Page 3626 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 26 August 2008
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On the issue of teacher mobility, it is important not to negate the positive effects of the sharing of knowledge and skills as teachers move into new settings. Mobility has been listed for discussion in the next enterprise bargaining agreement for teachers to begin in January of 2009. The committee recommended that the Department of Education and Training provide prominent links to information and support services for students and parents. The department has made these links available on its website and will encourage schools to include links on their individual websites.
It is recommended that the Restorative Justice Unit continue to review and monitor restorative justice conferences, undertake qualitative evaluation and conduct a review of the referral process. The government confirms that the review is taking place, and the referral process has been streamlined by amending the legislation. The committee also recommended that the Restorative Justice Unit be adequately resourced for phase 2 implementation with a view to potential expansion in response to demand. Phase 1 required a more intensive use of resources than was first estimated, and the government will consider how best to allocate resources to the implementation of phase 2.
Recommendations 21 and 22 recommend that the legislation confirming the principles and objects of the Ngambra Circle Sentencing Court are enacted and that the court be extended to include juvenile matters. The government is of the view that further consultation is required to ensure that the circle court has the support of the local indigenous community before the court’s processes are formalised and juvenile matters are included. A review is currently underway and has involved consultation with criminal justice agencies and community representatives. The consultants are due to provide their report early next month.
The committee recommended that the government investigate ways to ensure that the restorative justice principles are applied in all aspects of the Alexander Maconochie Centre and that the Restorative Justice Unit be authorised to provide post-sentencing restorative justice conferencing. The government supports the referral of ACT prisoners to restorative justice processes, and discussions are being held with the Restorative Justice Unit to guide the provision of restorative justice conferencing.
The government acknowledges that there has been a diverse range of restorative justice practices that are being developed and delivered across a range of services in the ACT. I thank the committee for its work, and I am pleased to table the government’s response to the committee’s report.
Papers
Mr Corbell presented the following paper:
Subordinate legislation (including explanatory statements unless otherwise stated)
Legislation Act, pursuant to section 64—
Children and Young People Act 1999—Children and Young People Official Visitor Appointment 2008 (No 1)—Disallowable Instrument DI2008-206 (LR, 18 August 2008).
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