Indigenous Qld minister honours Bayles

Queensland's first indigenous government minister has paid tribute to radio broadcaster Tiga Bayles, describing him as a "great man".

Mr Bayles, 62, a leading figure in the land rights movement and prominent indigenous broadcaster, died on Sunday morning after a long battle with cancer.

Innovation Minister Leeanne Enoch said she was "absolutely devastated" by the news.

"I was barely holding it together yesterday," Ms Enoch said on Monday.

"He was a great man.

"Many of us talk about standing on the shoulders of giants - he certainly was one of those."

Mr Bayles is a former chairman of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council and helped set up Radio Redfern in Sydney in the early 1980s to ensure more indigenous voices were heard on the airwaves.

He later set up the Brisbane Indigenous Media Association and its 98.9FM radio station.

Mr Bayles, who raised nine daughters, was named Queensland Father of the Year in 2005.