Joint Council on Closing the Gap Justice Reinvestment Community Readiness Support
Minister for Indigenous Australians
The Hon Linda Burney MP
Attorney-General
Cabinet Secretary
The Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP
Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians
Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health
Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy
Joint media release
The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on justice reinvestment in First Nations communities.
The Minister for Indigenous Australians will announce the government’s support for community-led, place-based approaches to justice reinvestment at the Joint Council on Closing the Gap meeting in Darwin on Wednesday.
As part of its landmark $81.5 million First Nations Justice package, the Albanese Government will assist 15 communities that have expressed interest in designing and developing early stage justice reinvestment strategies – ahead of a national grant round opening later this year.
The communities include;
- Townsville (QLD)
- Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) (QLD)
- Mornington Island (QLD)
- Cherbourg (QLD)
- Doomadgee (QLD)
- Katherine (NT)
- Darwin (NT)
- Groote Eylandt (Angurugu, Umbakumba and Milyakburra) (NT)
- Lajamanu (NT)
- Circular Head (TAS)
- Fadden (ACT)
- Newman (WA)
- Port Augusta (SA)
- Ngarrindjeri (Lower River Murray, Lakes and Coorong),
- and a broader regional approach in South Australia
More than 30 years after the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, rates of incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, women and young people are a national shame.
The Albanese Government is committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to achieve better justice outcomes, in line with targets 10 and 11 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Justice reinvestment involves community-led and holistic approaches to keeping at risk individuals out of the criminal justice system. It also includes investment in early intervention and prevention programs and initiatives for at-risk adults and young people.
The Albanese Government has partnered with three First Nations-led bodies – Ninti One, the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research and the Justice Reinvestment Network Australia to ensure First Nations knowledge sits at the heart of support provided to communities during this first phase of this new national initiative.
Attribute to Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP
“The delivery of community readiness support is a practical and tangible example of this Government’s commitment to national action to reduce First Nations incarceration and youth detention rates.
“Working in partnership with communities is critical to achieving the targets under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and is in line with the Government’s commitment to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full.”
Attribute to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Linda Burney MP
“Justice reinvestment in places like Bourke NSW, has proven to be effective in reducing crime and keeping adults and young people out of custody.
“We are absolutely committed to working in partnership with First Nations communities across the country to keep our people out of prison and youth detention centres.
“We want to make sure young First Nations people have a better future and can reach their full potential.”
Attribute to the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy
“Justice reinvestment is about community-led and holistic approaches to keep Indigenous people out of the criminal justice system and changing lives for the better.”
“First Nations-led organisations understand the needs of their communities best and I’m pleased to see they are at the forefront of rolling out this readiness support.“This will ensure justice reinvestment is led by First Nations knowledge and lived experience to help turn the tide on unacceptable rates of reoffending and incarceration.”
Attribute to Deputy Lead Convenor Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations Catherine Liddle
“To be successful, Justice Reinvestment needs to be driven by our communities from the grassroots up, consistent with the Priority Reforms in the National Agreement”
“We know that the Closing the Gap target relating to incarceration of our adults is worsening. Our people are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, and we need to put an end to it.”