The Interim Truth and Treaty Body (ITTB), which co-designed legislation – the Path to Treaty Bill 2023 with the Queensland government, is in Cairns and Weipa today yarning with communities about what happens next on the state’s path towards Treaty.
The independent body is seeking the public’s advice on preferred models for the First Nations Treaty Institute and a Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry – key recommendations of the Bill.
The Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry will run for at least three years and will investigate the impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The First Nations Treaty Institute will help prepare sovereign Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Queensland for Treaty negotiations with the State.
The Community Yarning sessions will give detail on what people want to see in how the Institute should be governed and be representative of the diversity of First Nations Peoples across Queensland.
At the same time but separate to the ITTB, the Parliamentary Community Support and Services Committee will be visiting regional centres while they assess the Path to Treaty Bill ahead of voting sometime in May.
Aunty Cheryl Buchanan, a proud Guwamu woman from southwest Queensland, is co-chair of the ITTB and encourages, not only First Nations’, but non-Indigenous people to attend their local Yarning session and have a say on what Treaty negotiations could look like in the future.
“Treaty, through truth-telling, is not about guilt, but more about honesty. 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.”
Interim Truth and Treaty Body, co-chair Cheryl Buchanan:
| Date | Community | Details |
| 20 March | Cairns | Bolands Conference Centre 14 Spence Street, Cairns 12:00pm – 3:00pm |
| 20 March | Weipa | Weipa Motel and Resort Corner Tom Morrisson Dr and Central Ave, Weipa 11:30am – 2:30pm |
| 21 March | Thursday Island | TRAWQ Hall 21 Olandi Street, Thursday Island 12:00pm – 3:00pm |
| 21 March | Palm Island | Police Citizens Youth Club Mango Ave, Palm Island 11:30am – 2:30pm |
| 22 March | Townsville | Rydges Towsville 23 Palmer Street, Townsville 11:00am – 2:00pm |
| 24 March | Woorabinda | Opal Hall Munns Drive, Woorabinda 12:30 – 3:30pm |
| 24 March | Rockhampton | Centrepoint Motor Inn 131 George Street, Rockhampton 11:00am – 2:00pm |
Community Yarning sessions will be updated on the ITTB website as more locations are identified www.truthandtreatyqld.org.au
For more information on the key structures that will progress Truth and Treaty in Queensland, take a look at the Path to Treaty Bill 2023 on the Queensland Legislation website.
