A new memorial to First Nations servicemen and women has been unveiled in Brisbane with the ceremony attended by approximately 200 First Nations Elders, Australian Defence Force representatives and veterans.
The bronze memorial, designed by Wakka Wakka artist John Smith Gumbula and Gold Coast-based sculptor Liam Hardy, features four First Nations Army, Air Force, Navy, and Medical Services personnel and two dancers representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who attended the unveiling ceremony at Brisbane's ANZAC Square, said the service and sacrifice of all Australian military personnel deserved to be honoured with dignity and respect, including the important contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women.
"Right throughout history, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders have served our nation courageously as members of Australia's armed forces. It's important their efforts are acknowledged," the Premier said.
"This memorial will be a permanent reminder of their valour and sacrifice and is an opportunity to commemorate the stories of First Nations service men and women.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister Craig Crawford said, "This year's National Reconciliation Week theme asks us all to be brave, and make change.
"It takes courage to speak the truth about history, but that honesty is fundamental to creating a new way for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and non-Indigenous peoples to work together as equals, with mutual respect.
"First Nations peoples have served in armed conflicts from the Boer War onwards and continue to serve our country today.
"Military service requires significant sacrifice from serving members and their families, in wartime and in peace, and some have made the ultimate sacrifice.
"This memorial is a way of honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women now and into the future, and I thank them for their service."
The Brisbane memorial will join existing memorials in Adelaide, Sydney and Canberra and soon to be established ones in Ipswich and Woorabinda.