Landmark laws to help the Queensland government sign a treaty or treaties with First Nations people have been introduced to parliament.
After major delays that frustrated Indigenous advocates, the inquiry is expected to begin within three months of the laws passing.
Here's what it means for Queenslanders.
What is the Path to Treaty?
The legislation will lay the groundwork for continued reconciliation and comes after years of planning.
Essentially it is a process of reconciliation being undertaken by the state government, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Queenslanders.
The end goal is to negotiate a treaty or treaties between the Queensland government and First Nations communities recognising them as the original custodians of the land, waters and air.
It will acknowledge the history of colonisation and how it has marginalised and disempowered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Why were laws introduced for it?
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk introduced laws into parliament today to achieve a Path to Treaty.
"This is our chance to do what we should have done two centuries ago," she said.
"It is a moment which will define our humanity, our sense of fairness and a legacy we leave to our children."
The laws will enable the government to set up a First Nations Treaty Institute which will help prepare and support First Nations people for treaty negotiations with the state.
The institute will be a statutory body, independent from government.
The state will allocate at least $10 million a year to support it.
It also means a special inquiry can be set up to look into and report on the impacts and effects of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
This will be called the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry and it will run for three years.
The laws will also amend existing legislation that reflects discriminatory policies of the past.
How will the inquiry work?
The inquiry will hold public truth-telling sessions, hearings and invite people to give documents and other information to the inquiry.
Anyone can be invited to attend a truth-telling session and attendance is voluntary.
It will have elements of a commission of inquiry meaning it will compel government agencies to participate and produce information or documents.
The inquiry will be set up within three months of when the laws pass parliament.
What happens from here?
This year it is expected the treaty institute and inquiry will be set up.
Then the inquiry will get underway and treaty negotiations will start.
The treaty process between different communities is expected to take years as both parties work together to come to a shared agreement.
Queensland will also look at setting up a Treaty Authority and a Treaty Tribunal to deal with disputes into the future.
