THE HON SHAYNE NEUMANN MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
THE HON WARREN SNOWDON MP
SHADOW PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
25th ANNIVERSARY OF ROYAL COMMISSION INTO ABORIGINAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
The landmark Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody shone a light on the shameful national tragedy that for too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the journey to a prison cell or a police holding cell would claim their life.
The Royal Commission exposed the disproportionate numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in police custody and prison.
Tragically, in the 25 years since the Royal Commission, Indigenous incarceration rates have risen to national crisis levels.
Pat Dodson, soon to join Labor in the Senate, called this increase staggering at a National Press Club speech earlier this week and he was unfortunately correct.
Today, a young Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander man is more likely to go to prison than university.
We must not allow this devastating trend to continue.
Crime and incarceration affects the safety of the whole community and the solutions will be found by working in partnership with the community.
We cannot close the gap in education, health and employment disadvantage between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians without national leadership to change the record and build safe, stronger communities.
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody 25 years ago was a landmark achievement, but we cannot betray its legacy by standing aside when indigenous incarceration rates continue to rise. All parties must do more to reverse this devastating trend, Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said.
Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Shayne Neumann echoed Mr Dreyfus comments, and said more must be done.
The Report the Royal Commission handed down in 1991 marked a watershed moment for shining a light on the alarming levels of justice disadvantage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face.
Today, as we reflect on the recommendations of the report and what has been achieved in the years since, it is important that we acknowledge much more must be done if we are truly serious about closing the gap, and putting an end to this vicious cycle. Mr Neumann said.
Labor is prepared to take action and work with State and Territory Governments, law enforcement agencies, communities and service providers to turn the tide on Indigenous incarceration rates and victimisation.
Labor's nationally coordinated approach to close the justice gap will:
-
Prioritise work on measurable justice targets at the first meeting of COAG convened under a Shorten Labor Government. By setting specific targets we can track progress and focus national attention on preventing crime and reducing incarceration.
-
Invest in community-driven justice reinvestment strategies that empower communities to address the complex causes of incarceration and crime, and deliver a funding injection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services.
-
Establish a national coordinating body to build the evidence base, collect data and measure progress of the new justice targets, and monitor the effectiveness of justice reinvestment in the Australian context
-
Labor's commitment to address and prevent family violence is also critical in the development of justice targets to reduce crime. A Shorten Labor Government will make a series of critical investments to address and prevent family violence including:
-
$42.9 million in frontline community legal services, including $4.5million to be invested in Family Violence Prevention Legal Services (FVPLS) that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children experiencing family violence.
-
$15 million for a national Safe at Home program to help people affected by family violence to stay in their own home and community.
-
$8.4 million to better understand perpetrator behaviour including how to disrupt violence, risk assessment and monitoring across systems.
-
For more information on Labor's Closing the Gap strategy visit http://www.alp.org.au/closingthegapjusticetargets
FRIDAY, 15 APRIL 2016
