Page 4143 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 22 October 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
jurisdictions: the lowest recidivism rate for young people by far, and a significant reduction in the number of young people apprehended by ACT Policing and those under youth justice supervision. Both community-based supervision and detention have decreased, and there has also been an improvement in the number and the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people under youth justice supervision, with the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in detention almost halving, which goes to Ms Le Couteur’s point about how important that is.
In August 2017 I established a new blueprint for the youth justice—
Mr Coe interjecting—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Mr Coe!
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: task force to review progress, to provide advice on emerging challenges, and to make recommendations to focus our work for the final four years of the blueprint. I asked the task force to consider several issues, including supporting young people’s transition back to the community, particularly those who have spent significant periods on remand; reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in all stages of the youth justice system; better supporting young people with disability in the youth justice system, aligning with the work of the disability justice strategy; and making sure we turn around young lives at the earliest opportunity.
To make their recommendations, the task force drew on knowledge from across the community, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, advocates for children living with disability and mental health challenges, and organisations that work directly with children and young people.
I tabled the final report of the task force in May 2019 and I will provide a government response by the end of this year. Importantly, the task force reaffirmed that a rehabilitative focus of the ACT’s youth justice system should continue. We are doing this by investing in services and supports for children, for young people and for families at risk.
My time is running out, but I want to note that we have also funded the establishment of the Warrumbul Court, a circle sentencing court for young people, a very important part of ensuring that young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people get the cultural sentencing support they need. That will be up and running soon.
MR GUPTA (Yerrabi) (3.31): I would like to thank Mrs Kikkert for bringing this motion to the Assembly, and the Minister for Children, Youth, and Families for her contribution on this important issue. Young people are valuable members of our community. Young people have a voice, and this government is listening to young people, their families, and their communities.
As the minister noted, the blueprint for youth justice in the ACT 2012-2022 is the government’s strategy to ensure that young people in the ACT are safe, strong and connected. I and my colleagues know that when young people are connected to their
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video