 1993 Queensland Cabinet Minutes sheds light on the Goss Government’s reform agenda.
• Key issues included native title, protection for whistleblowers following the Fitzgerald Inquiry, and responses to the Mabo High Court decision.
• The Goss Government showed a strong commitment to protecting the environment as it weighed the needs of mining, development and native title.

Today’s release of the 1993 Queensland Cabinet Minutes sheds light on the dynamic era led by Premier Wayne Goss, marking a significant chapter of transition and progress in Queensland’s history.

Against the backdrop of a changing world, the government addressed various issues relating to the environment, responses to the Mabo High Court decision, and the protection of whistleblowers.

Legal reforms in 1993 included the introduction of a new offence of stalking in the Criminal Code, which was developed in collaboration with various stakeholders, including the Women’s Policy Unit and law enforcement agencies.

In the aftermath of the Fitzgerald Inquiry, whistleblower protection took centre stage, as well as the establishment of comprehensive parliamentary committees.

The Mabo decision of 1992 had profound implications, compelling the Queensland Government to develop interim administrative procedures post-June 30, 1993.

The government had to manage land and mining tenures validly while adhering to the principles of the Mabo decision.

Cabinet decisions in 1993 also highlight the government’s determination to protect the environment and Queensland’s heritage, including the relocation of the old Port Douglas courthouse, believed to be the state’s second oldest timber courthouse.

The Cabinet Minutes can be viewed at the Queensland State Archive, Runcorn, or online at www.archives.qld.gov.au from Tuesday 2 January 2024.

Quotes attributable to Minister Leeanne Enoch:

“The release of the 1993 Cabinet Minutes serves as an important window into the decision-making process of the Queensland Government in 1993.

“They also underscore the complexity and diversity of governance.

“Whether it was expanding protections for whistleblowers, amendments to the Criminal Code introducing stalking as an offence, working out how to navigate land use and rights after the Mabo decision, and making changes to tree clearing laws as well as the strategic acquisition of the Starcke pastoral property in Cape York.

“These archived records provide a comprehensive view of a government navigating challenges, embracing reform and striving for a balance between economic development, environmental conservation, and social justice.”

Further information:

• Cabinet is the decision-making body of the Queensland Government and is made up of the Premier and all Ministers of the Crown.
• Cabinet minutes are the formal record of the decisions Cabinet makes on a specific issue.
• Cabinet minutes created prior to 2009 are subject to a minimum access restriction period of 30 years, with those created after 2009 subject to a 20-year access restriction period.
• Cabinet minutes that have reached the relevant access restriction period are opened for access on 1 January each year.

ENDS

Media contact – Tim Auguston 0427 090 563