Media release – Peter Gutwein, Premier, 1 March 2022

Next steps on pathway to Truth-telling and treaty

Following feedback from Tasmanian Aboriginal organisations on the Pathway to Truth-telling and Treaty Report and its recommendations, I can advise that while there is a range of views, there is broad support to take further steps on both a Truth-telling process and Treaty process in Tasmania.

However, the feedback was very clear that these processes must be led by Tasmanian Aboriginal people, and they must co-design this work.

Accordingly, again as a result of the feedback received, the Government will establish an Aboriginal Advisory body that can, through co-design, work with the Government to establish these two processes.

This Advisory body representing Tasmanian Aboriginals will also provide advice on the other recommendations in the Report and on matters that affect Tasmanian Aboriginal people.

This will not be an easy task, and it will require goodwill from all sides to take these matters forward, but my Government is up for it.

We want to take the next steps on this path, but the path has to be one that is co-designed with the Tasmanian Aboriginal people.

However, I want to be very clear that the Truth-telling Commission, when established, will not be tasked with determining Aboriginality or eligibility.

While I understand this is a vexed issue for some, the Government remains committed to its current Eligibility Policy.

The Government will now invite representatives of all registered Aboriginal community organisations to come together to provide advice on the establishment of the Aboriginal Advisory body, its membership and terms of reference, and how it will represent Aboriginal people in Tasmania.

I intend to issue the invitations shortly and hold this meeting as soon as possible, as a demonstration of our commitment to co-design and ensure there is Aboriginal leadership in the decisions that affect Aboriginal people.

The Government will also allocate up to $500,000 in the upcoming Budget to support this process as it progresses.

To support this new Aboriginal Advisory body, the Government will establish an Aboriginal Affairs, whole of Government Division within DPAC, comprising the Office of Aboriginal Affairs and Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania, as well as staff from other Departments, such as Health and Education.

This new Division will be tasked to oversee and coordinate the Government’s significant Aboriginal Affairs agenda, informed by the views of Aboriginal people, which includes the Truth-telling and Treaty processes, as well as Closing the Gap, a new Aboriginal Heritage Act, and finalising the Model for Returning Land.

My Government is committed to continuing on our pathway to achieving reconciliation with Tasmanian Aboriginal people, who have been custodians of this Island for more than 40,000 years.

This is a journey we need to go on together, to ensure a more equitable and just future for generations to come.

Statement – Michael Mansell, Chairman, Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania, 3 March 2022

“The Land Council is concerned that we are no closer to a treaty or the establishment of a Truth-Telling Commission than when the Premier first mooted the idea in March 2021. Nor has the process delivered any tangible benefit to the Aboriginal community which is being treated pretty tardily. For example, the government gave $10m to the Arthur Pieman advisory body last month, a redneck pro- 4 wheel drive body, but not a red cent to protect Aboriginal heritage. There is nothing stopping returning land to Aboriginal people but that has stalled.

We are also at a loss to understand how the Premier can say ‘processes must be led by Tasmanian Aboriginal people’ but then says the government will install an advisory group. The Aboriginal community expected a treaty would be negotiated between equal partners, not one where the government decides who represents Aboriginal people.

We are also worried that the Hodgman policies, so detested by the Aboriginal community, are guiding the government’s relations with Aboriginal people. Hodgman introduced a new scheme whereby any white person could claim to be Aboriginal and the government would accept them. This is clearly a racist attempt to diminish the integrity of the Aboriginal community. Premier Gutwein announced in his report that the Hodgman policy will be maintained.

The Premier also flagged breaking up the Aboriginal land rights process voted into operation by every member of parliament in 1995. The Premier’s comment that he would finalise a model for land returns is code word for disembowelling the whole land rights arrangement whereby stolen lands are returned to the Aboriginal owners collectively.

It seems the right-wing influence in his Cabinet has won the day and the Aboriginal community will need to consider our position.”