2016-04-15
“It has been 25 years since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody and Aboriginal people are still disproportionately dying whilst in incarceration", Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said today.
"The Government continues to ignore the majority of recommendations by the Royal Commission, there is no doubt that has costed lives unnecessarily.
"We need leadership on this issue if we are going to reduce disproportionate rates of incarceration for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“It is an indictment on Australia that Aboriginal youth are 26 times more likely to be incarcerated than non-Aboriginal youth. Such disproportionate representation needs to be urgently addressed. The remaining recommendations from 25 years ago must be implemented.
“I like many others have repeatedly called for justice targets as part of a national approach to Closing the Gap on Aboriginal incarceration.
"Minister Scullion scoffed at the proposition of justice targets earlier this year. With the 25 year anniversary of the Royal Commission upon us, I urge Minister Scullion to take justice targets more seriously.
"We are a wealthy country that must have the courage to close the gap. We can and must do better".