Indigenous Queensland mayor Wayne Butcher says David Crisafulli withdrawing support on a Path to Treaty 'kicks' community while it's down

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Indigenous mayors have condemned the Queensland LNP for backflipping on its support for the state's path to treaty. Opposition leader David Crisafulli says it's not the right way forward and will create more division.

Transcript

00:00 Just days after the country rejected the voice referendum, some Indigenous Australians have

00:07 been dealt another blow.

00:09 It was such a kick in the guts.

00:11 It's a feeling of betrayal in some respects.

00:13 Yeah, it's more just, you know, where do we move forward from here?

00:17 My view that to continue down the path to treaty would cause further division.

00:23 About 69% of Queensland voters rejected the voice, but it was overwhelmingly supported

00:28 in some Indigenous communities.

00:31 Mr Crisofulli says having reflected on the result, if the LNP wins government next year,

00:37 it will scrap the laws to set up a truth-telling inquiry and treaty deals with First Nations

00:43 groups.

00:44 I want to do good things for Indigenous Queenslanders.

00:48 I really do.

00:50 And we have to find another way.

00:52 First Nations mayors have called for the LNP leader to reconsider, writing a letter on

00:57 behalf of the state's 17 Indigenous shires and regional councils to express "extreme

01:04 hurt and disappointment.

01:06 This should be a time of healing, not a time to further kick us while we are down."

01:11 This has almost driven the nail into the coffin of Aboriginal people getting out of poverty,

01:16 getting out of watching our people die young from preventable illness.

01:20 The Premier also cast doubt on the future of treaties.

01:24 It's a long way off, and that would require bipartisan support.

01:28 After Anastasia Palaszczuk's comments, a snap Labor Party room meeting was held over the

01:34 phone this afternoon.

01:36 The ABC understands Labor is still committed to the treaty process, but it will be difficult

01:42 without the support of both sides of politics into the future.

01:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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