Queensland First Nations treaty welcome: will help fight injustice

ALA

The Queensland government’s commitment to developing a treaty making framework and a truth-telling process is a welcome step towards addressing the injustice experienced by First Nations communities, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

The Government announced today that it will legislate an independent First Nations Treaty Institute to work on the agreement and launch a truth-telling and healing inquiry.

“This is a welcome move that supports the principles of the Uluru Statement of the Heart,” said Sarah Grace, Queensland President, ALA. “A treaty or treaties with First Nations people will help to remove the racism that is unfortunately still reflected in laws and social policies across Australia, which impact First Nations people’s lives every day, including in Queensland.

“The law has been an instrument of oppression for First Nations people for too long.

“The legal system has also too often failed to adequately represent First Nations people.

“We can clearly see the effects of this in the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in prisons and detention centres, and in the way the law has been used to break up their families.

“Telling the truth about Queensland’s history and working towards Treaty is a significant step towards addressing the injustices that First Nations people still face today.”

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