2016-02-12
In the same week Malcolm Turnbull promised to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to Close the Gap, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs has referred to broadly supported Justice Targets as ‘nonsense’.
“Despite making grand statements about working with the Aboriginal communities to reduce incarceration and close the gap, the Government still refuses to introduce justice targets which have been consistently called for by Aboriginal organisations.
“The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and a large number of organisations have long called for justice targets. They would help focus, initiate and drive approaches to reducing incarceration, which is what the Government is failing at.
“It is ‘nonsense’ for the Minister for Indigenous Affairs to claim justice targets are not appropriate at the federal level, for a start the Federal Government does have some decision making powers in this area and secondly they could say that about a range of other targets.
“In the past decade we have seen an 88% increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ending up in prison. I think it is about time Minister Scullion took justice targets seriously.
“The Close the Gap Steering Committee and Change the Record have both called for justice targets.
“Minister Scullion should be sincere in his efforts to Close the Gap on incarceration rates and implement the targets as soon as possible”.