Law Council Cheers Proposed $107M Funding for First Nations Justice

Updated: May 21, 2024

The NSW Justice Reinvestment Grant Program has been launched to provide significant funding to Aboriginal communities in NSW for Justice Reinvestment initiatives. The first nations justice funding program offers up to $7.5 million over three years, from June 2024 to June 2027, aimed at creating or supporting community governance and consultation, investigating issues through data and research, and developing plans for change. The program also funds the implementation or pilot of community-developed options or programs addressing identified issues. The first stage of this program, which began in January 2024, is now closed.

The Minister for Indigenous Australians tabled the 2023 Commonwealth Closing the Gap Implementation Plan, marking the first such plan under the Albanese Government. This plan outlines strategic priorities and actions over the next 12 to 18 months to improve the lives of First Nations Australians, building on the Commonwealth Closing the Gap Annual Report 2022.

Katie Kiss commenced her role as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner on April 3, 2024. Commissioner Kiss, a proud Kaanju and Birri/Widi woman from Rockhampton, Central Queensland, brings a wealth of experience and commitment to her new role.

April 30, 2019 
Flo Mitchell

Sol Dolor 27 Apr 2019

The Law Council of Australia applauds the $107m package proposed by Labor to address the systemic disadvantage in the justice system experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The funding is a significant step in addressing what Arthur Moses SC, Law Council president, says is a “national disgrace.”

“The over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, women and children in our justice system is not just alarming – it is a national disgrace,” he said. “The ALP’s package is a much-needed funding boost. Importantly, it also focuses on creating change through justice reinvestment programs and the inclusion of Closing the Gap justice targets.”

The package adds $40m over four years to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS); $21.75m over four years for justice reinvestment programs; and $60m for First Nations family violence services. Labor also committed to working with states and territories to adopt the Council of Australian Government’s Closing the Gap justice target frameworks.

“The Law Council’s Justice Project Final Report highlighted the dire state of access to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and included a raft of recommendations to help resolve significant barriers to justice,” Moses said. “These included a focus on justice reinvestment, increased legal assistance funding, adoption of Closing the Gap targets, early intervention and prevention strategies and the adoption of community-led culturally appropriate services for First Nations people.”

He said that the Law Council will hold Labor to account if they are elected to government to ensure commitments are “implemented without delay.”

“We also must remember that much more needs to be done to address increasing levels of disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Moses said. “To this end, we look forward to working with all sides of politics including the coalition to address this national tragedy and ensure justice for all Australians. Justice for First Nations Peoples should never be a partisan issue. This only creates division and our leaders need to ensure that this does not happen.”

The Law Council also welcomed the party’s announcement of a proposed $660m package to address family violence. The proposal will boost resources for early intervention, frontline services and emergency accommodation, and legal services, the council said.

As first seen in Australasian Lawyer.

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