Path to Treaty
With the signing of the Queensland’s Path to Treaty Commitment, we have reached a historic milestone on the journey to reconciliation.
The Path to Treaty journey began in 2019 with the release of the Statement of Commitment to reframe the relationship between the Queensland Government and Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Starting the Treaty conversation, the Eminent Panel and Treaty Working Group led 24 public consultations on what a treaty or treaties might mean to all Queenslanders. Building on this work, the Treaty Advancement Committee met with peak bodies, local and state governments, and experts in different fields to inform the next steps along the Path to Treaty. The Treaty Advancement Committee Report was formally handed over to the Queensland Government on 12 October 2021.
On 16 August 2022, the Queensland Government, First Nations people, and non-Indigenous Queenslanders participated in the signing of the Queensland’s Path to Treaty Commitment. The Commitment signifies a collective pledge to be courageous and curious, to be open to hearing the truth of our state’s history, and to collaborate in readiness for negotiating treaties.
The next steps, outlined in the Queensland Government Response to the recommendations of the Treaty Advancement Committee report, include legislating an independent First Nations Treaty Institute and Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry. Local and regional truth-telling and research will take place over the next 12 to 18 months to provide a firm foundation for government, First Nations and the broader community to ready ourselves for treaty-making.
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