Indigenous Representation in Queensland Health Boards Under Scrutiny
The Queensland government has been accused of breaching its own laws by failing to appoint Indigenous leaders on the state’s health and hospital boards, a situation described as part of a broader campaign known as “Project Invisibility.” This term was first revealed by Joshua Creamer, an Indigenous barrister who was dismissed when the state government ended the Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry he chaired.
Mr. Creamer highlighted that “Project Invisibility” refers to the government’s efforts to remove Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from leadership roles since the 2024 election. He pointed out a pattern of removing experienced Indigenous leaders from public boards and statutory authorities, demoting key public servants, and cutting funding for important community programs.
Under laws enacted by the previous Labor government, each region’s health and hospital board must have at least one Indigenous member. These roles were intended to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes, following a 2017 report that exposed widespread racism within Queensland Health. However, 612 ABC has found that there are currently no Indigenous directors on either of Brisbane’s two major health boards: Metro North and Metro South, which serve 2.4 million people in South East Queensland.
Donisha Duff, a director on Metro South, was given just five days’ notice to vacate her role on March 31 and has not been replaced. Similarly, Adrian Carson, an Indigenous board member on Metro North, left his position on March 31 and was not replaced. A high-ranking Queensland Health source told 612 ABC that these removals have had a significant impact on Aboriginal health delivery across the state.
“It’s outrageous to leave those roles vacant,” the source said. “Metro South serves Logan and oversees health services for the largest Indigenous population in Queensland, surpassing even the population of Far North Queensland.”
Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls stated that the government had started a search for replacements but noted that the roles would likely not be filled until “later this year.” He confirmed that recruitment began on March 27, only four days before the roles were emptied. The minister also mentioned that there is no Indigenous representative on the Sunshine Coast health and hospital board, with appointments unlikely until later this year.
In a statement, the Queensland government did not deny the existence of “Project Invisibility,” but claimed it was “redirecting funds into practical locally led projects which deliver tangible outcomes through our Closing the Gap Priorities Fund,” including “restoring clean drinking water at Woorabinda.”
Sources inside Queensland Health told 612 ABC that the role of the Chief First Nations Health Officer had been downgraded. The officer is no longer a deputy Director General of Health and instead reports to a non-Indigenous official. A senior source described the change as diluting Indigenous voices within the department, noting that a white person now has full control over their agenda.
“The message it sends when you don’t meet the law is that it doesn’t really matter, that it’s a nice-to-have rather than a necessary-to-have,” said Opposition Leader Steven Miles, who introduced the legal requirement for Indigenous representatives on health and hospital boards. He criticized the government for removing Indigenous leaders from high-profile roles and not replacing them.
Miles argued that the decision to remove Indigenous representation does not justify the government’s approach to Indigenous affairs. “It conflates two very different things for political purposes,” he said. “But it also has him saying, this is a deliberate strategy, a political strategy.”
Joshua Creamer also expressed concerns about the decision not to reappoint Gamilaraay woman Natalie Lewis to the Queensland Family and Child Commission. This decision came just days before a devastating report into abuse and neglect experienced by children in out-of-home-care in Queensland, nearly half of whom are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
Attorney-General Deb Frecklington was asked directly whether Ms. Lewis would be replaced and replied: “I have been very well reassured by the Commissioner of the QFCC that the work that former Commissioner Lewis was undertaking is continuing.” However, advocates worry that without an official replacement, the government will miss out on the advice of an independent Indigenous commissioner as it considers the findings of the inquiry.
A controversial recommendation in the report suggests changing the law to allow Indigenous children to be more easily adopted into non-Indigenous families. Critics argue that such a move could create a new Stolen Generation, as Indigenous children would grow up without knowing their culture or identity.
