Support the full realisation of the right of First Nations Peoples to self-determination

QCOSS worked to support the full realisation of the rights of First Nations Peoples to self-determination by campaigning for the Voice to Parliament, elevating the voices of First Nations leaders and using our platforms to share First Nations knowledge.

We hosted the event Ask Us Anything: Voice to Parliament with UQ Deputy Vice Chancellor (Indigenous) and QCOSS board member, Professor Bronwyn Fredericks, and constitutional expert, the Honourable Matt Foley.

148 people registered to attend the event.

Allies for Uluru

QCOSS was an inaugural member of Allies for Uluru during 2023-24, a partnership of more than 200 civil society organisations who banded together to share ideas about how to ensure a successful Yes vote in the Voice to Parliament referendum.

QCOSS also disseminated information about the Voice to Parliament referendum to the CEO Network and Peaks Network, at our Town Halls, as well as through our newsletters and social media accounts.

In the lead up to the referendum, we dedicated an edition of our Human Rights in Action newsletter to the Voice to Parliament’s possibilities.

The newsletter featured an interview with GetUp! CEO and key Voice campaigner,
Larissa Baldwin-Roberts.

We al-li

After the defeat of the Voice to Parliament referendum, we delivered four online events with First Nations provider We al-li: Working with First Nations people in a trauma and healing informed way, Self-care when working with First Nations communities recovering from trauma, How to acknowledge country and Truth telling and treaty with a total of 240 people registered to attend the events.

QATSICPP

We actively endorsed the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak’s (QATSICPP) successful bid to become Queensland’s Youth Justice Peak.

The significant over-representation of First Nations young people in Queensland’s youth justice system makes it critical that strategic policy advice and recommendations to government are First Nations-led and support the delivery of culturally safe reforms. QCOSS will work under QATSICPP’s leadership to improve youth justice in Queensland.

Advocacy events

We hosted the events: National Reconciliation Week – the importance and impact of First Nations led responses to youth crime featuring First Nations speakers from across Queensland talking about the fight for justice and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and Research and Evaluation Network: Data rights through a First Nations lens which unpacked and explored key concepts and principles around Indigenous Data Sovereignty.

These events had 98 and 136 registrants respectively.

QCOSS RAP embedded

The QCOSS Reconciliation Action Plan 2023-25, approved by Reconciliation Australia and endorsed by the QCOSS Board in February 2024, provides practical actions to progress our organisation’s commitment to self-determination - a commitment also stated in the QCOSS Strategic Plan 2023-2028.

Through implementation of our RAP, QCOSS will elevate the voices of First Nations People, promote diversity and inclusion within our organisation and further our path towards reconciliation.