Page 2285 - Week 07 - Thursday, 16 June 1994

The investigation revealed that the major cause of the high number of deaths in custody

was the gross over representation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in

police and prison cells. The Commission's report tackled this over representation in two

ways: it dealt with the criminal justice system and it dealt with the underlying causes which

resulted in Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders coming into contact with that

system.

The report found that the most significant reason for the high numbers in custody was the

socially, economically and culturally disadvantaged and unequal position of Aboriginal

peoples and Torres Strait Islanders in our society. To address this problem the report

emphasised the need to empower Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders and return

to them control of their lives and their communities. The Commission made 339

recommendations to Commonwealth, State and Territory governments which address these

issues.

The ACT Government, together with the Commonwealth, State (excluding Tasmania)

and Northern Territory Governments, released its response to the Commission's

recommendations on 31 March 1992.

I tabled the ACT Government response in the Legislative Assembly on 8 April 1992, the

first sitting day following the national release. In doing so I commented that this signified a

new and challenging era in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander relations in the ACT.

2285