Newsletter date: 27 March 2014
Contents:
* Mikaela Simpson, The Wire: A new way of tackling Aboriginal incarceration [Featuring Les Malezer & Dr Peter Lewis]
* SNAICC News: Congress adds its voice to growing calls for justice targets
* ABC The World Today: NT plans to punish heavy drinkers during pregnancy
* ABC Lateline: N.T. alcohol experts oppose criminalisation of pregnant drinkers
* Christina Franks, Mumsnet Talk: Guest post: If drinking in pregnancy becomes a crime, women's bodies will no longer be their own
* ABC News: Doctor advocates call for greater support for pregnant women
* ABC News: Drinking alcohol during pregnancy targeted as NT Government considers rights of unborn child
* Eduardo Jordan, The Wire: Exploring effects of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
* Marg Gleeson, Green Left: Calls for police to be charged over Qld taser attack
* Background to Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
* MIKAELA SIMPSON, THE WIRE: A NEW WAY OF TACKLING ABORIGINAL INCARCERATION [FEATURING LES MALEZER & DR PETER LEWIS]
- Audio
The Wire: A new way of tackling Aboriginal incarceration
Produced by Mikaela Simpson
http://www.thewire.org.au/storyDetail.aspx?ID=11303
6 Mar 14: "Aboriginal leaders are calling for the Federal Government to adopt new justice targets. They claim that increasing the aboriginal educational budget will lead to a decrease in the number of aboriginal and torres strait island people in gaol.
Featured in story:
* Les Malezer, Co-chair Australian congress
* Dr. Peter Lewis, President ANTaR"
* SNAICC NEWS: CONGRESS ADDS ITS VOICE TO GROWING CALLS FOR JUSTICE TARGETS
- News
SNAICC News: Congress adds its voice to growing calls for justice targets
[SNAICC: Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care]
http://www.snaicc.org.au/news-events/fx-view-article.cfm?loadref=32&id=1370
12 Mar 14: "The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples has joined other Indigenous organisations in calling for the creation of specific justice targets under Closing the Gap to address the "alarming and growing" over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the justice system. Congress Co-Chair Kirstie Parker, who is also Co-Chair of the Close the Gap Campaign, observed that in Opposition, Senator Nigel Scullion had said the Coalition was in favour of a Closing the Gap target around justice."
* ABC THE WORLD TODAY: NT PLANS TO PUNISH HEAVY DRINKERS DURING PREGNANCY
- Audio
The World Today: NT plans to punish heavy drinkers during pregnancy
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2014/s3963318.htm
14 Mar 14: "Now to the Northern Territory where it could soon be a crime to drink heavily while pregnant. The Territory Attorney-General says it's a move to protect the rights of unborn children. But, as Lindy Kerin reports, he's facing some strong opposition. ...
CATERINA GIORGI: It really, really does anger me that a government would be looking at locking people up in our community who are most vulnerable, when we don't have appropriate supports, including treatment, for women who are in this situation. And we don't have any sort of comprehensive prevention campaign to try and raise awareness of the risks that alcohol consumption can cause during pregnancy."
* ABC LATELINE: N.T. ALCOHOL EXPERTS OPPOSE CRIMINALISATION OF PREGNANT DRINKERS
- Audio
ABC Lateline: N.T. alcohol experts oppose criminalisation of pregnant drinkers
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2014/s3963901.htm
14 Mar 14: "There's strong opposition to the N.T. Government's proposed prosecution of pregnant drinkers as a way to reduce the number of babies born with foetal alcohol syndrome. ...
CATERINA GIORGI, FNDN FOR ALCOHOL RSCH AND EDU: A proposal like this will deter women who need help from trying to access it and that will cause even greater levels of harm in the future. ... What we need to do is focus on prevention and encouraging health professionals to talk to pregnant women about their alcohol consumption and we need to ensure there are adequate treatment and rehabilitation for women who are pregnant and alcohol dependent."
* CHRISTINA FRANKS, MUMSNET TALK: GUEST POST: IF DRINKING IN PREGNANCY BECOMES A CRIME, WOMEN'S BODIES WILL NO LONGER BE THEIR OWN
- Analysis / Opinion
Mumsnet Talk: Guest post: If drinking in pregnancy becomes a crime, women's bodies will no longer be their own
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/guest_posts/a2007362-Guest-post-If-drinking-...
24 Feb 14: "A test case due to be heard at the Court of Appeal could criminalise a mother who drank heavily in pregnancy, and whose child was subsequently born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The case could set a precedent, and raises a number of issues relating to mothers' rights to autonomy over their own bodies, and when 'personhood' begins. In this guest post, MN blogger Christina Franks shares her own experience of drinking while pregnant, and argues that criminalising those who do so to excess would be a futile and a dangerous step."
* ABC NEWS: DOCTOR ADVOCATES CALL FOR GREATER SUPPORT FOR PREGNANT WOMEN
- News
ABC News: Doctor advocates call for greater support for pregnant women
[scroll down page] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-14/nt-government-considering-rights-o...
14 Mar 14: "Dr James Fitzpatrick is a paediatrician who has worked at Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia specialising in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. He says a supportive and voluntary approach, rather than punitive one, is needed. "There'll be a number of women who would seek out that kind of support actively," he said. "I can't imagine what it's like to live the lives that some of these women live, where they've got worries about food security from day-to-day, where they're living in relative poverty and an overcrowded home, possibly in a place where there's domestic violence and alcohol use. ... "
* ABC NEWS: DRINKING ALCOHOL DURING PREGNANCY TARGETED AS NT GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS RIGHTS OF UNBORN CHILD
- Video
ABC News: Drinking alcohol during pregnancy targeted as NT Government considers rights of unborn child
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-14/nt-government-considering-rights-o...
14 Mar 14: "The Northern Territory Government is considering legislation that could see pregnant women prosecuted or restrained if they drink dangerously because they are infringing on the rights of unborn children. Attorney-General John Elferink says the fact that a large number of children are growing up in the NT with foetal alcohol syndrome is a "real problem". "I lay the blame for that squarely on the feet of a passive welfare system that is expecting nothing from the recipients of that welfare," he told ABC Lateline in an interview."
* EDUARDO JORDAN, THE WIRE: EXPLORING EFFECTS OF FOETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME
- Audio
The Wire: Exploring effects of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
Produced by Eduardo Jordan
14 Mar 14: "This week we heard about the tragic case of a woman with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome in jail for 18 months without a trial in Western Australia. The Northern Territory Government is now considering legislation that could see pregnant women who drink thrown in jail. The issue has caused controversy within organisations and amongst some experts. ...
Featured in story:
* John Elferink - Minister for Children and Families for the Northern Territory
* Vicki Russell - CEO, National Organisation for Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Australia
* Mike Daube - Professor, Curtin University and Director, McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth"
* MARG GLEESON, GREEN LEFT: CALLS FOR POLICE TO BE CHARGED OVER QLD TASER ATTACK
- Analysis / Opinion
Green Left: Calls for police to be charged over Qld taser attack
https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55982
1 Mar 14: "Police have not responded to a petition Taser victim Sheila Oakley handed to them a week ago. In response, a community assembly was held outside Logan police station on February 22. Oakley was in hospital and could not attend the rally. Paul Butterworth, an Aboriginal elder who had called the assembly, told the crowd: "We will keep coming back until something’s done about this."" By GLW author Marg Gleeson
* BACKGROUND TO JUSTICE REINVESTMENT, ABORIGINAL IMPRISONMENT AND ABORIGINAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY:
Last updated: 26 March 2014
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/12/17/background-to-aboriginal-imprisonment...
- - -
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