‘A lost opportunity’: truth-telling hearings paused
Queensland’s truth-telling inquiry says it will pause it’s work in response to the state’s premier promising their hearings will not be allowed to go ahead.
Queensland’s truth-telling and healing inquiry will not be allowed to continue, the premier says.
On Thursday, David Crisafulli told the media upcoming truth-telling hearings in Cherbourg and Stradbroke Island would not be allowed to go ahead.
“I don’t think there’s anyone under any illusions about the fact that we’re not continuing that process,” he said.
The inquiry is set out in Queensland’s Path to Treaty Act — which passed parliament with bipartisan support in 2023.
Crisafulli said he plans to repeal the Path to Treaty Act.
Inquiry chair Joshua Creamer said he has not had any communication from the new government but will pause the inquiry’s work in response to the premier’s comments.
“If the inquiry is formally stopped it will be a lost opportunity for the state,” he said.
“We are not going to get another opportunity at this in the next decade, two decades, in my lifetime.”
Crisafulli said he didn’t want to make the decision to scrap the inquiry a “divisive issue”.
Stay informed, daily
“We’ve made a decision. It’s the right decision and we stand by it but I don’t want to cause angst to people,” he said.
“I want people to know that we are going to do good things for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
Creamer said he was grateful for the support the inquiry had been shown, particularly by elders who had already shared their stories.
“People sharing their stories to capture an accurate history of our state is not divisive and I’m hopeful the inquiry can remain in some form to continue this critical work before it’s too late,” he said.
