Queensland government accused of campaign to remove Aboriginal people from health roles

The Queensland government faces serious accusations of orchestrating a campaign, internally dubbed "Project Invisibility," to systematically remove Indigenous leaders from the state's health and hospital boards. This alleged move, revealed by Indigenous barrister Joshua Creamer, is seen by insiders as a deliberate effort to sideline Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices in crucial health governance roles.

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Project Invisibility was the name used internally to refer to the government's ongoing removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from leadership roles since the election in 2024.

Creamer, who was dismissed from his position chairing the Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry, stated that "Project Invisibility" refers to an ongoing process since the 2024 election to remove Indigenous individuals from leadership positions. He pointed to a consistent pattern of replacing experienced Indigenous leaders on public boards and statutory authorities, demoting key public servants, and defunding vital community programs.

These allegations are particularly concerning given that laws passed by the previous Labor government mandate the inclusion of at least one Indigenous member on each regional health and hospital board. These roles were specifically designed to enhance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes, following a critical 2017 report that exposed widespread racism within Queensland Health. The current situation, with no Indigenous directors on Brisbane's two major health boards, Metro North and Metro South, which serve 2.4 million people, directly contradicts these legislative aims.

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After the election there's been a consistent long line of these types of issues. You look at the abolition and dampening of Indigenous voices since October 2024, there's a very active process to make sure that happens.

Donisha Duff, a Metro South Director, and Adrian Carson, an Indigenous board member at Metro North, were reportedly given short notice to vacate their roles on March 31 and have not been replaced. A highly placed Queensland Health source described the vacancies as "outrageous," emphasizing the negative impact on Aboriginal health delivery, especially in areas like Logan, which serves the largest Indigenous population in Queensland.

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It's outrageous to leave those roles vacant.

While Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls acknowledged the search for replacements, he indicated that appointments might not be made until "later this year." He stated recruitment began only four days before the roles became vacant. The government's official statement did not deny the existence of "Project Invisibility" but asserted a redirection of funds towards "practical locally led projects."

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later this year