Newsletter date: 18 June 2013
Contents:
* Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): At the 11th hour, the CNS is funded
* The Stringer: Federal Government finally fronts up with funding for Custodial Notification Service
* Tracker: Essential lifeline secures funding for next two years
* NIRS: Funding finally found for legal advice phone line
* Background to Funding of the Custody Notification Service operated by the Aboriginal Legal Service
* Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): Legal fraternity to meet Aboriginal elders [New Canberra office]
* NIRS: New Canberra office for Aboriginal Legal Service
* CAAMA Video: Amendments to Territory's Alcohol Mandatory Treatment legislation
* NITV News: NT vows to amend Mandatory Alcohol Treatment Bill
* NIRS: Changes to NT mandatory treatment policy
* NIRS: Peak medical group opposed to compulsory rehab plan
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: State and Federal Governments are rubbing the faces of the poor in the dirt
* Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Corruption Commission hears of bashing of prisoners
* WA Today: Video shown in Broome watch house hearing
* Jan Mayman, Tracker: On Our Watch: The death in custody of Mr Phillips
* Background to Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
* ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICE (NSW/ACT): AT THE 11TH HOUR, THE CNS IS FUNDED
- Analysis / Opinion
Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): ALS News: At the 11th hour, the CNS is funded
http://www.alsnswact.org.au/news_items/87
13 Jun 13: "With just over two weeks to go before the CNS phone line preventing Aboriginal deaths in police custody was due to cease operating, the Attorney-General of Australia Mark Dreyfus today agreed to funding for a two-year period. We want to thank all of YOU who fought hard with us to get the CNS funded. Two weeks ago we sent hard copies of a petition to Save the CNS to the Attorney-General of Australia. Your signatures on that petition, and your heart-felt comments about why the CNS is essential, obviously made a huge difference."
* THE STRINGER: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FINALLY FRONTS UP WITH FUNDING FOR CUSTODY NOTIFICATION SERVICE
- News
The Stringer: Federal Government finally fronts up with funding for Custodial Notification Service
http://thestringer.com.au/federal-government-finally-fronts-up-with-fund...
17 Jun 13: "At the eleventh hour, the Federal Government has come to the rescue of the New South Wales based police custody crisis phone line - the 24-hour Custody Notification Service (CNS). The phone service had its funding cut last year while both the Federal and State Governments squabbled as to who should front the funding for it. For the last year, the Aboriginal Legal Services NSW/ACT self-funded the service rather than see it go down. ALS staff did not take their wage award rises in the last year so as to fund the phone service till end of June 2013. But this proved unsustainable and the ALS launched a public campaign for the funding to be reinstated."
* TRACKER: ESSENTIAL LIFELINE SECURES FUNDING FOR NEXT TWO YEARS
- News
newsTracker: Essential lifeline secures funding for next two years
http://tracker.org.au/2013/06/essential-lifeline-secures-funding-for-nex...
13 Jun 13: "A vital service which has helped prevent Aboriginal deaths in custody in the state has secured funding for the next two years from the federal Attorney General following a social media campaign launched by the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT. The Custody Notification Service (CNS) has been running under its current incarnation since 2000 out of the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT). Since then, there has been no Aboriginal deaths in custody. ... ALS CEO Phil Naden welcomed the funding and thanked the supporters of the campaign."
* NIRS: FUNDING FINALLY FOUND FOR LEGAL ADVICE PHONE LINE
- Audio
National Indigenous Radio Service: Funding finally found for legal advice phone line
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29391/Funding-finally-found-for...
14 Jun 13: "The New South Wales/ACT Aboriginal Legal Service is thanking over 33,000 people who lobbied governments to find funding for an important 24-hour phone service. Just two weeks before the Custody Notification Service was about to shut down due to a lack of funds, the ALS has heard the Federal Government will now continue the service for another two years."
* BACKGROUND TO FUNDING OF THE CUSTODY NOTIFICATION SERVICE OPERATED BY THE ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICE
WGAR News: Brian Johnstone, Tracker: Backtracker: Pass the bucks, not the buck (13 Jun 13)
[Funding of the Custody Notification Service operated by the Aboriginal Legal Service]
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/06/12/wgar-news-we-have-to-stop-the-creatio...
WGAR News: Deaths in custody on conscience of all Australians - Save the CNS: Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) (8 Jun 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/06/07/wgar-news-deaths-in-custody-on-consci...
WGAR News: Greens Jamie Parker MP: NSW government refuses funding for live-saving Aboriginal legal advice line (1 Jun 13)
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2013/05/31/wgar-news-suicide-prevention-strategy...
WGAR News: "Stop Aboriginal deaths in police custody by saving the Custody Notification Service" (15 May 13)
http://indymedia.org.au/2013/05/14/wgar-news-stop-aboriginal-deaths-in-p...
* ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICE (NSW/ACT): LEGAL FRATERNITY TO MEET ABORIGINAL ELDERS
- News
Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): ALS News: Legal fraternity to meet Aboriginal elders
http://www.alsnswact.org.au/news_items/86
12 Jun 13: "Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Canberra office has moved buildings and is celebrating with an official office opening on Wednesday 12 June 2013. ... Following its initial establishment in Redfern in 1970, ALS satellite offices were quickly established incorporating the ACT, the first of which was in Cowra NSW. ALS Lawyers travelled a wide court circuit from Cowra to Yass, Queanbeyan to Canberra for many years. ... ALS Canberra advises and represents up to forty people each week in and outside the courtroom."
* NIRS: NEW CANBERRA OFFICE FOR ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICE
- News
National Indigenous Radio Service: New Canberra office for Aboriginal Legal Service
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29388/New-Canberra-office-for-A...
13 Jun 13: "The new Canberra office of the New South Wales/ACT Aboriginal Legal Service has been officially opened. The office is located on University Avenue on the north side of Lake Burley Griffin. ... The ALS says it advises and represents up to forty people each week in and outside Canberra courtrooms."
* CAAMA VIDEO: AMENDMENTS TO TERRITORY'S ALCOHOL MANDATORY TREATMENT LEGISLATION
- Video
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association: Amendments to Territory's Alcohol Mandatory Treatment legislation
http://caama.com.au/amendments-to-territorys-alcohol-mandatory-treatment...
13 Jun 13: "Health Minister Robyn Lambley announces amendments to Territory's Alcohol Mandatory Treatment legislation"
- Related Audio
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association:
http://caama.com.au/radio#tabs-6
http://caama.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/am-14-06.mp3
14 Jun 13: "* The Northern Territory Government says 2 major changes to its proposed alcohol Mandatory Treatment Act address concerns that the new law will criminalise drunkeness.
* Territory Opposition Leader Delia Lawrie said that the policy on the run by the CLP is a clear sign that their alcohol legislation is fundamentally flawed and doomed to fail."
* NITV NEWS: NT VOWS TO AMEND MANDATORY ALCOHOL TREATMENT BILL
- Video
SBS World News: NT vows to amend Mandatory Alcohol Treatment Bill
Source: Craig Quartermaine, NITV News
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1777919/NT-vows-to-amend-Mandatory-Al...
13 Jun 13: "The Northern Territory government has declared it will undertake major changes to its planned Mandatory Alcohol Treatment Bill. It's a response to criticism from Health Groups and Legal bodies from all over the country, which had questioned the legality and even the human rights aspects of the new laws."
* NIRS: CHANGES TO NT MANDATORY TREATMENT POLICY
- Audio
National Indigenous Radio Service: Changes to NT mandatory treatment policy
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29392/Changes-to-NT-mandatory-t...
14 Jun 13: "The Northern Territory Government has announced it will amend its proposed manadatory alcohol treatment legislation. The changes will aim to reduce the time for assessment of clients and put in place a change to the punishment on those who escape from treatment centres."
* NIRS: PEAK MEDICAL GROUP OPPOSED TO COMPULSORY REHAB PLAN
- Audio
National Indigenous Radio Service: Peak medical group opposed to compulsory rehab plan
http://www.nirs.org.au/blog/NEWS/article/29387/Peak-medical-group-oppose...
13 Jun 13: "The Australian Medical Association says the Northern Territory Government’s proposed alcohol management rehabilitation plan will do nothing to ensure the future health of people. ... Peter Beaumont is the President of the Territory branch of the AMA he and says criminalising those with a clear alcohol addiction is useless."
* GERRY GEORGATOS, THE STRINGER: STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS ARE RUBBING THE FACES OF THE POOR IN THE DIRT
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: State and Federal Governments are rubbing the faces of the poor in the dirt
http://thestringer.com.au/state-and-federal-governments-are-rubbing-the-...
17 Jun 13: "Extrapolating Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data it appears that the Australian adult prison population will double within a decade. The prison population doubled over the last two decades, from 15,000 to 31,000 and the rise looks like continuing but at an even faster rate. Once again a disproportionate brunt of the incarceration numbers will be borne by Aboriginal peoples. Two decades ago Aboriginal persons were one in seven of all prisoners but today they are more than one in four." By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist
* GERRY GEORGATOS, THE STRINGER: CORRUPTION COMMISSION HEARS OF BASHING OF PRISONERS
- Analysis / Opinion
The Stringer: Corruption Commission hears of bashing of prisoners
http://thestringer.com.au/corruption-commission-hears-of-bashing-of-pris...
15 Jun 13: "The Corruption and Crimes Commission (CCC) of Western Australia heard last week that a senior police officer punched and kneed an Aboriginal detainee at the Kimberley’s Broome police watch-house. It was also alleged that other police officers stood by as prisoners were stripped, insulted and abused. The incidents were caught on closed circuit television (CCTV). An Aboriginal man, who has not been identified, was allegedly punched by a police officer during an altercation at the Broome watch-house." By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist
* WA TODAY: VIDEO SHOWN IN BROOME WATCH HOUSE HEARING
- News
WA Today: Video shown in Broome watch house hearing
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/video-shown-in-broome-watch-house-hear...
10 Jun 13: "Footage of a police officer repeatedly punching a prisoner and dragging another through a watch-house by his neck has been shown to a public hearing held by Western Australia's corruption watchdog. The footage, taken by CCTV cameras at the Broome watch-house in WA's Kimberley region, shows the same senior constable involved in two separate incidents less than three weeks apart earlier this year. After viewing the footage, Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan served a loss of confidence notice on the 31-year-old constable, who has since resigned from the force."
* JAN MAYMAN, TRACKER: ON OUR WATCH: THE DEATH IN CUSTODY OF MR PHILLIPS
- Analysis / Opinion
agendaTracker: On Our Watch: The death in custody of Mr Phillips
http://tracker.org.au/2013/06/on-our-watch-the-death-in-custody-of-mr-ph...
13 Jun 13: "NATIONAL: Two years ago, Tracker reported on the death in custody of Mr Phillips, who passed away in a prison cell in Kalgoorlie. JAN MAYMAN reports on the troubling findings of his inquest, held only last year. Like too many other Indigenous Australians, Mr Phillips died a miserable, painful death in a police lockup cell. Disabled and sick, he was picked up in January 2011 after failing to obey a police 'Move on' order. Less than 24 hours later he was dead. He was 51 years old. It took the West Australian justice system almost 12 months to hold a coronial inquest into the death of Mr Phillips." By Jan Mayman
* BACKGROUND TO JUSTICE REINVESTMENT, ABORIGINAL IMPRISONMENT AND ABORIGINAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY:
Last updated: 13 June 2013
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...
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