Community leaders back proposals to change blue card system

The proposed changes will amend the Blue Card framework to allow Indigenous community leaders, namely local Community Justice Groups, to make decisions on Blue Card applications.

The bill was backed by communities at a series of public hearings held last week in Mount Isa, Palm Island, Yarrabah and Brisbane.

Speaking at the hearing in Mount Isa, Cloncurry Justice Association Board Member Hayley Iles said there was a certain skill set of people in the Mount Isa region unable to find employment due to having committed "some type of crime from low to medium."

"The community sees them as being good people in their community and can sign off on that if you have a panel," she said.

Waanyi Tribal PBC member from Mount Isa, Rose Iles, said some criminal offences "may not be serious enough to keep them out of a normal job so let us go and have a look at that."

"My idea is that if we could look at their offences, if they are not so severe we could possibly consider them for a temporary blue card," she said.

The Bill has also been supported by the Queensland Council of Social Services (QCOSS), Queensland's peak social service body.

In a submission to the Legal Affairs and Safety Committee, QCOSS CEO Aimee McVeigh said she supported the Bill but called for "broader and deeper consultation and a comprehensive human rights analysis about these issues."

"We consider that the issues this Bill seeks to address are part of a larger call for reform to the Blue Card system," she said.

Mr Katter said he would appeal to Cook MP Cynthia Lui and her Labor colleagues, to garner support for the Bill in the Labor party room.