The Queensland LNP government has signed a landmark agreement with Indigenous mayors, granting the state’s 17 First Nations councils direct access to cabinet ministers once a year. The accord, formalised at the Local Government Association of Queensland conference on the Gold Coast, is designed to streamline communication on critical issues such as housing, jobs, and water access.
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Fiona Simpson said the arrangement was about “tangible outcomes with less bureaucracy,” stressing it was the opposite of the federal Voice to Parliament, which was rejected in the 2023 referendum. She emphasised that decision-making power would remain with elected representatives, not a separate advisory body.
The move follows the government’s decision last year to repeal the Path to Treaty Act and scrap the state’s Truth Telling and Healing inquiry, both of which had been central to Labor’s previous approach to Indigenous affairs.
Indigenous leaders welcomed the accord. Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council mayor Bruce Gibson said it would give communities a stronger voice on pressing local issues, particularly housing shortages. Other mayors highlighted the opportunity to “sit at the table” with government and shape their own narratives for the future.
The government noted that similar agreements already exist with other local councils, but this is the first time Queensland’s First Nations councils have been given a formalised, direct line to cabinet.
Tags: Queensland Indigenous mayors accord, Fiona Simpson Indigenous cabinet access, Queensland First Nations councils, Path to Treaty repeal Queensland, Truth Telling inquiry scrapped, Bruce Gibson Hope Vale housing, Queensland LNP Indigenous policy, Voice to Parliament comparison, Indigenous governance Queensland, LNP Crisafulli government accord
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