Warning: This story includes details about removal from country and family, violence and racism which may be distressing to some readers.
Queensland's police commissioner has acknowledged the service's "chequered" history with First Nations people at the state's Truth-telling and Hearing Inquiry.
Speaking after the fourth day of hearings in Brisbane, Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said he had ordered that no records be destroyed as Queensland Police Service (QPS) combs its archives to share with the inquiry.
The commissioner said QPS had set up a First Nations unit that would analyse the records of the state's Native Police — which historians estimate killed tens of thousands of Indigenous people.
"The academy is working to be completely transparent in their analysis of the Native Police's records, with a focus on discovering more material that may be relevant to the inquiry," he said.
Asked how he would describe Queensland's Native Mounted Police, the longest-running Native Police in the country, he said they were led by policies of past governments who believed "for whatever reason" that it was in the best interests of the state.
"I think more of that detail will come out, but clearly they were part of the executive arm of some of that policy, and they took actions that we would not tolerate in any shape or form in current society," he said.
Seven Queensland government officials spoke at the hearing on Tuesday.
Each one acknowledged previous government practices and policies caused harm to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
'160 years of failure'
Inquiry chair, Kalkadoon man and barrister Joshua Creamer said those representatives had admitted to "160 years of failure" in how the government had treated First Nations people.
"That was the theme I think and that certainly seemed to be accepted when I put that as a proposition," he said.
The hearings are part of the state government's Path to Treaty Act, which passed parliament with bipartisan support in 2023.
It is set to run for three years, although it could be cut short if the LNP take power after next month's election and carry through its pledge to roll it back.
Still, Mr Creamer said more truth-telling sessions, both formal hearings and in community, would happen before Christmas.
Elders tell their stories
Last week the inquiry heard Aboriginal elders, including Aunty Flo Watson, whose mother was shot as a child as she tried to save her little brother in a massacre in Far North Queensland. Her mother's mother and brother were both killed.
Aunty Flo's mother was then taken to Yarrabah mission where she lived until she was stolen as a young teenager.
Wakka Wakka man David Wragge grew up at the Cherbourg mission. (AAP: Darren England)
Uncle David Wragge also spoke about being taken from his family and subjected to physical, sexual and mental abuse.
Elder Aunty Lesley Williams — who survived on rations before she was sent away to work as a servant for white families — also gave evidence about stolen wages.