Government to focus efforts on Closing the Gap

As part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to Closing the Gap, the 2025-26 Budget will include funding to establish Tasmanian Aboriginal Truth-telling and Healing Commissioners, to begin a Tasmanian Aboriginal-led journey toward Truth-telling, healing, and relationship building with Tasmanian Aboriginal people and the broader Tasmanian community.

Interim advice provided by the Aboriginal Advisory Group on Truth-telling and Treaty, included the appointment of independent Commissioners to guide a genuine, Aboriginal-led, Truth-telling and healing process for Tasmanian Aboriginal people. 

Following this advice, and extensive engagement with Tasmanian Aboriginal people the Government will now focus its efforts on a healing journey for the whole Tasmanian community, walking together on a shared pathway.

Truth-telling is a necessary step which must run its course, so accordingly, the Government will no longer progress Treaty.

Our Government’s focus will be on actions that prioritise education, storytelling and knowledge sharing, to ensure greater community reconciliation can be achieved. 

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Jacquie Petrusma, said the establishment of the Truth-telling and Healing Commissioners will be uniquely Tasmanian, and is a very important historic moment of recognition, respect and for self-determination for Tasmanian Aboriginal people. 

“This is a first for Tasmania — a moment of deep significance for Tasmanian Aboriginal people, and one that reflects our commitment to listen, learn, and act,” Minister Petrusma said.

“It is a critical and necessary step towards recognising past injustices, gaining a greater understanding of the contemporary challenges being faced by Tasmanian Aboriginal people, and making real progress in healing the wounds of the past.

“The truth-telling and healing process will preserve Tasmanian Aboriginal history and storytelling for future generations; provide Tasmanian Aboriginal people, including Elders, families, children, and young people with a safe and culturally respectful platform to speak their truth, and allow healing to begin.”

The Government will now work with Tasmanian Aboriginal people on the process to appoint the Commissioners and the next steps, noting this will be led and driven by Tasmanian Aboriginal people.

This initiative forms part of the Government’s broader commitment to Closing the Gap and to improve the lives of Tasmanian Aboriginal people, with $4.4 million to be invested over the next four years to progress this important work, including further capacity building funding. 

As part of this investment, initiatives will include:

• Continued funding for our Coalition of Peaks partner, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre; the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Communities Alliance; and Reconciliation Tasmania; and
• Improving economic opportunities for Tasmanian Aboriginal people, through support for the Palawa Business Hub - the first Tasmanian fit-for-purpose, Aboriginal-led, one stop shop for current and future Aboriginal business owners and entrepreneurs in Tasmania.

Additional funding for the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania is also being provided to support their important work.