Leaked Survey Shows Decline in First Nations Staff Safety

A leaked survey tabled in parliament on October 29 shows that cultural safety for First Nations staff at the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships in Queensland has dropped by 25 percentage points in one year. Only 42% of Aboriginal public servants reported feeling culturally safe, a figure 16 percentage points lower than the state government average.

Shadow Minister Leeanne Enoch and the Labor opposition used the data to allege a systematic effort by the Liberal National party government to diminish First Nations voices, a trend barrister Joshua Creamer described as "project invisibility." Minister Fiona Simpson defended the results, stating the government has prioritized "practical approaches" to restore frontline services over "symbolic" ones.

Simultaneously, Labor accused the government of gagging not-for-profits by requiring residential care providers to sign confidentiality agreements that prohibit legal action against the department. Child Safety Minister Amanda Stoker rejected these claims, asserting the government has increased transparency regarding the lives of youth in care.