Page 2632 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 10 August 2016
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To improve the agreement’s key focus area of cultural identity, the ACT government has funded support for the arts and culture sector that will support, develop and build the capacity of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community within the ACT. Funding of $100,000 has been provided to support local artists and cultural organisations.
Funding of $100,000 for grants and programs will also be available to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and has been provided in the ACT budget.
To improve the agreement’s key focus on healthy mind, healthy body, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services in the ACT will receive $1.06 million in additional funding. This funding will extend the services to support additional specialist outreach programs and extend selected existing programs.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Burch.
MS BURCH: Minister, can you provide more details on the adult Indigenous guidance partnership program for restorative justice that was outlined in this year’s budget?
DR BOURKE: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults are imprisoned at a rate 13 times higher than non-Indigenous adults Australia-wide and 14½ times higher for the ACT. The overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the criminal justice system and specifically in terms of incarceration is well known and documented. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the criminal justice system have complex legal needs arising from issues around language, cultural barriers and social disadvantage. The ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agreement 2015-18 identified feeling safe as a key focus area for the community. The ACT government has committed to reducing incarceration rates as an objective of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice partnership 2015-18.
Specific and focused measures are required to improve this outcome. An Indigenous guidance partner budget initiative is one such measure. A $1.99 million package, which includes $1.3 million for the confiscated assets trust fund, will support the Indigenous guidance partner for adults undertaking restorative justice. An Indigenous guidance partner will help to spread awareness of restorative practice in the community, raise Indigenous participation rates in restorative justice at every point of the criminal justice process and provide Indigenous restorative justice participants with opportunities to have deeper conversations with other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people about their relevant issues and needs.
The Indigenous guidance partner will also support successful achievement of restorative justice agreements amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders and/or victims who are referred to restorative justice. The Indigenous guidance partner will be providing a vital outreach service that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander client engagement in restorative justice conferences and agreement activities.
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