2017-03-31
Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert supports the open letter from Change the Record to Malcolm Turnbull, calling on the Government to urgently address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth incarceration.
“The Royal Commission into NT youth detention hands down its interim report today, the Government should use this to inform the development of a proactive strategy to reduce Aboriginal youth incarceration.
“I recently wrote to the Prime Minister urging him to implement justice targets and his response left the door open to such targets. I welcome this and hope the open letter from over 100 service deliverers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations convinces the Prime Minister to implement justice targets as a matter of urgency.
“The Prime Minister has insisted that we must work with our First Peoples if we are going to close the gap. Listening to those on the ground about how to reduce disadvantage should take priority”.