Queensland opposition leader David Crisafulli delivers blow to treaty push in Australia after resounding Voice No vote by walking away from commitment

Queensland’s opposition leader has reneged on his pledge to back a path to a treaty as state politicians grapple with the fallout from the failed vote referendum.

Liberal National Party leader David Crisafulli and his state colleagues voted in May in favor of a path to a treaty that will examine Queensland’s colonial past through a truth inquiry and the First Nations Treaty Institute.

Five months later, Mr Crisafulli went back on his promise after witnessing “one of the most divisive debates of my life.”

“When the LNP originally agreed to enable legislation towards a treaty, we did so in good faith as a genuine effort to promote better outcomes for Indigenous Australians,” he said in a statement.

Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has backtracked on his commitment to a path to a treaty

“In the days since the referendum, as I have traveled around the state, it has become clear to me that the path to a treaty will only cause further division.”

Only three federal voters in Queensland voted in favor of a constitutional vote for Indigenous people in Saturday’s referendum.

With votes still being counted, 69 percent of Queensland voters opposed the constitutional change – the highest percentage of any state or territory.

“Queenslanders have spoken and I have listened,” Crisafulli said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Thursday that the path to a treaty could only proceed with support from both parties.

Ms Palaszczuk said the treaties being negotiated with First Nations people “are still a long way off, and will require bipartisan support.”

Asked whether she would guarantee the treaty would come to fruition, she again emphasized that it would “need bipartisan support.”

“The next stage is truth telling, which is a three to four year process,” she said.

When asked several times if she believed Queenslanders supported the treaty, Palaszczuk said she believed Australians want reconciliation.

“We heard very loud and clear about the referendum,” she said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Thursday the state’s treaty could only go ahead with bipartisan support

In NSW, where around 60 percent voted ‘no’, coalition MPs called on Labor to rule out a statutory vote for the NSW Parliament.

Despite personally supporting a federal vote, State Opposition Leader Mark Speakman also backed away from a NSW vote or pursuing a treaty.

Instead, he called for practical and urgent initiatives to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the referendum result had not changed his government’s mandate to start the treaty process.

Consultations with Indigenous people must begin ‘as soon as possible’, while the Prime Minister has also not closed the door on a vote for the NSW Parliament.

“I don’t necessarily believe it is the will of the Australian people to stop progress on reconciliation or to close the gap,” Minns said on Thursday.

Only three federal voters in Queensland voted in favor of a constitutional vote for Indigenous people in Saturday’s referendum

Other states and territories are moving further towards reconciliation.

The ACT has already established an elected Indigenous voice in Parliament to advise the government, while the NT has a Treaty Unit and Tasmania has committed to promoting truth-telling and treaty-making with an Aboriginal Advisory Body to oversee this holds.

Victoria established the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria in 2019 and South Australia introduced a state-based vote for parliament early this year.

Western Australia has no treaty or plans to tell the truth, but the constitution was amended in 2015 to recognize Indigenous people.