April 5, 2023
The Interim Truth and Treaty Body (ITTB) will be hosting a “Community Yarning” session in Cherbourg next week as part of the State Government’s Treaty process.
The session will be held at the Cherbourg Community Hall on Tuesday, April 11, from 12:30pm to 2:30pm.
It will be chaired by Guwamu woman Cheryl Buchanan and former Brisbane Lord Mayor Sallyanne Atkinson AO.
The session will provide updates and background on the establishment of a First Nations Treaty Institute and a Truth-Telling and Healing Inquiry.
The State Government believes these are both fundamental commitments to progress the Treaty process in Queensland.
The ITTB says it is important that it gets the next steps right to set a firm foundation for this significant program of work.
“We hope that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous people come to these sessions to make sure communities are informed and all Queenslanders have a say in how we move forward,” Ms Buchanan said.
Ms Atkinson said the Institute and Inquiry needed to be strong from the start and reflect clear expectations of being co-designed but community-led.
The ITTB is an independent body which has been tasked by the State Government with seeking public advice on preferred models for the Institute and Inquiry. ie. how they are governed and what the Inquiry should achieve and how it is run.
It recently co-designed legislation, the Path to Treaty Bill 2023, with the State Government which is now being assessed by the Parliamentary Community Support and Services Committee.
It is the first time in Queensland’s history that a Bill has been co-designed in this way by an independent body in partnership with the government.
This is a significant milestone that epitomises what Treaty negotiations could look like in the future.
“Treaty, through truth-telling, is not about guilt, but more about honest,” Ms Buchanan said.
“Truth-telling will not be easy for any of us. We will need to confront the positive and negative stories honestly and openly from both sides … First Nations communities and government.
“That’s how we will get to treaty-negotiations.”
Ms Atkinson said this would be the only chance communities have to participate but she hoped people could make this small commitment and get involved now.
UPDATE: The Path To Treaty Bill was passed by State Parliament on May 10.
Related articles:
- Premier Promises Treaty Legislation
- Next Step Taken On Path To Treaty
- EOIs Sought For Path To Treaty
- Webinar Update On Treaty Process
- Treaty Process Inches Forward
- Treaty Committee To Be Set Up
- Treaty Recommendations Handed Over
- Treaty Meeting In Cherbourg
- Treaty Conversation To Start
- Queensland Starts Path To Treaty
