The submission
The Commission recently developed a submission for the Truth-Telling and Healing Inquiry. The Inquiry was established under the Path to Treaty Act 2023 and will provide a public platform for First Nations people to speak openly about the true history and profound impacts of colonisation.
The Inquiry is an important step towards reconciliation, as it’s an opportunity to enable First Nations people to begin healing from trauma and restore social and emotional wellbeing.
The Commission plays a role in building trauma awareness and promoting healing-informed programs and approaches guided by First Nations communities. When invited to provide a written submission, the Commission provided the following information:
- The relevance of the Commission’s functions and responsibilities regarding the matters being considered by the Truth-Telling and Healing Inquiry.
- An overview of any position, policy, strategy, plan or actions that the Commission currently has in place relevant to the matters being considered.
- Any historical documents or data the Commission holds relevant to the matters under consideration by the Inquiry.
- Any work, tasks, goals or actions allocated to the Commission in line with findings or recommendations made by previous inquiries or commissions that directly relate to the Truth-Telling and Healing Inquiry.
The Commission's commitment to supporting First Nations people
The Commission is committed to supporting the Queensland Government’s First Nations reform agenda, including the Path to Treaty and commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
The Commission recognises that to address health disparities, the social, economic and cultural drivers of inequity must be addressed through a whole-of-government shared agenda. This includes identifying and addressing the structural barriers that have a direct impact on First Nations people’s access to, and outcomes from, mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and suicide prevention services and supports.
In this regard, the Commission hopes to offer insight to the Inquiry’s understanding of the structural and systemic barriers and opportunities related to the social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations people.
Our engagement with First Nations people frequently emphasises that addressing trauma is key to enabling healing and restoring the social and emotional wellbeing of First Nations people in Queensland. Prioritising self-determination, localised decision-making and the creation of safe and empowering spaces to enable truth-telling, will be critical to the healing journey.
The Commission is pleased to support the vital and significant work of the Truth-Telling and Healing Inquiry and to participate in Queensland’s reconciliation journey.
