Submissions
Final call for online submissions
Online submissions are open. This is the last opportunity for your story to form part of the Inquiry’s record. Anyone who wishes to share evidence or materials is encouraged to take up this final opportunity to contribute to Queensland's Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry.
The Inquiry welcomes submissions from Aboriginal peoples, Torres Strait Islander peoples, and non-Indigenous people, as well as groups, organisations and institutions.
Submissions and materials provided to the Inquiry will form part of the Inquiry’s records and will be collected and preserved by the Queensland State Archives.
Online submissions
How to make a submission to the Inquiry
The Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry is examining the impacts and effects of colonisation on Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Queensland.
The Inquiry welcomes submissions from:
- Individuals – including Aboriginal peoples, Torres Strait Islander peoples, and non-Indigenous people; and
- Groups, organisations and institutions.
Submissions can be made on any matters of relevance to the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference.
You can make a submission about:
- your personal lived experience
- your family’s lived experience through stories passed down, or historical records
- the experience of your organisation and/or its staff and members
- findings of research your organisation or institution has conducted.
Areas of interest to the Inquiry
The Inquiry is interested in receiving evidence on the following:
- documenting the experience of, and effect on, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of the conduct (including past laws, policies, actions and practices) of colonial and State governments relating to:
- displacement, dispossession, settlement and management of lands, seas and waters
- assimilation and protection
- missions and reserves
- separation of children, or other family members, from their families
- control over personal property and places of residence
- control over wages, finances and employment
- treatment in policing and the criminal justice system
- provision of education and health care
- languages and culture
- control of movement for goods and services, for social interactions, and movement from one community to another
- control of marriages and courtship
- the opportunities to participate in the public, economic and social life of Queensland on equal terms with the wider Queensland community
- documenting the role of non-government, faith-based organisations and others in the colonisation of Queensland, including through the implementation of the laws, policies and practices of colonial and State governments in Queensland
- documenting the intergenerational and ongoing impacts of colonisation on the current life outcomes and experiences of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- understanding the current barriers and obstacles to Aboriginal peoples’ and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ full participation in public, economic, social life and public affairs in Queensland
- recording stories of resistance, resilience, achievement and excellence by Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples in all walks of life.
The Inquiry also welcomes submissions about the following matters:
- promoting public awareness of the history of the colonisation of Queensland and its ongoing impacts on Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the Queensland community generally
- promoting awareness and a deeper understanding within the Queensland community, of Aboriginal peoples’ and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultures histories, languages and traditions and the ongoing responsibility of Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples to their traditional lands, seas and waters
- strengthening the relationship between non-Indigenous people and Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples to foster reconciliation and a deeper respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, history and experiences that transcend generations
- contributing to a reframed relationship between Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the State based upon genuine partnership, and leadership from Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their representative bodies and community-controlled organisations
- contributing to improved policy and service delivery outcomes for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Online submission
Make a submission online
The Inquiry is currently receiving submissions online.
How submissions are used
Your submission will form part of the evidence received and considered by the Inquiry. Submissions and materials provided to the Inquiry will form part of the Inquiry's records and will be collected and preserved by the Queensland State Archives.
When you submit online, you can elect how you wish the Inquiry to use your material. You can choose to:
- make a confidential submission that is only to be viewed by the Inquiry and will not be published
- agree to your submission being published in full on the website
- make a submission anonymously.
Where you have provided permission for your submission to be published, the Inquiry may need to redact parts of your submission or withhold the submission from publication in its entirety. This decision will be made by the Inquiry for legal, cultural, privacy and/or other reasons.
You can withdraw your submission at any time. However, once published, copies of your submission may exist in the public domain outside of the control of the Inquiry. If you want to withdraw a submission you have made, please email [email protected].
Risks of sharing information
You may be concerned about sharing stories and there may be some risks involved. These might include:
- something which happened to you at work or which you learned about through your employment (e.g. whistleblowing)
- personally, or culturally sensitive information
- a past or current court case (criminal or civil)
- something which is against the law or could lead to criminal charges being brought against you or somebody else
- something critical about a person (or their organisation) which may harm theirreputation (defamation)
- information which is possibly subject to a confidentiality agreement or settlement agreement
- information which may break laws such as secrecy, privacy or confidentiality provisions which may apply to you.
If you are concerned about legal risks in making a submission, please contact the Inquiry’s legal team at [email protected].
If your submission refers to any other person or group, please make sure you have their consent to share their name, details and story. If you do not have consent, the Inquiry may need to speak with you regarding such information and may need to redact parts of your submission before publication.
Data sovereignty
The Inquiry provides information on its protocols relating to Indigenous Data Sovereignty - submissions and materials provided to the Inquiry will form part of the Inquiry's records and will be collected and preserved by the Queensland State Archives.
Please be aware that your information may be stored on Queensland Government information technology systems as the Inquiry is hosted by the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts. However, there are restrictions in place to restrict access to Inquiry records to Inquiry members and staff only.
The Inquiry is subject to legislation regarding public records, and any submissions received may be the subject to the Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld).
Help and support
Support and advice for submissions
If you have any general queries in relation to the submission process, please contact the Inquiry’s legal team at [email protected].
Support for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples
The Inquiry’s Community Participation Support team leads engagement with communities and supports Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples to engage with the Inquiry and prepare submissions.
If you would like to contact one of the team, please email [email protected] and a team member will be in touch soon.
Social and emotional wellbeing support
The Inquiry aims to be a safe, supportive and culturally appropriate place to share your experience and share information.
Learn more about social and emotional wellbeing.
If you would like to access social and emotional wellbeing support before, during or after preparing your submission, please email [email protected] and a team member will be in touch.