On Friday,the outspoken Queensland Police Service’s First Nations advisory group and dozens of supporters released a third open letter expressing disappointment in the government’s actions after an October News Corp opinion piece in which Leavers expressed an“outward racist ideology”.
The letter,signed by fellow council member and Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion chief executive Matilda Alexander,describes the government decision to appoint Leavers an “implicit endorsement” of him along with a “gross disservice” to victims and others seeking change.
Hosted alongside an online petition,the letter also seeks a meeting with Palaszczuk and D’Ath to discuss the concerns and “seek a positive resolution to the ongoing harm that is being felt” after past calls for action were “met with silence”.
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“It is beyond belief that the same individual who so recently made overtly racist and fearmongering public commentary about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples could be identified as an appropriate member of this Council,” the letter reads.
“The people most likely to be victims in Queensland are women,children and young people,too often Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ... These people have been let down by this decision. Queensland has been let down by this decision.”
Palaszczuk,D’Ath,Ryan and the police union have been contacted for comment. Asked byBrisbane Times about the appointment on Thursday,D’Ath said Leaversrepresented a large number of the state’s police officers and would “act as their voice” on the body.