21 May 2025
Media release
Bandarran Marra’Gu Gathering Strength Summit brought First Nations community members together from across Queensland and the message is clear: rights are not negotiable.
The Bandarran Marra’Gu Gathering Strength Summit, which was held on 19 and 20 May in Magan-djin (Brisbane), has issued a Statement delivering a powerful message on human rights from its First Nations participants.
This event provided a unique opportunity for First Nations community members to come together and consider how to uphold, promote and protect the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Hosted by the Queensland Human Rights Commission, together with the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Queensland Family and Child Commission, at the Queensland State Library, the Summit brought together community members of all ages from across Queensland.
The Summit provided a safe and respectful space to discuss the impact of recent government decisions on the human rights of First Nations peoples in Queensland, gather strength and consider a way forward. It was an opportunity to reflect on how First Nations peoples can achieve freedom, respect, equality, dignity and self-determination in their everyday lives.
The discussion amongst Summit attendees considered how the four streams of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples - self-determination, cultural integrity and preservation, protection from discrimination and participation in decision-making – can be advanced.
First Nations participants considered new and positive ways forward through the promotion and protection of human rights and discussed ways to move forward on high-priority issues raised at the Summit, particularly the safety of First Nations children at risk of harm from structural and systemic discrimination and institutional violence.
The Statement from participants delivers a powerful call to government to listen to the combined voices and experience of First Nations elders, and all generations, to promote, protect and uphold their human rights. The priority focus must be protecting First Nations children and young people.
This important event was one step in advancing the rights of Queensland’s First Nations communities to self-determination and building a Queensland where everyone feels safe and welcome.
Quotes attributable to Queensland Human Rights Commissioner, Scott McDougall:
“Human rights are fundamental to all efforts to improve the lives of First Nations peoples in Queensland. With the growing challenges to human rights in Queensland, and Australia, it is more important than ever to provide an environment to ensure the voices of First Nations peoples are prioritised in the ongoing efforts to uphold their rights."
“I am pleased that the Bandarran Marra’Gu Gathering Strength Summit provided a safe space for First Nations community members across Queensland to come together to take stock of the status of their rights as Indigenous peoples. The Commission is proud to have supported this important step as an exercise of self-determination.”
Quotes attributable to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss:
“The Summit reaffirmed that our individual and collective rights are not negotiable. They are not a privilege. They are a responsibility."
“We are rights holders, entitled to self-determination, cultural integrity, participation in decision-making, equality and non-discrimination. We want truth, justice and healing for our people and our future generations."
“Australian governments have a duty to ensure compliance with international human rights obligations and embed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in legislative frameworks that affect us.”
Quotes attributable to Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Commissioner, Natalie Lewis:
“The Bandarran Marra’Gu Gathering Strength Summit was not about organisational agendas, it was not about our status, our positional power or profiles. It was about connecting, on our own terms, centring our rights, our culture and harnessing our collective power and commitment to our future generations."
“An important point of difference for the summit – we have been intentional about ensuring we create space for young people to participate in these discussions, in having meaningful input in creating a path forward.”
- ENDS
Notes to editor:
Photos from the Summit available here
Statement available here
Media Contacts
QHRC Media
Email: comms@qhrc.qld.gov.au
Phone: 0407 657 411
Australian Human Rights Commission
Email: media@humanrights.gov.au
Phone: 0457 281 897
Queensland Family and Child Commission
Email: media@qfcc.qld.gov.au
Phone: 0404 971 164