Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before moving this motion, I would like to add the names of Senator Peris and Senator Lines to the motion.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So added.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Peris and Senator Lines, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the report from the Change the Record Coalition, Blueprint for change: Changing the record on the disproportionate imprisonment rates, and rates of violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and

(ii) That the Change the Record Coalition is a significant group of leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, human rights, legal and community organisations;

(b) acknowledges that:

(i) in the past 10 years we have seen an 88 per cent increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in prison,

(ii) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are 13 times more likely to be in prison than non-Indigenous Australians, and

(iii) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 34 times more likely to be hospitalised as a result of family violence than non-Indigenous women; and

(c) calls for:

(i) Commonwealth, state and territory governments to work together to close the gap in imprisonment rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and cut disproportionate rates of violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly women and children, and

(ii) urgent and coordinated national action to close the gap in imprisonment rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and cut disproportionate rates of violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly women and children.

Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Monday, 30 November, the Change the Record Coalition launched Blueprint for change, highlighting the national crisis of the appalling imprisonment rates and rates of violence experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. At the launch, Mr Keenan Mundine, a young, articulate Aboriginal man who grew up on the streets in Redfern, in Sydney, shared his story with us. Keenan lost both his parents when he was eight years old and had very few positive role models growing up. He spent time in and out of juvenile detention and adult prison. Keenan was given an opportunity, through a drug rehabilitation court, to turn his life around. He now works as a youth worker with Weave Youth and Community Services. We cannot allow another generation to fall into this tragic cycle due to the situation they are born into or find themselves in. Labor welcome Blueprint for change and we are committed to adjust the target under the Closing the Gap framework for justice reinvestment, in partnership with the communities, to drive local solutions to prevent crime and incarceration.

Question agreed to.