Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Lines, I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Finance and Public Administration References Committee for inquiry and report by 10 August 2015:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experience of law enforcement and justice services, with particular reference to:

(a) the extent to which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have access to legal assistance services;

(b) the adequacy of resources provided to Aboriginal legal assistance services by state, territory and Commonwealth governments;

(c) the benefits provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by Family Violence Prevention Legal Services;

(d) the consequences of mandatory sentencing regimes on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander incarceration rates;

(e) the reasons for the high incarceration rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, women and juveniles;

(f) the adequacy of statistical and other information currently collected and made available by state, territory and Commonwealth governments regarding issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice;

(g) the cost, availability and effectiveness of alternatives to imprisonment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, including prevention, early intervention, diversionary and rehabilitation measures;

(h) the benefits of, and challenges to, implementing a system of ‗justice targets‘; and

(i) any other relevant matters.

Question agreed to.