Page 299 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 9 February 2021
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Winnunga’s leadership is particularly important here because they know the families in their community. We have seen, through that program, not just impacts on people’s interactions with the criminal justice system but other outcomes such as an improved rate of children attending school and better engagement with health services. So we are seeing here outcomes that improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s whole lives and, in many ways, go to addressing a range of targets under the Closing the Gap programs. These are the sorts of programs where the leadership of Winnunga, I think, has been particularly important.
There are legislative reforms that we can take that will make a difference. I was pleased last term, in my capacity as justice minister, to bring through parole time credit. This is, again, impacting on all detainees but particularly those in our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We were getting feedback that people were not seeking parole because they felt that the previous system set up the wrong incentives and if they had a minor breach they would end up back in custody, having to serve the balance of their sentence, whereas now they will be rewarded for their successful time in the community without breaching.
I highlight this because it goes back to my earlier point. There is no single answer here. There are a series of steps we can take that will make a significant difference for people who are seeking to get their lives back on track and make sure that the system is supporting them to do that where possible.
The drug and alcohol court is another example. I think that this therapeutic approach to justice, which seeks to target underlying behavioural issues, drug dependencies, mental health issues for people who find themselves involved in the criminal justice system, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, is an important initiative that needs further work. The drug and alcohol court has been operating for just over a year now and I think that it is important to see how these things are operating and to continue to seek to make improvement.
Similarly, the Galambany Circle Sentencing Court and the Warrumbul Youth Circle Sentencing Court are initiatives which seek to bring elders in our community in to support people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage who find themselves involved in the criminal justice system. All of these things can play a part.
In terms of the specific motion today, I wanted to indicate that the Greens will be supporting Minister Gentleman’s amendment.
Ms Lee: Surprise!
Mrs Kikkert: Did you all work together?
MR RATTENBURY: Actually, we are seeking to work together to tackle these issues.
Ms Lee: It was nice that we were invited to the party then, wasn’t it?
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