The National Network of Councils of Social Service has urged the Queensland government to "consult carefully and respectfully" with First Nations Queenslanders and the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry in the wake of its move to freeze the Inquiry.
QCOSS chief executive Aimee McVeigh was among the thousands of Queenslanders who attended the Ceremonial Hearing which officially commenced the Inquiry two months ago.
"The Inquiry is of historic importance to Queenslanders, giving us a new opportunity to listen, for First Nations Queenslanders to be heard and for all of us to be part of a healing process," Ms McVeigh said after Premier David Crisafulli confirmed his government would freeze the Inquiry and scrap the state's Path to Treaty legislation.
ACOSS chief executive Cassandra Goldie said the Inquiry is "part of addressing a national need to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples a voice, and an opportunity to heal the wrongs of the past".
"Across Australia, the injustices experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples must be effectively acknowledged and redressed in a culturally appropriate way to prevent injustice from happening in the future," Ms Goldie said.
VCOSS chief executive Juanita Pope noted that the Yoorrook Justice Commission in Victoria - the first formal truth-telling process into historical and ongoing injustices experienced by First Nations people in that state - "is providing an opportunity for Victoria's First Peoples to share their stories and develop an official record of the impacts of colonisation to create a better future for all Victorians".
The COSS Network also endorsed the comments by Inquiry Chairperson Joshua Creamer that the closure of the Inquiry is a "lost opportunity" for Queensland.
"We urge Premier David Crisafulli and his government to connect with Chairperson Joshua Creamer and First Nations Peoples to formulate a plan that is respectful to First Nations Peoples, so we do not lose the opportunity to formulate a roadmap toward reconciliation and a better future for all Queenslanders," the Network said in a joint statement.
