Legal Aid Matters – Access to Justice is a Human Right!
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Legal Aid Matters – Access to Justice is a Human Right!

Legal Aid Matters Campaign45,000 people faced courts alone due to legal aid crisis

New national campaign launched at start of Law Week aimed at ensuring the next Federal Government responds decisively to the funding crisis.

The campaign will see lawyers and concerned organisations rally and attend events in major cities around Australia.

At least 45,000 Australians have been forced to represent themselves in court, often up against powerful and well-funded legal teams, due to the crisis in legal aid that has seen hundreds of millions of dollars ripped from these vital services.

Read Media Release:
http://www.legalaidmatters.org.au/…/1629—-45000-people-fa…

Sign the petition – Let our politicians know that legal aid matters to you!
http://www.legalaidmatters.org.au/get-involved

ATSILS Walking for Justice: QPILCH Legal Walk 2016 – Brisbane
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ATSILS Walking for Justice: QPILCH Legal Walk 2016 – Brisbane

This morning staff from our Brisbane office were out in force taking part in the Queensland Legal Walk to fundraise for Queensland Public Interest Law Clearing House and celebrate the legal profession’s commitment to ensuring all Queenslanders have access to the legal system when they most need it.

The Walk commenced at 7am in Brisbane and followed a 5km route along both sides of the Brisbane River and make its way back to the Queen Elizabeth II Court Complex. Walkers were treated to a complimentary breakfast. Elvira lead all the way and could not be caught by her rivals. Andrew and Graham lead the way to the breakfast. Both level 5 and level 6 represented, thanks to those that participated. What a deadly choice.

LegalWalk2016 ATSILS Brisbane
LegalWalk2016 ATSILS Brisbane

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Media Release: Federal Budget fails to prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
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Media Release: Federal Budget fails to prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

shane_CTRThe Change the Record (CTR) Coalition this morning expressed concern at the 2016 Federal Budget’s overall lack of focus on the Indigenous sector and investment in Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities.

CTR Co-Chair Shane Duffy said “We are extremely disappointed that the Turnbull Government’s Budget fails to prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice issues, including the high rates of violence being experienced by Aboriginal women and children, and skyrocketing rates of incarceration of our peoples.”

“The Federal Budget provides a roadmap of Government priorities, and we are deeply concerned that in this Budget Aboriginal justice issues appear to have been forgotten by the Turnbull Government” said Mr Duffy.
View CTR Media Release:
http://res.cloudinary.com/www-changetherecord-org-au/image/upload/v1462326072/CTR_Budget_Media_Release_04.05.16_o6l2it.pdf 

 

ATSILS CEO on addressing Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Disadvantage in the Justice System
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ATSILS CEO on addressing Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Disadvantage in the Justice System

shane_DuffyWELL WORTH A LISTEN: A 7 minute insight from our CEO & Change The Record Co-Chair Shane Duffy highlighting the burning issues driving incarceration rates and what’s needed to create smarter justice and safer communities.

The Change The Record Coalition is a group of key organisations who have come together and developed a concrete plan for Federal, State and Territory Governments to address soaring Aboriginal imprisonment rates and high levels of experienced violence within a generation.

Listen Here:
https://radio.adelaide.edu.au/indigenous-incarceration-sha…/

View the Plan: “Blueprint for Change”:
https://changetherecord.org.au/blueprint-for-change

Change The Record – Steering Committee:
https://changetherecord.org.au/about

Community is Everything – ATSILS Principal Legal Officer talking to schools about issues & solutions re: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth detention
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Community is Everything – ATSILS Principal Legal Officer talking to schools about issues & solutions re: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth detention

Greg Shadbolt - Principal Legal Officer ATSILSCommunity is Everything

Last week our Principal Legal Officer was out in the community shining a light on the issues related to the high detention rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and the solutions needed to create brighter futures for our kids.

Greg presented to senior school students from around a dozen schools – hosted at the Brisbane Boys College (Toowong) as part of Amnesty International Australia‘s “Community is Everything” campaign.

There were several hundred school children and teachers in attendance and it was a great opportunity to increase awareness of critical justice issues effecting kids futures to new audiences less likely to be exposed to such challenges.

More information on the campaign can be found here:
http://www.amnesty.org.au/activist/campaign-resource/37103

25th Anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
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25th Anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody

Shane_seaofhands

Today is the 25th Anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Report ‪#‎RCIADIC‬

This morning ATSILS CEO Shane Duffy and Dr Jackie Huggins Co-Chairs of Change the Record Coalition are at Parliament House in Canberra commemorating lives lost and working for change.

In the 25 years since the handing down of the RCIADIC report Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander incarceration rates have almost doubled. It time for change. Here’s what’s needed:
https://changetherecord.org.au/blueprint-for-change

CTR_RCIADIC_25Anniversary_1

 

MEDIA RELEASE: ‘Justice targets critical to ‘Closing the Gap’
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MEDIA RELEASE: ‘Justice targets critical to ‘Closing the Gap’

Change the Record Coalition (CTR)

Change The Record Coalition“The ‘Close the Gap Campaign’s 2016 Progress and Priorities Report’ released today calls on government to develop justice targets to reduce the high rates of imprisonment and violence being experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”

Change the Record Coalition Co-Chair Shane Duffy said, “These statistics are a sad indictment on our nation. The over-representation of our peoples in the criminal justice system, and high rates of violence being experienced, is both cause and effect for the poor state of health, education and employment outcomes of so many of our families and communities”.

“It is long past time for measurable justice targets to be adopted as part of the COAG Closing the Gap Strategy, and we welcome this renewed call for action from the Close the Gap Campaign. The safer communities ‘building block’ remains the only area without targets attached” said Mr Duffy.

https://changetherecord.org.au/blog/news/justice-targets-critical-to-close-the-gap

It’s time for a smarter safer approach – Justice Reinvestment: PJ’s Story
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It’s time for a smarter safer approach – Justice Reinvestment: PJ’s Story

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people comprise only 3 per cent of the Australian population, but make up 28 per cent of the total prison population and are imprisoned at a rate 14 times higher than other Australians. They are also much more likely to be victims of crime.

Justice Reinvestment is a circuit-breaker. It is data driven, fiscally sound and empowers communities to address the underlying causes of crime.

PJ’s story highlights the cost of locking people up and the power of community to provide alternative pathways.

Together we must convince government to set targets to reduce incarceration and to support the implementation of justice reinvestment in Australia.
Take Action
https://antar.org.au/campaigns/justice-campaign…

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It’s time for a smarter safer approach – Justice Reinvestment – Trisha’s Story

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people comprise only 3 per cent of the Australian population, but make up 28 per cent of the total prison population and are imprisoned at a rate 14 times higher than other Australians. They are also much more likely to be victims of crime.

Justice Reinvestment is a circuit-breaker. It is data driven, fiscally sound and empowers communities to addresses the underlying causes of crime.

Trisha’s story is one of success and highlights the need for Justice Reinvestment.

Together we must convince government to set targets to reduce incarceration and to support the implementation of justice reinvestment in Australia.

Take Action Here:
https://antar.org.au/campaigns/justice-campaign…

It’s time for a new approach to Justice – Dale’s Story
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It’s time for a new approach to Justice – Dale’s Story

It’s time for a new approach to Justice – Dale’s Story

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people comprise only 3 per cent of the Australian population, but make up around 28 per cent of the total prison population and are imprisoned at a rate 14 times higher than other Australians. They are also much more likely to be victims of crime.

Justice Reinvestment is a circuit-breaker. It is data driven, fiscally sound and empowers communities to address the underlying causes of crime.

Dale’s story highlights the cost of locking people up and the power of community to provide alternative pathways.

Together we must convince government to set targets to reduce incarceration and to support the implementation of justice reinvestment in Australia.

Take Action:
https://antar.org.au/campaigns/justice-campaign…