>Queenslanders are invited to be part of history in the making on Monday 16 September 2024 by attending the Ceremonial Hearing of the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry in Meanjin (Brisbane) and its first public hearings from 18 to 20 September 2024.
>Inquiry Chairperson Joshua Creamer (main picture) said he expected thousands of Queenslanders to attend in-person or via livestream during the Ceremonial Hearing, one of the first steps in a three-year process to understand the impact of colonisation on Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
>“The Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry is a Queensland-first and I invite everyone to be open to learning more about our state’s history and to approach the Inquiry with respect and curiosity,” Mr Creamer said.
>“The Inquiry will help us listen, share and collect evidence on a scale like never before, gaining a more accurate picture of how colonisation has impacted Aboriginal peoples, Torres Strait Islander peoples, and their families and communities.
>“Upcoming Inquiry hearings will play a vital role in this three-year process, as we explore deeper, more personal first-hand accounts from our many and varied Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, including some hard truths.
>“I invite all Queenslanders who are open to hearing the personal histories and evidence being shared by Elders, historians and community members in coming weeks to attend the initial hearings.
>“While you do not need to register for these events, RSVPs are recommended for the Ceremonial Hearing on Monday 16 September via the Inquiry’s website.”
>According to the latest Census (ABS), the Brisbane local government area is home to Queensland’s highest number (22,940) of those identifying as Aboriginal peoples or Torres Strait Islander peoples, while more than a third (82,000) of the state’s Indigenous population lives across Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Logan, Gold Coast and Ipswich LGAs1.
>“All Queenslanders deserve the chance to be heard, understood and supported, and we’ve all got a responsibility to listen,” Mr Creamer said.
>“In Meanjin (Brisbane), we will start Queensland’s truth-telling process, which will include many first-hand and valuable accounts by Elders, before visiting communities across the state over the next three years.
>“Through the Inquiry, we hope Queenslanders can better understand the valuable contributions and the unique needs and challenges of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the power of acknowledging and embracing these.
>1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (2022) ‘Queensland: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population summary’, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Census, 2021 [https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/queensland-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-population-summary](https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/queensland-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-population-summary), accessed 29 August 2024.
>“We acknowledge that elements of the Inquiry may be both cathartic and traumatic for those who share their stories as well as their families and communities, as there will be potentially distressing themes.”
>The Inquiry is focused on ensuring a trauma-informed culturally sensitive approach including for those attending, so we encourage all watching and listening to be mindful of their own needs.
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>Queenslanders are invited to be part of history in the making on Monday 16 September 2024 by attending the Ceremonial Hearing of the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry in Meanjin (Brisbane) and its first public hearings from 18 to 20 September 2024.
>Inquiry Chairperson Joshua Creamer (main picture) said he expected thousands of Queenslanders to attend in-person or via livestream during the Ceremonial Hearing, one of the first steps in a three-year process to understand the impact of colonisation on Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
>“The Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry is a Queensland-first and I invite everyone to be open to learning more about our state’s history and to approach the Inquiry with respect and curiosity,” Mr Creamer said.
>“The Inquiry will help us listen, share and collect evidence on a scale like never before, gaining a more accurate picture of how colonisation has impacted Aboriginal peoples, Torres Strait Islander peoples, and their families and communities.
>“Upcoming Inquiry hearings will play a vital role in this three-year process, as we explore deeper, more personal first-hand accounts from our many and varied Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, including some hard truths.
>“I invite all Queenslanders who are open to hearing the personal histories and evidence being shared by Elders, historians and community members in coming weeks to attend the initial hearings.
>“While you do not need to register for these events, RSVPs are recommended for the Ceremonial Hearing on Monday 16 September via the Inquiry’s website.”
>According to the latest Census (ABS), the Brisbane local government area is home to Queensland’s highest number (22,940) of those identifying as Aboriginal peoples or Torres Strait Islander peoples, while more than a third (82,000) of the state’s Indigenous population lives across Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Logan, Gold Coast and Ipswich LGAs1.
>“All Queenslanders deserve the chance to be heard, understood and supported, and we’ve all got a responsibility to listen,” Mr Creamer said.
>“In Meanjin (Brisbane), we will start Queensland’s truth-telling process, which will include many first-hand and valuable accounts by Elders, before visiting communities across the state over the next three years.
>“Through the Inquiry, we hope Queenslanders can better understand the valuable contributions and the unique needs and challenges of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the power of acknowledging and embracing these.
>1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (2022) ‘Queensland: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population summary’, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Census, 2021 [https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/queensland-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-population-summary](https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/queensland-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-population-summary), accessed 29 August 2024.
>“We acknowledge that elements of the Inquiry may be both cathartic and traumatic for those who share their stories as well as their families and communities, as there will be potentially distressing themes.”
>The Inquiry is focused on ensuring a trauma-informed culturally sensitive approach including for those attending, so we encourage all watching and listening to be mindful of their own needs.
>For more information, visit [www.truth-telling-qld.com.au](http://www.truth-telling-qld.com.au)
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