Emma Garlett: Remarkable act of defiance taking place in Queensland

There’s an almighty fight brewing in Queensland, the result of which could literally re-write history. Without prior consultation with any of those involved, the State’s newly-elected LNP Government killed off the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry, which would have brought to light some of the dark chapters of Queensland’s history of the treatment of Indigenous people and the impact on them of colonisation. Just days after his election, Premier David Crisafulli said his party “won’t be allowing the truth-telling proceedings to go ahead”, bringing the inquiry, which was scheduled to run at least three years, to a halt just a few months into its work. But now, things are cranking back into action. The legislation underpinning the inquiry is still in place. So is the board and the staff members. So chairman Joshua Creamer is pushing ahead regardless of Mr Crisafulli’s orders to stand down. Online submissions have reopened and Mr Creamer said he intends to complete a report by January which will make recommendations to Government and be tabled in Parliament. “We certainly can’t sit around here for months and months and months waiting for them to do something,” Mr Creamer said. “We’ve got a responsibility as members under the act, and I’ve got responsibilities in terms of effective and efficient use of resources, and I don’t want the team sitting around doing nothing, waiting for the government for three or four months.” It is a remarkable act of defiance motivated by a sense of commitment to duty and to the truth. And it is the only correct response to the disrespectful and dysfunctional attempt by the LNP Government to silence Queensland’s First Nations peoples. The goal is self-determination across the nation. In the absence of any solid direction from governing bodies, Queensland’s Truth-telling and Healing inquiry is doing what it must. Unfortunately, the inquiry can’t continue to hold public hearings. But it can accept and listen to submissions from anyone who is moved to make one. Queensland’s new Government sees truth-telling as a threat. It believes the inquiry is pushing some sort of hidden agenda to subvert the Government’s authority. It’s not. It’s a genuine attempt to get at the truth of the impacts of colonisation, to give a voice to those who have been silenced throughout history. By acknowledging past injustices, it offers a chance to heal. This new Queensland State Government and any State Government for that matter, whether conservative or progressive, should realise this fact and see the ramifications of halting such actions. Unsurprisingly, Mr Crisafulli’s clumsy handling of the situation has ignited significant national backlash. Would a government make such naked attempts to hide away any other part of Australia’s history? Would they silence veterans who wished to speak up about their experiences because doing so could cause the government embarrassment or political inconvenience? First Nations people have suffered greatly from the impacts of the Stolen Generation, cultural genocide and intergenerational trauma. The very least our governments can do is listen to them. Australia must not deny its past. We are a democratic, grown-up nation that values free speech and equal opportunity. We need to act like it. Mr Crisafulli said he didn’t want his attempted cancellation of the inquiry to be “divisive”. Too late. Are we now appealing to the small minority who would prefer Indigenous issues be wholly ignored under the shadow of simple ignorance and racism? Or are we trying to unite the people of this country under a banner of reconciliation and justice?