WGAR News: Stop deaths in custody groups form coalition: Ray Jackson, Green Left

Newsletter date: 9 May 2013

Contents:

* Indymedia Australia: Historic national stop deaths in custody coalition formed
* Ray Jackson, Green Left: Stop deaths in custody groups form coalition
* National Day of Action to Stop Aboriginal deaths in custody!

* The Wire Audio: Justice reinvestment 'key to tackling Indigenous incarceration'
* WA Greens MLC Robin Chapple: Justice reinvestment comeback
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Justice Reinvestment or by any other name
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Australia’s Aboriginal children detained at the world’s highest rates
* NIRS: Governments should work together on incarceration: Advocate
* NIRS: Justice fails Indigenous youth
* NIRS: Aid group points to asylum seeker parallels

* Amnesty: Supreme Court of WA: case dismissed, but concerns remain about children in adult jail
* The Stringer: Supreme Court decision floors parents of jailed children
* SBS Radionews Audio: WA judge dismisses juvenile offender challenge

* Dave Clarke, Socialist Alternative: Police brutality in a racist country

* Background to Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Deaths in Custody

* NIRS: Row over use of NT hospital for alcohol scheme

* INDYMEDIA AUSTRALIA: HISTORIC NATIONAL STOP DEATHS IN CUSTODY COALITION FORMED

- News Media

Indymedia Australia: Historic national stop deaths in custody coalition formed
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/05/02/historic-national-stop-deaths-in-cust...
30 Apr 13: "On Sunday 10 February, 2013 an historic event occurred that linked social justice and stop deaths in custody organisations around Australia in a phone hook-up to allow for national actions to be put in place when a death in custody event occurs or when other important matter occurs that requires a national response and coordinated action by the Coalition.
The organisations taking part are:
- the Indigenous Social Justice Association – Melbourne, in Victoria;
- the Indigenous Social Justice Association - Sydney, in NSW;
- the Deaths in Custody Watch Committee (WA) – in Perth, and
- the Death in Custody Watch Group, Far North Queensland in Cairns.
Groups in other States and Territories have expressed interest in joining the Coalition."

* RAY JACKSON, GREEN LEFT: STOP DEATHS IN CUSTODY GROUPS FORM COALITION

- News

Green Left: Stop deaths in custody groups form coalition
http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/54006
4 May 13: "Social justice and anti-deaths in custody organisations around Australia formed a new national coalition on February 10. The new group will allow for national actions to be organised when a death in custody occurs that requires a national response and coordinated action. The organisations involved include the Indigenous Social Justice Association and the Deaths in Custody Watch committee. Groups in other states and territories have expressed interest in joining the coalition. The coalition’s first project will be to organise a nationally coordinated day of action on September 28 ... " By Ray Jackson

* NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO STOP ABORIGINAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY!

- Upcoming Event

Event: 28 September 2013: Melbourne, Vic
Melbourne - Thirty Years But Still No Justice!
National Day of Action to Stop Aboriginal deaths in custody!
Remember John Pat and the hundreds
who have died in custody since!
"Support these demands made by John Pat’s mother,
Mavis Pat:
* An apology from the WA government for my son’s death in custody
* An ex-gratia payment as compensation
* That the police officers involved need to be brought to
account and a re-opening of the coronial inquiry
into my son’s death ... "
Organised by:
Indigenous Social Justice Association - Melbourne
Event details: http://isja-msg.com/coming_events.htm
Event details: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/54006
Event details: http://indymedia.org.au/2013/05/02/historic-national-stop-deaths-in-cust...
Event details: http://www.facebook.com/events/232079390250476/
WGAR Background to Aboriginal imprisonment and Deaths in Custody: http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...

* THE WIRE AUDIO: JUSTICE REINVESTMENT 'KEY TO TACKLING INDIGENOUS INCARCERATION'

- Audio

The Wire: Justice reinvestment 'key to tackling Indigenous incarceration'
Produced by Biwa Kwan
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=10323
7 May 13: "Aboriginal legal services and community groups are renewing their call for money to be diverted from prisons to early intervention programs to reduce Indigenous incarceration rates across the country. Advocates of justice reinvestment say the approach holds the key to reducing the growing overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in prison."

* WA GREENS MLC ROBIN CHAPPLE: JUSTICE REINVESTMENT COMEBACK

- Media Release

WA Greens MLC Robin Chapple: Justice reinvestment comeback
New Minister Sees the Light on Incarceration Rates?
http://www.robinchapple.com/justice-reinvestment-comeback
6 May 13: "Greens WA Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region, and spokesperson on Aboriginal issues, Robin Chapple MLC, has welcomed yesterday’s reported statements from Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis which seem to herald a fresh approach to the problem of WA’s increasing prison population.
"I am very pleased to hear the Minister’s words on justice reinvestment as part of a new look at prevention programs which are so desperately needed in WA.
"The contrast with his predecessor could not be starker - or more welcome. ...
"I now await some action from the Minister, because words are just not enough in this important area which affects people’s lives at such a basic level", concluded Mr Chapple."

- Related Media Release

WA Greens MLC Robin Chapple: Kalgoorlie remand centre call
Greens MP Sees a Better Way of the Future
http://www.robinchapple.com/kalgoorlie-remand-centre-call
6 May 13: "Greens WA Member for the Mining and Pastoral Region, and spokesperson on Aboriginal issues, Robin Chapple MLC, has praised Kalgoorlie MLA Wendy Duncan’s call for a local remand centre.
"I agree that there is an urgent need for facilities such as these to be available in regional areas.
"Few things I encounter in public life are as heart-rending as the stories which I hear concerning young people torn away from their country by our inadequate justice system. ...
"Let’s work really hard to keep our regional kids out of the system - local remand facilities are a good interim measure, but not good enough to be seen as the complete solution", Mr Chapple concluded."

* GERRY GEORGATOS, THE STRINGER: JUSTICE REINVESTMENT OR BY ANY OTHER NAME

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: Justice Reinvestment or by any other name
http://thestringer.com.au/justice-reinvestment-or-by-any-other-name/
6 May 13: "The Justice Reinvestment cultural wave is growing and where only a few years ago it was derided by some, now more and more are jumping on the bandwagon to give it a go. Former Western Australian Attorney-General Christian Porter, who is federal politics bound come September once described Justice Reinvestment as pie in the sky "vague and fuzzy utopian fantasy." However, with the burgeoning cultural wave of national parliamentary inquiries, conferences and the growing literature on Justice Reinvestment the Western Australian Government looks to be softening up to it." By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist

* GERRY GEORGATOS, THE STRINGER: AUSTRALIA'S ABORIGINAL CHILDREN DETAINED AT THE WORLD'S HIGHEST RATES

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: Australia’s Aboriginal children detained at the world’s highest rates
http://thestringer.com.au/australias-aboriginal-children-detained-at-the...
1 May 13: "In Australia, juvenile detention rates are nowhere near as high as the United States but they have increased to such an extent that alarm bells are going off with many rights advocates and also with many who work within the realm of the criminal justice system. There is a call for a re-evaluation of sentencing regimes, a call for the implementation of restorative justice practices and for the underlying reasons that lead to juveniles being detained to be identified and hence addressed." By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist

* NIRS: GOVERNMENTS SHOULD WORK TOGETHER ON INCARCERATION: ADVOCATE

- Audio

National Indigenous Radio Service: Governments should work together on incarceration: Advocate
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29174/Governments-should-work-t...
2 May 13: "An anti-deaths in custody campaign group has called for bi-partisan support across Australian governments to reduce the high rates of Indigenous incarceration. ... Marc Newhouse from the Deaths in Watch Committee WA says addressing the issue should be a matter of urgency and it’s a failure by governments that it isn’t."

* NIRS: JUSTICE FAILS INDIGENOUS YOUTH

- News

National Indigenous Radio Service: Justice fails Indigenous youth
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29168/Justice-fails-Indigenous-...
1 May 13: "By The Australian: STATES and territories have not only failed to close the gap in the indigenous youth justice system, but have overseen a widening in the past four years despite efforts to stop young Aborigines being jailed more often than their peers."

* NIRS: AID GROUP POINTS TO ASYLUM SEEKER PARALLELS

- Audio

National Indigenous Radio Service: Aid group points to asylum seeker parallels
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29164/Aid-group-points-to-asylu...
1 May 13: "A not-for-profit aid organisation says there are similarities between the treatment of asylum seekers kept in detention centres by the Federal Government and incarcerated Indigenous Australians. ... Executive Director Marc Purcell says keeping vulnerable people locked up could be harmful."

* AMNESTY: SUPREME COURT OF WA: CASE DISMISSED, BUT CONCERNS REMAIN ABOUT CHILDREN IN ADULT JAIL

- News

Amnesty International Australia: Supreme Court of WA: case dismissed, but concerns remain about children in adult jail
http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/31692/
3 May 13: "Amnesty International says despite today’s decision by WA’s Chief Justice to dismiss a case against the Department of Corrective Services, for detaining juveniles in an adult prison, the ongoing detention of the children remains inappropriate. ... "The Court’s decision does not change Amnesty International’s concerns the young people are not receiving the same level of health, education and recreation services in the adult prison they had been receiving while at Banksia Hill," said Amnesty International Indigenous Rights Campaigner Rodney Dillon."

- Audio

Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
http://caama.com.au/caama-radio-news-7-5-2013
7 May 13: "Amnesty International says the ongoing detention of the children in a West Australian prison remains inappropriate.despite the decision by Western Australia’s Chief Justice to dismiss a case against the Department of Corrective Services."

* THE STRINGER: SUPREME COURT DECISION FLOORS PARENTS OF JAILED CHILDREN

- News

The Stringer: Supreme Court decision floors parents of jailed children
http://thestringer.com.au/supreme-court-decision-floors-parents-of-jaile...
3 May 13: "Parents of the Aboriginal children locked up in an adult prison were both broken-hearted and outraged by the finding of Western Australia’s Chief Justice Wayne Martin that it was not illegal for the Department of Corrective Services and the Government to transfer the children to an adult prison. But others beg to differ, as legal and human rights experts argued that if it is inappropriate for children to be in an adult prison therefore it should be illegal. More than 140 children, mostly Aboriginal, were housed in two segregated units of the maximum security Hakea prison ... "

* SBS RADIONEWS AUDIO: WA JUDGE DISMISSES JUVENILE OFFENDER CHALLENGE

- Audio Interview

SBS Radionews Podcasts: WA judge dismisses juvenile offender challenge
By Ryan Emery & Peggy Giakoumelos
http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/Podcasts/radionews/episode/265404/WA-judg...
3 May 13: "WA's Chief Judge has dismissed a legal challenge against the decision to transfer dozens of teenage offenders from a juvenile to an adult prison. ... Western Australia's Chief Judge Wayne Martin has dismissed a legal challenge against the decision to transfer dozens of teenage offenders from a juvenile prison to an adult prison after a riot in January. The family of one of the boys in the high security Hakea prison had argued moving the boys to the jail was a violation of the Young Offenders Act. West Australian correspondent Ryan Emery told Peggy Giakoumelos how the boys ended up in an adult jail."

* DAVE CLARKE, SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE: POLICE BRUTALITY IN A RACIST COUNTRY

- Analysis / Opinion

Socialist Alternative: Police brutality in a racist country
http://www.sa.org.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=7729:police-br...
3 May 13: " In Australia, a country founded upon the dispossession and genocide of the Indigenous population, racism is a constant. It is propagated time and again by politicians of all stripes and the media. The police run rampant, murdering Aboriginal people in custody and harassing minorities everywhere. Recently two outrageous racist attacks on Aboriginal people have been in the news. On Saturday, 20 April, Mr Egan, an Aboriginal elder, who was staying at the Cambridge Hotel in Sydney, was racially vilified by the desk manager. ... In a second incident, eight Aboriginal men are suing Qantas over an incident three years ago." Dave Clarke

* BACKGROUND TO JUSTICE REINVESTMENT, ABORIGINAL IMPRISONMENT AND DEATHS IN CUSTODY:

Last updated: 30 April 2013

http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...

* NIRS: ROW OVER USE OF NT HOSPITAL FOR ALCOHOL SCHEME

- Audio

National Indigenous Radio Service: Row over use of NT hospital for alcohol scheme
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29171/Row-over-use-of-NT-hospit...
2 May 13: "By ABC/NIRS: A plan by the Northern Territory Government to force alcoholics into rehabilitation has been criticised by the Federal Health Minister. The Territory wants to use accommodation at the Royal Darwin Hospital as one of its rehabilitation centres in the initial stages of the scheme. But the Federal Government says that could breach a federal health funding agreement."

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