Speech to Council Chambers

Speech delivered by Councillor Seal Chong Wah, on the Human Rights Commission's regarding human rights breaches by Council and Police at Barrambin

I rise to speak on the letter sent by Commissioners of the Australian Human Rights Commission to the International Olympics Committee, about Barrambin/Victoria Park and the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

This letter from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Commissioner, and Race Discrimination Commissioner, has raised alarm at how this LNP Council and State government have been treating Aboriginal people in Barrambin/Victoria Park. The Commissioners wrote about how sacred Barrambin/Victoria Park is to Aboriginal people.

The letter quoted Gaja Kerry Charlton when she spoke on behalf of the Yagara Magandjin Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), quote: “Precolonial Victoria Park housed vibrant communities who hosted large gatherings like boras, ceremonies, seasonal festivals, celebrations, funerals, sporting tournaments and inter-tribal diplomatic procedures and Lore-law. This site holds significant cultural heritage for us from then to now and for millennia.”

They wrote about the multiple legal appeals against a stadium in this place, in particular the YMAC legal case that is supported by Save Victoria Park group. Derek Oram Sandy who represents Yerongpan Aboriginal Corporation has submitted a Section 10 application. Multiple ongoing legal appeals that are being ignored while the LNP state government is tearing down culturally sacred trees.

The letter also refers to the Tent Embassy that was established on the 5th of April, 2026. I want to acknowledge the Commissioners are referring to the Goori Camp Embassy. Derek Oram Sandy, or Deejay and his father Uncle Derek established in Barrambin/Victoria Park. A few weeks later the YMAC Elders established Barrambin D’jar. These homelands were Aboriginal people practicing their Lore in ceremony. 

And they wrote about the large protests against the stadium, and subsequent, disgusting, racist arrests and removal of Goori Camp Embassy members. I also want to put on record again that the Aboriginal people arrested were not protesting. They were practicing their Lore in cultural ceremony. 

The commissioners expressed concern that the actions of the Queensland government may infringe upon international human rights to peaceful assembly, and of Indigenous peoples to country, self-determination, free, prior and informed consent, cultural protection, and participation in decision-making.

Because of these actions of the police and State government, the commissioners expressed their concern that Brisbane’s host commitments regarding First Peoples might just be tokenistic. Commitments that this Council has signed on to.

The commissioners worry that this is, quote, “part of a broader pattern of mistreatment of First Peoples by the Queensland government”. Quote, “This includes the criminalisation of First Nations youth in the criminal justice system, and the rolling back of truth-telling and treaty processes”. 

The commissioner forgot to mention Project Invisibility, where the LNP State government is systematically eliminating and reducing roles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations in the government.

This is utterly damning. These colonial LNP Council and State governments are continuing to dispossess and criminalise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people just for practicing their own culture on the land that was stolen from them.

I want to acknowledge the Elders and Aboriginal people that have been fighting for land rights since colonisation. The violence, dispossession and trauma that’s to be inflicted on Aboriginal people time and time again is a disgrace.

We must protect Barrambin/Victoria Park and the Barrambin Springs, a rare natural freshwater spring system and aquifer complex that spans both the Herston and Spring Hill sides of the park.

Thank you to the Australian Human Rights Commission for writing this letter to the IOC!