On 28 November 2024, the Queensland Government introduced and passed legislation to repeal the Path to Treaty Act 2023, effectively discontinuing the First Nations Treaty Institute and the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry. The Bill saw the Government fast-tracking this legislation in a single day by declaring it ‘urgent’. Sandy advocated that such an important piece of legislation deserved a full process and consultation, with an alternate path provided allowing all stories to be heard, both indigenous and non-indigenous.
It also included a raft of amendments on different legislation, including the Olympic and Paralympic Authority, Workplace Healthy and Safety, State Facilitated Developments, the Public Sector. For more information on these other aspects, please read Sandy’s full undelivered speech at www.sandybolton.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Brisbane-Olympic-and-Paralympic-Games-Arrangements-and-Other-Legislation-Amendment-Bill-2024%E2%80%93-Sandy-Bolton-MP-for-Noosa.pdf, with the relevant section on Path to Treaty below:
Now to the contentious amendments in relation to the Path to Treaty Act, the repealing of the process of path to treaty and closing down of the Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry. Without an alternative option provided as a pathway to the healing, may government see the importance and need for stories to be shared by both indigenous and non as part of greater knowledge, understanding and walking united into our future. With the legislation providing for all records including stories shared so far and anything from those processes to be transferred to the department and state archives providing a platform to work from, I ask our government and Minister Simpson to consider advocacies and appeals in the coming days with focus on that needed healing for all that comes from sharing with empathy and respect.
After the LNP committed to repeal the Path to Treaty Act, Sandy wrote to the Queensland Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships to ask whether a suitable alternative of the Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry would be put forward. We will update once a response is received.
As part of our advocacy, a question on this will be included in our annual Noosa MP survey, which opens from 1 December, so please make sure to have your say by subscribing to our newsletter at www.SandyBolton.com/Newsletters to be notified.
Further Information
Further direct advocacy regarding Path to Treaty can be directed to the Queensland Minster for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Partnerships via ATSIP@ministerial.qld.gov.au Please cc’ our office in via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au and forward any response you receive to us.
For our previous Noosa 360 updates on Path to Treaty, please visit www.sandybolton.com/?s=path+to+treaty