Newsletter date: 29 November 2012
Contents:
* ALS News: Aboriginal Legal Services from around Australia welcome Justice Reinvestment Inquiry
* Congress welcomes Justice Reinvestment Inquiry
* ANTaR: Senate inquiry to explore smarter approach to crime
* Amy McQuire: Committee to probe smarter approach to tackling crime
* Greens Senator Penny Wright: Senate to investigate new approach on crime
* Original Sovereign Tribal Federation: Native Title - Who gets what and how - in simple terms
* Background to Mabo and Native Title
* Let's Talk: Interview with Michael Anderson on Australia being voted into a temporary seat on the UN Security Council
* Background to the Aboriginal sovereignty movement
* Illawarra Mercury: Land council slams Sandon Point plan
* Background to the Sandon Point Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Bulli, near Wollongong, NSW
* Other articles
* ALS NEWS: ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICES FROM AROUND AUSTRALIA WELCOME JUSTICE REINVESTMENT INQUIRY
- News
Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT):
ALS News: Aboriginal Legal Services from around Australia welcome Justice Reinvestment Inquiry
http://www.alsnswact.org.au/news_items/66
26 Nov 12: "NATSILS welcome Justice Reinvestment Inquiry
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS), the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services in Australia, have welcomed the announcement of a Senate inquiry into the implementation of justice reinvestment in Australia. The NATSILS, along with the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, wrote to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Reference Committee in October requesting they investigate the potential for justice reinvestment policies in Australia. NATSILS Chairperson, Shane Duffy, said that tough on crime approaches have failed and it is now time to get smart on crime."
"To learn more about Justice Reinvestment, visit:
Justice Reinvestment Campaign for Aboriginal young people
http://justicereinvestmentnow.net.au/
"Justice reinvestment is about taking taxpayers dollars out of prisons and putting them back into communities. When implemented, justice reinvestment programs benefit entire communities, not just Aboriginal young people."
* CONGRESS WELCOMES JUSTICE REINVESTMENT INQUIRY:
- Media Release
National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples:
Congress welcomes Justice Reinvestment Inquiry
http://nationalcongress.com.au/congress-welcomes-justice-reinvestment-in...
26 Nov 12: "Justice Reinvestment inquiry lays groundwork for a new direction for Australian justice:
The Congress Co-Chairs today welcomed the Senate inquiry to investigate the implementation of Justice Reinvestment in Australia.
"We wrote to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Reference Committee in October requesting they investigate Justice Reinvestment especially in relation to dealing with the substantial over-representation of our people in the justice system," said Congress Co-Chair Jody Broun.
"We know that Justice Reinvestment has successfully reversed incarceration rates and saved millions of dollars in the USA. Now this Inquiry has been approved we can start to see how it can be applied in Australia," she said. ...
The Inquiry is supported by other leading advocacy groups including Congress member organisation, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS).
"For our communities to be safer we need to start investing more resources in prevention and early intervention strategies such as Justice Reinvestment," said NATSILS Chair, Shane Duffy. ... "
See:
Background to National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples
Last updated: 5 May 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/05/05/background-to-the-national-congress-o...
* ANTaR: SENATE INQUIRY TO EXPLORE SMARTER APPROACH TO CRIME
- Media Release
ANTaR - supporting justice, rights and respect for Australia’s First Peoples:
Senate inquiry to explore smarter approach to crime
https://antar.org.au/reports/senate-inquiry-explore-smarter-approach-crime
27 Nov 12: "ANTaR welcomes the passage of a motion for a parliamentary inquiry into Justice Reinvestment as a milestone in the campaign to reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rates.
"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are amongst the most over-incarcerated peoples in the world. Justice Reinvestment offers a framework to turn the tide on imprisonment rates, and build safer and healthier communities", said Jacqueline Phillips, National Director.
Justice Reinvestment is an innovative fiscal framework involving a shift in the focus of criminal justice spending from prisons to prevention.
"International experience highlights the potential for Justice Reinvestment to address unsustainable growth in the prison population and prevent crime."
Along with key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies, ANTaR wrote to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Reference Committee in October requesting an inquiry into the potential application of Justice Reinvestment in Australia.
"We are delighted that Parliament has responded to the call for this important and timely inquiry, and hope it paves the way for the emergence of a new and innovative approach to crime and community safety.""
- Advocacy
ANTaR - campaigning for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples:
Justice Campaign
https://antar.org.au/campaigns/justice-campaign
"Campaigning for a smarter, more humane approach to crime that saves lives and builds safer communities.
Reducing Imprisonment Rates
Australia’s First Peoples are dramatically over-represented in prison statistics. ANTaR is campaigning to change this unacceptable situation and to end Aboriginal deaths in custody. Join us!"
* AMY MCQUIRE: COMMITTEE TO PROBE SMARTER APPROACH TO TACKLING CRIME
- News
newsTracker: Committee to probe smarter approach to tackling crime
http://tracker.org.au/2012/11/committee-to-probe-smarter-approach-to-tac...
27 Nov 12: "NATIONAL: A senate committee will probe the skyrocketing rates of Indigenous incarceration, with a view to find a more economically responsible approach to tackling crime. It comes following a motion moved by Australian Greens spokesperson on Legal Affairs Senator Penny Wright. ... It costs roughly $164 a day to keep a prisoner locked up, and the overrepresentation of Indigenous prisoners cost as much as $600 million a year. Indigenous incarceration rates have continued to grow over the past 10 years. Today, 25 percent of prisoners in Australia are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and the rates are higher for Indigenous youth." By Amy McQuire, a Darumbal and South Sea Islander woman and editor of Tracker
"For more information on Justice Reinvestment, click here:
http://tracker.org.au/2011/06/bending-bars-reducing-jail-rates-through-r...
* GREENS SENATOR PENNY WRIGHT: SENATE TO INVESTIGATE NEW APPROACH ON CRIME
- Media Release
Greens Penny Wright: Senate to investigate new approach on crime
http://penny-wright.greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/senate-inves...
26 Nov 12: "Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Issues
A new and more economically responsible approach to crime in Australia will be examined by a Senate Inquiry following the success today of a motion by Australian Greens spokesperson on Legal Affairs, Senator Penny Wright.
The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee will investigate growing imprisonment rates and the benefits of implementing a Justice Reinvestment approach. ...
The Senate Inquiry will also examine the longstanding over-representation of Indigenous Australians in the criminal justice system.
"Indigenous Australians are starkly over-represented in our jails, and re-imprisonment rates remain high. Recent data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare confirms that young Indigenous Australians are particularly at risk.
"The Australian Greens have been campaigning for a smarter approach to crime for some time and this inquiry will be a great opportunity to see if Justice Reinvestment can work in Australia," Senator Wright said. ... "
"More information about justice reinvestment can be found
here http://penny-wright.greensmps.org.au/sites/default/files/justice_reinves...
and here. http://penny-wright.greensmps.org.au/content/speeches/justice-reinvestme...
"The terms of reference for the Inquiry can be found
here. http://greensmps.org.au/content/motions/motion-senate-inquiry-justice-re...
- Related News
9 News: Inquiry to investigate cutting crime costs
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2012/11/26/21/00/inquiry-to-investig...
26 Nov 12: "A senate inquiry will examine new ways to cut prison costs by investing in communities, Australian Greens senator Penny Wright says. Senator Wright successfully moved a motion in the upper house on Monday for the senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee to investigate possible gains from reinvesting taxpayers dollars from prisons to communities amid expanding imprisonment rates. ... The South Australian senator said the inquiry would also examine the higher share of indigenous Australians in the criminal justice system compared with general society."
* ORIGINAL SOVEREIGN TRIBAL FEDERATION: NATIVE TITLE - WHO GETS WHAT AND HOW - IN SIMPLE TERMS
- Media Release
Original Sovereign Tribal Federation: Native Title - Who gets what and how - in simple terms
Mikiverse Law: http://mikiverselaw.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/original-sovereighn-tribal-f...
21 Nov 12: "EXACTLY What Is Native Title, and what will those signing off on Native Title Be Getting From The Crown In Return for their signature ? Are the Tribes being told they will get one standard of rights and ownership of 'Traditional' lands whilst being delivered a completely different standard ? Is the Crown being open and fair in its' Native title dealings with the Tribes ? Are the solicitors and others who 'legally' represent the PBCs aware of what they are doing ? Are the Crowns' courts that hear these matters even competent to do so ... "
* BACKGROUND TO MABO AND NATIVE TITLE:
Last updated: 14 July 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/07/02/background-to-mabo-and-native-title
* LET'S TALK: INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL ANDERSON ON AUSTRALIA BEING VOTED INTO A TEMPORARY SEAT ON THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL
- Audio Interview
Indigenous radio station 98.9FM Brisbane:
Michael Anderson
http://www.989fm.com.au/category/podcasts/
27 Nov 12: "Founder of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, on Australia being voted into a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council"
Listen to this interview on-line:
http://www.989fm.com.au/podcasts/lets-talk/michael-anderson-19/
* BACKGROUND TO THE ABORIGINAL SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT:
Last updated: 25 November 2012
http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
* ILLAWARRA MERCURY: LAND COUNCIL SLAMS SANDON POINT PLAN
- News
Illawarra Mercury: Land council slams Sandon Point plan
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/1145433/land-council-slams-sand...
26 Nov 12: "Wollongong City Council’s draft plan of management for Sandon Point is "an affront" to Aboriginal people, the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council says. ILALC CEO Sharralyn Robinson is about to take part in a press conference on the council’s proposals for the site, and has slammed the plans. "In its current form, what is proposed in the draft plan of management is an affront to Aboriginal people the Sandon Point Aboriginal Tent Embassy and the land council," Mrs Robinson said. ... "The four options for the embassy were never part of the community consultation process," she said. "We are not here to negotiate or make a deal to accept one of the four options presented for the future 'mission management' of the embassy." ... "
- Related Event
Event: Sat 15 and Sun 16 December 2012: Sandon Point, Wollongong, NSW
SPATE's 12th anniversary
Sandon Point Aboriginal Tent Embassy (SPATE)
"Saturday morning start gathering for
cultural ceremony around the Sacred Fire
for peace and justice at Kuradji.
Then a meeting of the Aboriginal Sovereign
Nations, with elders and representatives of
Aboriginal Tent Embassy from all over
the country coming."
Event details: http://www.sandon-point.org.au/event/20121215/441.html
About SPATE: http://www.sandon-point.org.au/content/about-sandon-point.html
* BACKGROUND TO THE SANDON POINT ABORIGINAL TENT EMBASSY, BULLI, NEAR WOLLONGONG, NSW:
Last updated: 22 November 2012
[scroll down page] http://indymedia.org.au/2012/04/22/background-to-the-aboriginal-sovereig...
* OTHER ARTICLES:
- News
Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): ALS News: Police tasering of 14 yr old Aboriginal boy
http://www.alsnswact.org.au/news_items/65
14 Nov 12: "A young Aboriginal boy was tasered and sprayed by Police in Kempsey NSW, treatment which ALS Kempsey solicitor Kevin Henshaw described as 'akin to torture'."
- - -
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