WGAR News: Stop it! Justice Reinvestment is not a solution - Do not sell out another generation with more lies: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer

Newsletter date: 14 June 2015

Contents:

* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Stop it! Justice Reinvestment is not a solution - Do not sell out another generation with more lies

* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Deaths in custody decreasing but the prison experience takes lives post release

* News Analysis: The Stringer: Custody Notification Service prevents Aboriginal deaths in police cell custody

* News Analysis: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Premier Barnett, you promised - In the name of Ms Dhu, where are the Custody Notification Service & the end to jailing fine defaulters?

* Bio: Gerry Georgatos - The Stringer
* About: The Stringer - About Us: http://thestringer.com.au/about-us
* Fund The Stringer: http://thestringer.com.au/fund-the-stringer

* Analysis / Opinion: Amy McQuire, New Matilda: In The NT, Streamlined Police Paperwork Takes Priority Over Black Deaths In Custody

* Bio: Amy McQuire - New Matilda: https://newmatilda.com/users/amy-mcquire
* About: New Matilda - About Us: https://newmatilda.com/about-us
* Fund New Matilda: https://newmatilda.com/be-a-supporter

* WGAR Background: Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal deaths in custody
* WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA (and NT?)
* WGAR Background: Intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities by the Federal government

WGAR News Public Google Group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en-GB#!forum/wgar-news
WGAR News - Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: Stop it! Justice Reinvestment is not a solution - Do not sell out another generation with more lies
http://thestringer.com.au/stop-it-justice-reinvestment-is-not-a-solution...
3 Jun 15: "The only way to end inequality is with equality ... Justice Reinvestment is worthwhile but it is no panacea ... It cannot radically reduce the horrific incarceration levels of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait people. ... We must be solid-in-our-thinking that equality is the only campaign we must pursue, and that the steps to equality will be visible from almost immediately as we do the justice in upgrading the quality of life of our Homeland communities; when we give them what every other damn community and town and city on this continent enjoys. ... Governments have intentionally degraded hundreds of their Homeland communities - denying them even the most essential rights - clean water, electricity, shelter. Governments will not even upgrade water tanks. It is racialised because it only occurs in Aboriginal communities. Therefore it is racism. ... We need to focus on ... equality on the ground - the full suite of services, the full suite of rights, quality infrastructure in every Homeland town, community, outstation - equivalent to non-Aboriginal towns, communities, outstations." By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: Deaths in custody decreasing but the prison experience takes lives post release
http://thestringer.com.au/deaths-in-custody-decreasing-but-the-prison-ex...
4 Jun 15: "Deaths in custody are beginning to gradually decrease. In good part this is due to the unwavering campaigns by deaths in custody campaigners across the nation. It has taken decades but there is also no surety that deaths in custody will continue to decrease when the arrest and jailing rates are increasing. The awareness raising I know for a fact has impacted some piecemeal changes which are saving lives. But deaths in custody continue. However, the highlighting of systemic failures and of unchecked rogue behaviours by police and prison officers must continue till these are sorted. The campaigning cannot end, not till unnatural deaths in custody are responded to with the duty of care everyone should be entitled to. ... " By Gerry Georgatos

"Declaration of impartiality conflict of interest - Gerry Georgatos is a suicide prevention researcher with PhD and Masters research in deaths in custody, custodial systems, racialisation, racism. He has written widely on deaths in custody, imprisonment rates and on the ways forward. He is also a prison reform advocate."

- News Analysis

The Stringer: Custody Notification Service prevents Aboriginal deaths in police cell custody
http://thestringer.com.au/custody-notification-service-prevents-aborigin...
3 Jun 15: "The New South Wales Aboriginal Legal Services has stated that Government funding has not been renewed for the 24-hour legal advice and RU OK phone line which has prevented Aboriginal deaths in police cell custody since it began in NSW and ACT. In operation since 2000, the Custody Notification Service was a response to a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody whereby Police must notify the Aboriginal Legal Service every time they detain or arrest an Aboriginal person in order for that person to receive early legal advice and a welfare check. Kane Ellis, Acting CEO of Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT says he’s disappointed the CNS is being overlooked by government again despite the success of the program. ... " By The Stringer

"Declaration of impartiality conflict of interest - The Stringer has been lobbying the Federal Government and the Western Australian Government for the roll-out of the CNS in WA and nationally."

- News Analysis

The Stringer: Premier Barnett, you promised - In the name of Ms Dhu, where are the Custody Notification Service & the end to jailing fine defaulters?
http://thestringer.com.au/premier-barnett-you-promise-in-the-name-of-ms-...
3 Jun 15: "The family of the 22-year-old Yamatji woman, Ms Dhu, who needlessly died in a Western Australian regional police watch-house in August last year, is still waiting for the State Government to lock in the date for the coronial inquest. Family members are still waiting for long overdue systemic changes and laws to be implemented that had they been in place at the time of Ms Dhu’s detainment would have saved her life. Grandmother, Carol Roe, said that the family is suffering while in its wait for promised systemic changes. "We are all waiting for the inquest, so the truth be known," said Ms Roe. "We are all waiting for the changes that were promised to us in the name of my granddaughter that will save the lives of our people." ... " By Gerry Georgatos

"The author of this article, Gerry Georgatos, declares an impartiality conflict of interest. He is a long-time custodial systems and deaths in custody researcher."

- Bio

Gerry Georgatos - The Stringer
http://thestringer.com.au/gerry-georgatos-contributing-editor-and-journa...
" ... His predominant work is in suicide prevention research and in unveiling racism and in articulating the ways forward. In 2011, he left a management background and the tertiary sector and found himself called upon to contribute as a volunteer journalist, predominately for The National Indigenous Times, and for The National Indigenous Radio Service, where his sustained coverage of stories led to positive outcomes and in 2012 won four national awards. ... Gerry is currently completing a PhD on Australian Custodial Systems and Australian Deaths in Custody. ... "

- About

About Us - The Stringer
http://thestringer.com.au/about-us
"The Stringer is an independent online news site, delivering free-to-access independent news to readers daily. We went live on February 20 and formally launched on February 25, 2013 at the Media at the Crossroads Conference at NSW Parliament’s Theatrette. The Stringer was founded by media academic and producer Jennifer Kaeshagen. ... "

- Donate

Fund The Stringer
http://thestringer.com.au/fund-the-stringer
"We know how much you like reading the news on The Stringer website. If you’d like to help us continue to shine a massive great big flood lamp on the political injustices of this country and, indeed, the world then please contribute whatever you feel able to using the form below. ... "

- News Analysis

New Matilda: In The NT, Streamlined Police Paperwork Takes Priority Over Black Deaths In Custody
https://newmatilda.com/2015/06/12/nt-streamlined-police-paperwork-takes-...
11 Jun 15: "The conservative government bears direct responsibiliy for failed 'tough on crime' policies that continue to leave a trail of grief, writes Amy McQuire. One of the most common and distressing things that all families of death in custody victims have to endure is the long wait for answers. An unimaginable grief for people who have sometimes lived a lifetime of grief builds as they deal with the few details pulled from news reports, as they listen to the media statements that often absolve police or prison guards of responsibility prematurely, regularly before any investigation has been completed. ... " By Amy McQuire, a senior reporter with New Matilda. A Darumbul woman from central Queensland, Amy McQuire is the former editor of the National Indigenous Times and Tracker

- Bio

Amy McQuire - New Matilda
https://newmatilda.com/users/amy-mcquire

- About

New Matilda - About Us
https://newmatilda.com/about-us
" ... The Funding Model: Our readers are our investors. New Matilda is predominantly reader-funded and remains fiercely independent, with no affiliation to any political party, lobby group or other media organisation. Become a New Matilda funder here: https://newmatilda.com/be-a-supporter
The Mission: We believe that robust media is fundamental to a healthy democracy - and there's never been a more important time for independent media in Australia. With shrinking media diversity, and huge changes underway in delivery, there are fewer and fewer outlets publishing independent-minded journalism like ours. ... "

- Background

WGAR Background: Justice Reinvestment, Aboriginal imprisonment and Aboriginal deaths in custody
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-justice-reinvestment...
(last updated: 13 June 2015)

WGAR Background: Plans to close Aboriginal homelands / remote communities in WA and SA (and NT?)
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/08/background-plans-to-close-aboriginal...
(last updated: 11 June 2015)

WGAR Background: Intervention into Northern Territory (NT) Aboriginal communities by the Federal government
https://indymedia.org.au/2015/06/08/wgar-background-intervention-into-no...
(last updated: 11 June 2015)

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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

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'WGAR News' monitors the media, including alternative media, focusing on:

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* Treaties with Aboriginal Sovereign Nations of Australia;
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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)