Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak briefly on this matter of public importance on deaths in custody. I thank the speakers who've contributed to this debate and I particularly acknowledge my colleague Senator Dodson. He asked me to speak on this important matter. I do so acknowledging his longstanding work in Aboriginal affairs, particularly as director of the Kimberley Land Council, and, of course, in relation to this important matter, as commissioner of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. It's clear that there's been little to no change in some of the facts and figures that have been cited by those in this debate. This is a case of national shame and a case of national tragedy.

On this side of the chamber, we are certainly not sitting on our hands, ignoring Senator Dodson and his calls for action or ignoring those in the community who want to see change. First Nations deaths in custody are a national shame and a major marker of the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. They cause devastating, intergenerational trauma for families and community. I live in Far North Queensland, and it's fair to say that deaths in custody in our region have formed part of the identity of communities, and the tragedy of communities. I speak without naming the person in the death in custody in 2004 on Palm Island, which caused so much heartache and despair in that community.

Our government is listening to communities about taking steps, something that the previous government failed to do. The government is absolutely committed to addressing the ongoing tragedy of First Nations deaths in custody. It is completely uncalled for and inappropriate for those opposite or anyone in this chamber to insinuate that this government is ignoring these recommendations or even the royal commission itself.

As the royal commission has made clear, there are many reasons that Indigenous deaths in custody occur, but, of course, the main reason is that the rates of incarceration in the Indigenous community are so high. Too many young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, in particular, are being robbed of their futures by a system that has completely let them down. First Nations people are 13 times more likely to be imprisoned, making up to 30 per cent of the adult prison population but only two per cent of the Australian population. Certainly, we know that young Indigenous people make up a major proportion of people in juvenile detention.

Our government is taking steps. That's why we've invested $81.5 million in 30 community led justice reinvestment initiatives across Australia. We're establishing an independent national justice reinvestment unit. This was a recommendation from the Australian Law Reform Commission, and we are putting it in place. This is the largest funding package in justice reinvestment ever committed by the Commonwealth. Justice reinvestment will involve a community led and holistic approach to keeping at-risk individuals out of the criminal justice system in the first place. It's such an important step to be taken. Justice reinvestment is something the former government failed to do, and we are righting that wrong by investing in this important strategy for First Nations people. These projects will address the underlying socioeconomic drivers that increase First Nations people's risk of contact with the criminal justice system, by working with local communities on local solutions. That really is key to achieving any type of reform or change in this policy area or space: working with local communities. We need to listen to what the solutions are on the ground, and we need to implement those solutions. That's why existing justice reinvestment programs have been proven to deliver record reduced incarceration, reduced crime and reduced recidivism. It is incredibly important that these programs are supported, and we seek that support from those across the chamber.