Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Thorpe. You've mentioned that one of the recommendations of the royal commission relates to the age of criminal responsibility, and that is a matter that the Attorney-General is working with the state attorneys-general on at the moment—so with his colleagues. So that is a recommendation where action is ongoing.

As I say, in the meantime we are taking other action on other matters, with our $99 million First Nations justice Package. That's delivered unprecedented Commonwealth investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal services and to provide culturally appropriate legal assistance in coronial inquiries and also real-time reporting of deaths in custody, which was introduced in June last year. As I say, the Attorney-General is also working closely with his state and territory colleagues on a proposal to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility, to ensure that the youngest First Nations offenders are supported to turn their lives around rather than set on a cycle of imprisonment and reoffending.